Building a Healthier Bedford: Community Unites to Tackle Food Challenges

The first Building a Healthier Bedford Together event, hosted by Food etc, brought together a wide range of organisations, schools, and individuals committed to addressing food challenges in the community.

Watch a short video about this unique event.

Attendees heard powerful insights from Bedford Foodbank, Livingstone and Cauldwell Primary Schools, The Harpur Trust, and Food etc, who shared the realities facing families in Bedford and the work being done to support them.

The event also highlighted an exciting initiative from Colworth Business Park, which is working with schools to introduce young people to career opportunities in the food and drink industry—helping to inspire the next generation.

Mohammad Yasin MP praised the event, saying:

“I was very pleased to join this event. It brought together lots of people interested in the impact they can make in our community.”

Lucy Bardner, Community Programmes Director at The Harpur Trust, added:

“There are some very committed and creative minds tackling food poverty in Bedford, and it was inspiring to hear about their initiatives, brought together by Food etc. But what we all want to see is a Bedford where our fellow Bedfordians aren’t having to rely on schools and charities to help them eat. Clearly it’s a national problem, but I would love to hear ideas for place-based solutions.”

Deputy Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Alison Bradbury said: “It is always a pleasure to see so many passionate and organised people doing such a lot of good work and this was certainly demonstrated very well in Bedford at this event.”

Julie Clay, Founder and Director of Food etc, said: “It was inspiring to see so many people coming together, interested in working together to make Bedford a healthier place to grow up, live, and work.”

The Building a Healthier Bedford Together initiative marks the beginning of a collaborative effort to ensure healthier futures for all Bedford residents.