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Sustainable Food Places award for Vale

Monday, 1 December 2025 22:31

By Gareth Joy X @lookoutwales2

VOG Council

The Vale of Glamorgan's food partnership has won a prestigious award for sustainability.

The silver award recognises the work of individuals and organisations from across the county in promoting healthy, sustainable and local food as well as tackling social challenges.

The Food Vale partnership is behind the annual Vale Food Trail, which is set to return next year, as well as a local directory of food and drink producers.

The award also highlighted the work being done to tackle food poverty with the Llantwit Food Access Project pilot, which is now being rolled out to the rest of the Vale.

Food Vale was launched in 2017 as Wales' second food partnership and has been co-ordinated for the last five years by Louise Denham, who received the award at the Wales Real Food and Farming Conference in Bridgend.

She said: "This award recognises all the great work currently being done by the partnership to make the Vale of Glamorgan one of the most sustainable food places in Wales. It is a credit to all of those working to achieve this."

"The work of Food Vale has grown considerably in recent years and now touches the lives of thousands of people. Things like our annual Vale Food Trail and our successful scheme to connect schools with local farmers give more people the opportunity to each locally sourced healthy produce."

"Elsewhere our holistic, joined-up approach to tackling the root causes of household food insecurity through the Llantwit Food Access Project is helping feed families in a way that also upholds the dignity of our communities."

Vale of Glamorgan Council's work also featured in the award entry - including the work involving the council-owned Big Fresh Catering Company with local schools and wholesalers around the Welsh Veg in Schools scheme, which aims to get locally produced organic vegetables into school dinners.

In September, the council became the first in Wales to introduce a partial ban on 'junk food' advertising in public places. An 'agri-food hub' is also being developed to help support local supply chains.

Leon Ballin, programme manager for Sustainable Food Places, said: "Food Vale has shown just what can be achieved when creative and committed people work together to make healthy and sustainable food a defining characteristic of where they live."

"While there is still much to do and many challenges to overcome, Food Vale has helped to set a benchmark for the other 120+ members of the UK Sustainable Food Places Network to follow."

"They should be very proud of the work that they have been doing to transform our collective food culture and food system for the better."

The Sustainable Food Places Award recognises parts of the UK taking a "holistic approach" to sustainable and healthy food.

Food Sense Wales is one of six UK partners leading the movement and supports 13 members in Wales, as well the development of 22 local food partnerships for each local authority in Wales.

Pearl Costello, sustainable food places manager at Food Sense Wales, added: "We’re delighted to have presented seven of Wales’ Sustainable Food Places with awards and so pleased to have welcomed another two new members into the network."

"We’re extremely proud of the work going on across Wales, with it being the only UK nation to have food partnerships in every part of the country."

"The growing Sustainable Food Places membership, as well as the increasing number of award-winning places in Wales is testament to the hard work and collaboration happening across the country."

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