Rethink Food

Great to attend the Leeds Learning Alliance Leaders’ Breakfast this morning with over 100 leaders coming together to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing our city.

Thank you to the LLA, Leeds College of Building, and CATCH, Leeds for hosting such a fantastic event. It was inspiring to hear from Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, alongside Steph Taylor and Niall Bourke, and to see so many organisations committed to creating positive change across Leeds.

Collaboration is key to building healthier, stronger, and more sustainable communities, and it was encouraging to be part of such an engaging and forward-thinking conversation.

Our Education Director, Melanie Reed, was delighted to attend the Women In The Food Industry Sustainable Gastronomy Day event in Bradford, bringing together inspiring voices from across the food, education and sustainability sectors.

The day highlighted the powerful role food can play in strengthening communities, improving health and creating positive change.

Some key themes that resonated with us included:

- The importance of food education and cooking skills in helping children and families build lifelong confidence around food.

- The need to move beyond food security and focus on nutrition security, ensuring people have access to healthy, nourishing food.

- Supporting families to engage positively with food through practical, community-led approaches.

- The value of local food systems, sustainable procurement and celebrating Yorkshire's incredible food producers.

A huge thank you to the speakers and organisers for such a thought-provoking event, including Juli Thompson FoodSavers Network, Ali Morpeth, Sonja Woodcock FoodWise Leeds, Razan Alsous Yorkshire Dama "Squeaky Cheese", Soraya Overend, and everyone who shared their expertise and passion throughout the day.

Events like this remind us that creating healthier people and a healthier planet requires collaboration, innovation and communities working together.

Today, on National Thank a Teacher Day, we want to say a huge THANK YOU to all the incredible teachers and school staff who use Rethink Food and the National School Pantry Network resources to inspire the next generation.

Every lesson delivered, conversation sparked, and activity completed helps children develop the knowledge and skills to create a healthier future for themselves and our planet.

Your passion, dedication, and commitment to supporting young people doesn’t just educate, it empowers change.

Thank you for championing and for helping young people become true Agents of Change. 🌍💚

What a vibrant week at Grimes D**e Primary School with their GD Fresh Bags! 🍉🍇🍎🍓🍍🍌

From fresh fruit to salad items and everyday pantry staples, there’s lots going out to support families with nourishing, versatile food options this week.

Proud to see this work continuing through Rethink Food and the National School Pantry Network, alongside partners like FoodWise Leeds, helping reduce food waste while strengthening food support in communities.

Small swaps can make a big difference and adding just one more portion of vegetables each day to your diet can help support your health, from boosting your immune system to improving digestion.

Just One More is a FoodWise Leeds campaign helping people across the city eat more vegetables every day and team at Rethink Food are definitely supporting it!

Visit https://foodwiseleeds.org/justonemoreveg/ to find out more and make your Veg Pledge today.

Great to spend time with Ali Waterworth and Vicki Green at Ruddi's Retreat, alongside Janet Bebb and Social Progress, talking all things funding, food and how we can support children, young people and families in our communities.

These conversations are where great (TikTok 😂) ideas begin, and it's always inspiring to hear how others are making a difference every day.

We're looking forward to exploring some exciting opportunities to collaborate and create even greater impact together.

Because when charities, businesses and community leaders come together, amazing things can happen.

🌱🏆 We have a winner! 🏆🌱

Congratulations to Thornhill Primary School, Southampton, winners of the 2026 Rethink Food Eco Competition, securing £1,000 for their brilliant Veggie Venture project.

Their idea from growing produce for the school salad bar and cooking lessons, to creating vlogs and encouraging families to grow food at home, the project truly embodies what it means to be an Agent of Change.

Kevin Mackay, Co-Founder of Rethink Food, added: "The Veggie Venture perfectly captures what the Eco Competition is all about. We can't wait to see the project grow and the positive impact it has on pupils, families and the wider community."

A huge well done to all the schools that entered this year's competition. The creativity, passion and commitment to creating a healthier, more sustainable future was truly inspiring.

Read more here https://www.rethinkfood.co.uk/thornhill-primary-school-wins-eco-competition-with-their-veggie-venture/

Ready to serve, smash and support a great cause?

Join us on Thursday 9 July 2026 at Optimum Padel in Leeds for the Rethink Food Charity Padel Tournament with DN7 Building Services Ltd.

Expect great matches, brilliant networking, prizes, refreshments and plenty of community spirit.

📍 Optimum Padel, Leeds https://optimumpadel.co.uk/
⏰ 12pm–4pm
💷 £100 per team

Whether you're a padel pro or just fancy giving it a go, we'd love to see you on court.

Gather your teammate and sign up here https://www.rethinkfood.co.uk/charity-padel/

Every entry helps support schools, families and communities through Rethink Food and the National School Pantry Network.

Thanks to National Lottery players, RFL Community Trust partners have received £1.5 million from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, to help the Rugby Football League communities across the country to reduce the impact of human activity on the climate. Through a brand-new social impact programme 'Try for Tomorrow’.

Over the next three years, Rethink Food, the RFL Community Trust and other strategic community-based partners are excited to inspire, empower and connect people across the sport take meaningful steps in the fight against climate change.

To find out more visit https://www.rethinkfood.co.uk/1-5m-awarded-to-the-rfl-community-trust-to-support-a-brand-new-climate-action-project-try-for-tomorrow/