Scottish Borders Council achieves Food for Life Served Here Bronze award for the third time

Catering staff at Scottish Borders Council are celebrating as they have maintained their Food for Life Served Here Bronze award for another year, ensuring that pupils in 59 primary schools in the area continue to enjoy fresh, local and sustainable school meals.  

The hard work and dedication of all involved has once again been recognised by the widely respected and independently assessed scheme led by Soil Association Scotland, which is funded by Scottish Government.  

The Food for Life Served Here award recognises and rewards local authorities in Scotland that serve school meals that are freshly prepared, using free range eggs and high-welfare meat, and free from genetically modified ingredients and undesirable additives. 

Scottish Borders Council first achieved the Food for Life Served Here Bronze award in 2020, serving 5,700 fresh, local and sustainable school meals a day. Pupils enjoy meals including spaghetti bolognaise, salmon fish fingers, and sweet potato and squash curry. Seasonal vegetables are supplied by Glasgow-based George Carruthers & Sons Ltd, while Campbell Brothers supply Scottish farm-assured beef, pork, lamb and chicken. 

As well as successfully renewing its Food for Life Served Here Bronze Award, Scottish Borders Council staff Elspeth Lean, Food and Nutrition Coordinator and Janette Lothian, Catering Coordinator, were recently named Food for Life Scotland Ambassadors. They are working with Stow Primary School in Galashiels on their grow garden and hope to develop links with local businesses and farmers so that pupils can witness first-hand the journey from field to fork. 

Councillor Jenny Linehan, Executive Member for Environment and Transport, said: “Receiving the Food for Life Served Here’s Bronze award for the third time speaks volumes for Scottish Borders Council’s commitment to our local schools.  This award recognises the fantastic service our catering teams provide and highlights how committed we are to delivering fresh, local and sustainable school meals”. 

Sarah Duley, Head of Food at Soil Association Scotland, said: "Congratulations to Scottish Borders for retaining their Food for Life Served Here Bronze award for another year. This is no mean feat, particularly as the past two years have presented many additional challenges for caterers. Achieving the Food for Life Served Here award shows how committed everyone at Scottish Borders Council is to providing a fantastic school meal service, especially the catering staff. We are delighted to recognise Scottish Borders Council for continuing to deliver freshly prepared, healthy and sustainable food on school plates, and supporting Scottish food producers and suppliers.”