Walsall Council has launched a bold five-year strategy aimed at creating a fairer, healthier and more sustainable food system across the borough.
Feeding Walsall’s Future: Walsall’s Food Plan 2025–2030 was officially unveiled at an event held at The Hub, Walsall College on 11 December 2025. The plan sets out a shared vision to ensure all residents have access to nutritious, affordable and sustainable food.
Developed in collaboration with the Walsall Food Partnership, the plan brings together stakeholders from the public, private, voluntary and community sectors. It reflects a collective commitment to building a food environment where healthy choices are accessible and actively promoted.
The strategy has been shaped by extensive engagement with communities, partners and stakeholders, including discussions at the Walsall Food Summit 2024 and insights from the Director of Public Health’s Annual Report 2022. It also aligns with the long-term ambitions of the We Are Walsall 2040 vision.
Four key priorities underpin the plan:
- Supporting healthier food choices
- Promoting a positive food environment
- Building a sustainable, resilient food system
- Improving how food is sourced and served across organisations
The launch event highlighted the importance of partnership working, with speakers sharing local research, best practice and examples of ongoing initiatives tackling food insecurity and improving access to healthy food.
In keeping with the plan’s ethos, attendees were served a vegetarian lunch prepared by Walsall College students using locally sourced ingredients, demonstrating a practical approach to reducing food miles and minimising waste. Guests were also invited to make pledges on how they could contribute to the plan’s vision.
“ Walsall is proud to be a borough that is rich in diversity and we continue to work collectively to ensure that it is a place that our residents are proud to live, work and study in.
Walsall’s Food Plan demonstrates both our approach to collective working as a borough and the launch event highlights the diverse range of partners who are invested in the plan.
Good food is essential for good health and contributes to social and economic wellbeing, cultural expression, community building and social connection.
We acknowledge there are challenges both locally and nationally, making this Food Plan both timely and important. By working together, we can achieve our collective vision. “
Councillor Gary Flint, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Health and Wellbeing
Walsall Council
“ The Food Plan is really important for Walsall. We’ve been working with Walsall since 2017 and we know that there is good food work taking place across the borough. However, this plan enables clear coordination of local efforts and helps partners from across the food system achieve the same goal; the goal of more equitable access to good food for all in Walsall. “
Adam Carter, Senior Programme Manager for Food for Life
Soil Association
The Walsall Food Partnership will play a central role in delivering the plan, working with local organisations to share knowledge, support community food initiatives and shape future food policies.
As part of the programme, Walsall will also work towards achieving Sustainable Food Place status, further strengthening its commitment to long-term change.
To read the full Food Plan, visit the Walsall Council website.