BURY Council hopes to improve everyone’s access to healthy and sustainable food after launching its new 'Bury Food Strategy'.

According to the Council, the aim of the new initiative is to "promote better health by making the healthier choice the easier choice, for all age groups and communities, promoting good food and better access to it."

Members from across the food community in Bury, which encompasses cooking, dental health, school meals, food pantries and many others, have been working with the Council to develop the strategy.

The plan will now be driven forward through the formation of a Bury Food Partnership, looking across the whole food system, encompassing topics such as cooking and growing skills, food security, malnutrition prevention, food procurement and healthier environments.

Lesley Jones, Bury’s director of public health, said: “Good nutrition is an essential part of good health and well-being at all stages of our lives, from young children to adulthood and to old age. We want to develop a fairer food system here in Bury where everyone can thrive.”

“Good food can bring our communities together and should be celebrated. This has been brought into focus by the pandemic as local communities and businesses offered their support to those in need.”

Lesley has been delighted with the involvement of groups from across the borough.

She said: “Many partners in Bury have been helping us to develop this strategy, and we look forward to working with them to put those ideas into action.”

Cllr Andrea Simpson, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, added: “Here in Bury we are passionate about food. From our famous markets to bakeries and black pudding, food is a crucial part of our identity. But more than this we want to be passionate about healthy, affordable food.

“Some of the best aspects of our food provision remain out of reach of the more disadvantaged in our society, meaning that both hunger and obesity problems can be found side by side. Food insecurity continues to rise, particularly as we have all been battling the covid-19 pandemic.

“We are proud to set out the Bury Food Strategy, as a key component of our health and wellbeing work, moving towards good nutrition for all in our borough.”

Bury is now hoping to achieve a ‘Sustainable Food Places Award’ from Sustainable Food Places – the global food policy partnership. This award has been designed to celebrate the success of those places taking a joined up, borough-wide approach to food.