NHS canteen receives Gold eatwell award
A restaurant based at Fieldhead in Wakefield is celebrating after being awarded the Gold eatwell award by a local NHS trust and Wakefield Council.
The eatwell award is run by the Wakefield Community Food And Health Team, part of South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the Council’s Environmental Health team; aiming to make it easier for local people to find a food outlet that offers and promotes healthier options.
The Restaurant @ Fieldhead, which is run by Catering Xtra Ltd, has successfully gained the Gold eatwell award after proving its credentials in food hygiene and healthy eating.
Catering Xtra is a social enterprise company providing, quality and healthy food via cafés and restaurants at Castleford & Normanton District Hospital, Fieldhead Hospital, Wakefield, and an outside catering service in the wider West Yorkshire area.
Catering Xtra was formed with the aim of helping people back into the security and independence of the working environment; putting people before profits.
To reach the Gold standard of the award Catering Xtra had to achieve a rating of 5 (the highest possible) on its last food hygiene inspection and scored highly for the number of healthier options offered and how these are promoted.
Speaking about the award Sue Chambers general manager for Catering Xtra which runs the eatery said, “I am very proud of the team for achieving this award. It demonstrates the importance of healthy eating and the hard work that my staff have put in. Being on an NHS site we need to lead by example and offer our customers, staff, service users and visitors, healthier choices. We’ve had an excellent response to the healthy choices on the menu and we will continue to work hard to provide customers with healthier food choices.”
The eatwell award helps businesses across the Wakefield District promote healthier food choices and maintain a good standard of food hygiene. All establishments that gain the award have been assessed by Wakefield Council environmental health and the food and health team.
Speaking about the eatwell award Carrie Fennell, community food and health development worker, said, “This is a fantastic achievement and we’d like to congratulate Catering Xtra for their hard work. The food and health team are continuing to work with other local food outlets to encourage them to provide healthier food choices with reduced fat, sugar and salt. Those meeting the criteria get our award so local people know where to pick up a healthy meal.”
Any organisation that serves food can apply to gain the eatwell award. Look out for the eatwell stickers in windows and on menus.
To find out how to get involved contact the Environmental Health Department on 01924 305969.