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The council, which first received the FFLSH bronze award in 2019, is now serving around 5,000 nutritious, sustainable and locally-sourced Food for Life meals in its 20 primary schools and 19 nurseries every day.

That’s 95,000 meals per year – all locally-sourced and freshly prepared for Inverclyde’s young people. The Food for Life Served Here scheme is run by Soil Association Scotland and funded by Scottish Government.

Inverclyde contains some of the most deprived areas of Scotland and in 2023 it became the first local authority to extend universal free school meals to all primary pupils. For some children, their school meal is the only one they'll have that day. 

Councillor Jim Clocherty, Inverclyde Council’s convener of education and communities, said: “This achievement is a testament to the dedication of our fantastic catering teams, who work tirelessly every day to provide healthy, nutritious, and locally sourced meals in our schools.

“It’s about more than just serving good food – it’s about helping to give Inverclyde’s young people the best possible start in life. We’re proud to continue our involvement in the Food For Life programme that reflects our values and commitment to quality.”

Catering staff worked with suppliers to switch to produce that met the Food for Life standards, rejigging the whole menu to fit both the budget and the Food for Life standards. Seasonal vegetables are supplied by Glasgow-based George Carruthers & Sons Ltd, while McLays supply farm-assured meat.

Sarah Duley, head of food at Soil Association Scotland, added: “Congratulations to Inverclyde for renewing their Food for Life Served Here bronze award for another year.

“This is a huge achievement and shows that staff are dedicated to providing pupils with a hot, nutritious meal that’s healthy, freshly prepared and sustainably produced. We're delighted to continue to support the council's catering team, and contribute towards Scotland's Good Food Nation planning."