Shropshire school meals conference

Press release - 31 August 2007

School cooks, headteachers and pupils are to join school food experts at Shrewsbury Town’s new stadium on Thursday 27 September, for Shropshire County Council’s third annual school meals conference.

This year’s conference will look at the work the council has carried out to improve the quality and variety of meals served in Shropshire’s schools, and its efforts to promote the importance of healthy eating and a balanced diet.

Speakers will include Judy Hargadon, Chief Executive of the Government’s School Food Trust; Jeanette Orrey, school meals policy advisor and author; Anita Cormac, Director of Focus on Food, who provide a number of educational ‘cooking buses’ to schools; and Emma Noble, Director of the Soil Association’s Food for Life project.

There will also be a presentation by pupils at St Andrew’s Primary School in Shifnal, a cookery demonstration by pupils from other schools, and an exhibition of suppliers and food specialists.

The event will be chaired by Eric Smith from BBC Radio Shropshire.

Bill Campbell, Operations Manager with Shropshire County Council’s school meals service, said: “I’m delighted that we have attracted such a strong line-up of expert speakers to talk about the importance of a healthy and balanced diet in children. As this is the Year of Food and Farming we will also be promoting the importance of schools connecting with local producers and raising awareness of where food comes from and how it is produced.”

School teachers, cooks or governors wishing to attend the conference should call (01743) 254423 to reserve a place.

ENDS

Further information

The conference runs from 9am to 3.30pm. Reporters and photographers are welcome to attend at any time, and are invited to have lunch at the event between 12.45pm and 2.00pm, when there will be a chance to interview the speakers.

For further information, call Bill Campbell, Operations Manager, Shropshire County Council's school meals service. Tel (01743) 254439
For media contact, call Gareth Proffitt, Communications Officer. Tel (01743) 252828