ABSTRACT
The Cornwall Food Programme was developed to address the food supply needs of the National Health Service (NHS) in the county of Cornwall. It aims to work in partnership with local producers, suppliers and distributors to purchase and process a significant percentage of Cornish produce for use in patient, visitor and staff meals. The CFP recognise the pivotal role of the NHS Trusts within their local communities. The Cornwall Food Programme was conceived in 1999 when Mike Pearson, then the catering services manager, began to think about making greater use of local food suppliers and producers rather than using companies from 'up-country'. The purchasing of an increasing volume of local produce has resulted in a decrease in food miles. The Cornwall Food Production Unit (CFPU) will also house a product development kitchen that will allow all recipes to be checked not only for their nutritional value.
