Courtauld agreement signed at King's Lynn Foodbank

Councillor Ian Devereux, cabinet member for the environment at the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk signed the Courtauld 2025 commitment at King’s Lynn Foodbank on Tuesday 24 September.

Signing the agreement, led by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), signals the borough council’s intention to reduce food and drink waste in the area by working together across the entire food chain, from producer to consumer.

Councillor Devereux said: “I’m proud to sign the Courtauld 2025 commitment. The voluntary agreement aims to make food and drink production and consumption more sustainable.

“The aim is to achieve a 20% reduction in food and drink waste and a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of food and drink consumed in the UK, as well as a reduction in impact associated with water use in the supply chain.

“Signing the commitment here, at King’s Lynn Foodbank, is symbolic as the work they carry out is vital in supporting local residents and an excellent example of not letting food go to waste”.

The food bank gives out three-day emergency food parcels to people who have been given a voucher from local organisations, including schools, doctors’ surgeries, social services and housing associations.

So far this year the service has fed 4,187 people (including 1,462 children). This 9 month figure is almost the same as the number who needed food in the 12 months between April 2018 and March 2019 and is running low on tinned meat, tinned vegetables, tinned rice pudding, tinned fruit, spreads including jam and tinned tomatoes.

Signatories of the Courtauld agreement are asked for a commitment to the following:

• Work with others to identify and develop good practices in engaging with others.
• Engage with residents and colleagues to enable changes in consumption habits - for example deliver ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ messages.
• Report annually to WRAP on what has been done to engage with residents.

Press release courtesy of the Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk.