Medway Food Partnership

The Medway Food Partnership is working with local businesses and the not-for-profit sector to:

  • make sure everyone has access to sustainable and healthy food
  • build the public’s education and skills around healthy food
  • create healthier communities and better futures for our residents.

Our aim is to support healthy and happy communities whilst ensuring that we create an eco-friendly and sustainable economy.

Food creates opportunities to bring people together, celebrate our cultures and make new connections with people.

Food is not just fuel, it is at the centre of everything, helping us to thrive and improve our lives.

The Medway Food Partnership was launched in November 2021.

Watch the Medway Food Partnership video.

On this page:

How we will achieve our vision

By working in partnership with local organisation and businesses, we will create a food culture in Medway that is fair for all.  

We want to educate our young people about food, providing knowledge through childcare settings and schools. 

We want to help support a vibrant and sustainable local food economy.

How the Medway Food Partnership is run

To help us achieve our vision, we have created 5 subgroups:

  1. Poverty, food security and emergency food support
  2. Healthy food for all and education and skills 
  3. Climate change and the environment
  4. Business and procurement
  5. Oral health.

 Each of these subgroups hold regular meetings, focusing on a particular area of the partnership to help drive forward action.

1. Poverty, food security and emergency food support

You can find a list of local emergency food support here. 

2. Healthy food for all and education and skills 

Subgroup 2 aims to improve individual health through healthy eating, education and skills. It provides opportunities for vulnerable families to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Subgroup 2 has created 2 new EatWell Guides tailored for South Asian and African-Caribbean communities. These EatWell Guides show how to eat a healthy and balanced diet using food like chapatti, yams, okra, egusi and cassava as examples.

3. Climate change and the environment

Subgroup 3 focuses on our environment and how food can be supportive of sustainable practices and the climate change agenda.

Medway’s Water Refill Scheme aims to reduce plastic waste and encourage people to refill their water bottles.

Businesses and organisations can sign up to the Water Refill Scheme.

Small changes to our food habits can make a big difference. Take a look at our:

Find out more about how we are tackling climate change in Medway.

4. Business and procurement

Subgroup 4 is working with organisations and venues to make positive changes to improve the health of Medway’s communities whilst still being economically viable for businesses. 

5. Oral health

Subgroup 5 will improve the oral health of Medway's most vulnerable residents.

We have developed an Oral Health Strategy with local partners and groups.

It aims to improve oral health outcomes and reduce inequalities by recommending actions for Medway’s health and social care service providers.

The priorities set out in the strategy are to:

  1. prevent tooth decay in children and families by increasing fluoride application
  2. reduce sugar consumption
  3. improve access to dental checks and dental services from birth to old age.

For information and resources for professionals, visit our oral health pages.

How to get involved

To find out more about becoming a member of the Medway Food Partnership, you can fill in a Medway Food Partnership expression of interest form or email foodpartnership@medway.gov.uk.

Submit a Medway Food Partnership expression of interest

You can also email us to get a copy of our newsletter with updates on activities and community news. 

Read our previous Medway Food Partnership newsletter.

Helpful resources

Medway food partnership logo

Medway food partnership event