NEWS NEWS...
Leading school food transformation programme launches in Cumberland
Nourish, a groundbreaking school food transformation programme, is set to launch in Cumberland in 2026, working with schools to improve the quality and culture of food throughout the school day for children and young people across the area.
Developed by charity School Food Matters and delivered by Cumberland Council school food team, Nourish will bring a two-year programme of school food transformation to Cumberland, starting in ten primary, secondary and SEND schools. The programme supports schools to create food environments that prioritise children’s nutrition, wellbeing and long- term health.
The expansion follows more than five years of delivery in London, where Nourish has reached over 35,000 children and young people in 108 schools, helping to strengthen school food provision from breakfast to after-school clubs.
The programme comes at an important time for Cumberland. Over 25% of reception age children in the area are considered overweight or living with obesity, rising to nearly 37% in year six (Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, 2025), whilst almost 30% of Cumberland’s children live in relative poverty (End Child Poverty, 2024). Schools play a vital role in supporting children’s nutrition and wellbeing. Nourish works alongside schools to strengthen food culture and embed meaningful change.
Over three school terms, schools receive tailored guidance to create a positive food environment across the entire school day, including at breakfast clubs, lunchtimes and after-school programmes, as well as through food education in the classroom. Students, staff and families are involved throughout, helping schools build lasting change that reflects their community.
Findel becomes largest UK educational resources supplier to be certified carbon neutral
operations. These included the installation of a WirePas-enabled smart building management system at its Nottingham distribution centre, as well as the sourcing of renewable electricity and green gas.
Last year, Findel delivered more than 300,000 parcels using electric-only vehicles, while the introduction of custom-size packaging is reducing carbon by around 46% and material use by around 45 per cent. The company has also transitioned its truck fleet from LPG to electric and switched diesel to HVO, a renewable diesel alternative, for on-site plant. Since 2019, Findel has cut its operational energy use by half (49.5 per cent), from 4,600,060 kWh to 2,321,892 kWh in FY25.
Educational resources supplier Findel has officially been certified as a Carbon Neutral Business by Carbon Neutral Britain.
The certification confirms Findel has measured its emissions, reduced them in real terms and only offset the remainder through independently verified carbon reduction projects.
Findel’s carbon neutral status covers all operations under Findel Education, including its Nottingham distribution centre, offices and distribution activity. It also means Findel is the UK’s largest educational resources supplier to be certified as a Carbon Neutral Business.
The certification is valid for 12 months from the date of issue and, after this, Findel will re-measure, reduce and recertify annually. Findel measured total organisational emissions of 1,095.47 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) across its operations and a defined set of day-to-day business activities categorised under ‘Scopes’. Scope 1 covers direct emissions from Findel’s own operations, while Scope 2 relates to the electricity it buys to run its sites.
The Scope 3 boundary for the certification includes day-to-day business activity such as staff working from home, waste, business travel, commuting, stays at hotels and events and water usage.
To reduce emissions, Findel rolled out a range of initiatives across its 4
www.education-today.co.uk
Over the same period, Findel cut its market-based operational carbon emissions by 97.7 per cent, from 1,029 tonnes in FY20 to 24 tonnes in FY25. Findel selected a mix of UK and international carbon reduction projects to balance environmental and social benefits across its customer base. UK-based projects include native tree planting, hay meadow restoration and seagrass meadow restoration. International projects support renewable energy generation in developing countries.
Commenting on the certification, Findel chief executive, Chris Mahady, said: “Schools, nurseries and trusts are increasingly looking for clear evidence of sustainability progress from their suppliers.
“Our customers can be safe in the knowledge that we are measuring our carbon emissions impact, reducing them in real terms and taking responsibility where we can’t yet eliminate it entirely.
“This certification gives them confidence they are working with a partner that is dedicated to taking those responsibilities seriously.” The certification comes after Findel was accepted onto The Climate Pledge in 2024, committing to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. Chris Leonard, ESG manager at Findel, added: “Our customers can be assured knowing they are working with a supplier that prioritises both people and planet.
“This is an important milestone in our wider ESG pathway, not a one-off certification, and we remain committed to driving our own carbon emissions footprint down as far as possible.
“We especially want to use our experience to support customers as they work towards their own sustainability goals. We will do this through clearer information, more responsible product choices and practical partnerships.”
May 2026
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