School cooks receiving certificates from Ian Budd, Director of Lifelong Learning at Flintshire County Council with Jeanette Orrey MBE
Britain’s most famous school dinner lady, Jeanette Orrey MBE, is to run a two-day training course for school cooks in Flintshire as part of a programme to boost school meals and food education in the county.
The course, which was run on 25 and 26 February, brought together 10 school cooks for practical sessions and a look at how their work can support children’s understanding of food. It is being organised by the Organic Centre Wales (OCW) BOBL programme in association with Flintshire County Council.
Flintshire is the only local authority in Wales to hold the Soil Association’s Food for Life Catering Mark for its school meals, meaning that they use fresh, seasonal and local ingredients, with high welfare meat and sustainable fish.
OCW is also supporting school gardening activities and farm visits for Flintshire schools, as part of a programme of wider food education linking to local businesses and community groups.
Councillor Chris Bithell, Flintshire County Council Cabinet Member for Lifelong Learning said:
“We are delighted that Jeanette Orrey is working with our school cooks to pass on her knowledge and share best practice. The Food for Life Catering Mark mirrors the basic values of Flintshire School Meals Service, by making healthy eating easier, and serving an appetising and nutritious balanced meal of good quality. We want parents and guardians to have confidence in the Service, and this demonstrates to them our commitment to their children’s lunch time experience.”
Jane Powell, Project Officer at OCW said:
“We are delighted to be supporting this training course for cooks. It’s really important that the school cooks, teachers, parents and the local community all work together to reinforce the message that it matters what we eat, and where it comes from.”
