Community Food Settings train the trainer session delivered across Lancashire

On the 25^th August, Health Equalities Group delivered a train the trainer session for the Community Food Settings training at County Hall, Preston. The session brought together staff from South Ribble Borough Council, Lancashire County Council, Chorley Council and Wyre Council who work closely with community settings across their respective districts.

Community food support is evolving beyond emergency food provision, creating opportunities for community food settings to not only provide access to food, but also support people to access healthier food and drink. However, there is a need for practical guidance to help settings introduce healthier options in a way that is meaningful, achievable and sustainable. In partnership with Feeding Liverpool, Torus Foundation and Cheshire West Foodbank, Health Equalities Group have developed the Community Food Settings training, which has been designed to support a wide range of settings, including food pantries, co-ops, mobile grocery services and social supermarkets. The training aims to build knowledge and confidence, while providing realistic strategies that can be adapted to different settings.

With several districts across Lancashire already undertaking work in this area, the train the trainer session provided an opportunity to build on this existing activity and equip local authority staff with the knowledge and resources to support community food settings promote healthier choices within their areas. The training focuses on encouraging small, realistic changes that can be tailored to the needs and circumstances of different settings, whether this involves reviewing the range of food and drink available, considering how healthier options are promoted and presented, or identifying opportunities to introduce changes gradually over time.

The session was delivered by Abbey Baldwin (Junior Project Manager at HEG) and received positive feedback from attendees, who highlighted that there was plenty to consider in terms of how the learning could be shared with the community food settings they support. It also provided an opportunity for attendees to reflect on the specific settings within their districts and consider the practical changes that could be made.

The Community Food Settings training will support local authorities and community organisations across Lancashire to take practical, achievable steps towards increasing access to healthier food and drink, helping to create healthier community food environments for the people they serve.

If you would like further information about the Community Food Settings training or support on how to deliver it, please contact abbey.baldwin@heg.org.uk