Oreston Community Academy wins gold

On Tuesday, schools across the South West who have transformed their food culture by serving healthy, fresh meals whilst providing pupils with the opportunity to cook, grow and visit farms, were celebrated at the Food for Life Partnership’s School Award ceremony.

Oreston Community Academy received the programme’s highest accolade, their gold FFLP award, one of only twenty-four schools in the country to hold this award. 

Jeanette Orrey  MBE, former dinner lady and Food for Life Partnership (FFLP) co-founder, compered the day and presented no less than two bronze, two silver and three gold awards to schools from across the region.

Collecting Oreston Community Academy’s gold award, Catering Manager Stewart Smith said, “We are delighted with this award and to be at the ceremony today. The whole school has worked so hard to achieve it and we hold our commitment to the principals of FFLP as central to our ethos. Having previously met the bronze and silver awards we have worked hard to extend our practice to achieve gold”.

The school canteen, the Orestaurant, is a hub within the school and is used as a way of inviting parents in and connecting with our local community.  They run a monthly event called 'Come Dine With Us' where parents, carers and members of the community come into school and eat their lunch with the children.

Mark Ackers, Head / Principal, Oreston Community Academy  reiterated, “We have always been determined to be known as an Academy that exceeds the standards set for all schools in every dimension in this area and are therefore delighted to have this fully recognised with the Food for Life Partnership award”.

“As part of our commitment to maintaining this standard we are also keen to work with other schools to promote the Food for Life Partnership and hope we can form a dynamic likeminded hub for the future!”