Leading contract caterer Elior UK and support services company Carillion are celebrating after achieving the Soil Association’s Food for Life Accreditation at Barts Health. The Bronze Catering Mark has been awarded in recognition of Elior and Carillion’s drive to provide fresh, healthy and sustainable food at its retail catering outlets.

The Food for Life Catering Mark is an independent endorsement, backed by annual inspections for food providers who are taking steps to improve the food they serve including the provision of fresh, sustainably sourced and ethical food, the ability to make healthy eating easy and the championing of local food producers.

Lyn Winnard, contract director at Elior UK, said: “We’re delighted the Soil Association has recognised our commitment to serving fresh, sustainably sourced food for hospital environments. It’s fantastic that we have achieved the prestigious Food for Life Accreditation. But we’re not content to rest at Bronze: our sights are now firmly set on achieving the Silver standard.”

John Bacon, chair of Barts Health, said: “The health and wellbeing of our staff and visitors to our hospitals is a priority for the Trust. Food is an important part of all of our daily lives and has a direct impact on our health. Our partners, Elior and Carillion, have risen to the challenge and are playing their part by making healthy locally prepared food available at food outlets in our hospitals.”

In May this year, Elior with Carillion secured the Gold Food for Life Catering Mark for Patient Dining and Retail respectively at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. This site was the first site to be awarded Gold for Patient Dining and is the only major Acute hospital in England to have secured Gold for a second successive year.