Making a Difference - Community Food and Health

Welcome
Moyra Burns, Health Promotion Manager and CFHS steering group member, welcomed
participants to our conference. She emphasised that the theme of the event would focus
on ‘making a difference’ and the important contribution from community food and health
initiatives working towards achieving local, regional and national priorities.
Introducing the morning speakers, Moyra explained that they had been invited to give an
insight into current thinking and developments in food and health. This, together with
opportunities throughout the day to hear, listen and share experiences, was intended to
provide an opportunity to:
• learn about some key policy drivers;
• learn about the different structures for measuring outcomes on health improvement;
• learn how these structures relate to work and activities on the ground; and
• learn how practice links to national priorities and targets.
Moyra acknowledged that this is not an easy task for anyone and encouraged participants
to use every opportunity to take as much learning as possible from the event.
Moyra welcomed Ruth Campbell, the Scottish Government’s Infant Nutrition Co-ordinator,
to the conference and talked participants through her request for help with developing a
Maternal and Infant Nutrition Strategy. Participants’ attention was drawn to details of an
online questionnaire in the conference delegate pack, which was established to map what
activity is already underway around early years activity. Ruth is keen to hear from the
community and voluntary sector as its contribution is recognised as crucial in taking the
future strategy forward. Moyra appealed to participants to let the researchers know about
work they are doing or planning which covers this topic.
Moyra also welcomed Dave Simmers, Strategic Co-ordinator Community Food Initiatives
North East, in attendance as a food champion for food access and affordability on the
Food and Drink Leadership Forum overseeing the next stages of a national food and drink
policy for Scotland.
Moyra indicated that there was a graffiti wall available for participants to comment on
anything they had heard throughout the day or anything else relating to the theme of the
conference. She concluded by reiterating opportunities for networking and that CFHS was
keen that no-one left at the end of the day without the opportunity to comment on what
was heard or shared.