What started out in 2004 as a small pilot scheme to buy lamb and beef from local farmers for meals on wheels has grown into a successful county-wide service.

“The project has shown that local producers really do have the capability of providing good quality products to the public sector and that they are prepared to develop supply chains themselves in order to meet public sector goals”, said Elizabeth Lucas, the councils head of procurement.

Now a three-year contract, the scheme provides locally sourced meat for all of the county’s 100 primary and secondary schools, who now serve local meat every week as a tasty and enjoyable part of their school dinners, as well as the area’s social service care homes.

The meat is supplied by Gelligaer butcher Morgan Thomas and, with the help of Rhondda-based Baraka Foods Ltd, is turned into healthy low fat, low salt meals such as cottage pie, lasagne, curry and healthy burgers which appeal to children and adults alike.

The success of this project proves that public sector organisations can work together with local food producers to deliver effective sustainable procurement.  The project has allowed the development and regeneration of local communities within Wales.

Providing excellent quality, local food on plates embraces Caerphilly County borough Council’s core aims of promoting local food and developing healthy eating and lifestyles amongst its community.  The end users, who now form a wide and varied customer base from the very young to the very old, all gain in terms of health and well being from this project.

“The results are overwhelming, with both children and adults providing positive feedback in terms of taste and quality said Sally Franks Head of Catering and Cleaning Services".