The Food Foundation and its Executive Director, Anna Taylor, have been honored with the BBC’s Derek Cooper Outstanding Achievement Award at the BBC Food & Farming Awards ceremony in Glasgow on Monday, December 2nd.
The award celebrates individuals and organizations driving significant change in food-related relationships. Established in 2000 to mark the 20th anniversary of Radio 4’s The Food Programme, the awards aim to honor champions of good food. This year, an expert panel led by chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall selected the winners.
Named after The Food Programme’s first presenter, the Derek Cooper Award acknowledges unsung heroes making impactful contributions to food knowledge, access, and appreciation.
The Food Foundation is an independent charity working to influence food policy and business practice, shaping a sustainable food system which makes healthy diets affordable and accessible for all. They work in partnership with researchers, campaigners, community bodies, industry, investors, government and citizens to galvanise the UK’s diverse agents of change, using surprising and inventive ideas to drive fundamental shifts in our food system.
Laura Sandys founded The Food Foundation in 2014 to challenge the current food system and how it was impacting the public’s health, and the affordability of healthy food, particularly focused on lower income families. The charity is now well known for its flagship annual reports The Broken Plate and The State of the Nation’s Food Industry , their regular tracking of food insecurity levels across the UK and their podcast, which discusses issues and challenges impacting the food system.
Anna Taylor, Executive Director, The Food Foundation, said, “We are completely thrilled to receive this award – the Food Foundation turns 10 years old in 2025 and this couldn’t be a better birthday present. I know it is a cliché to say that it’s an award for every single member of team, but when you’re in a small organisation you really do see the impact of every individual’s efforts. We’re tackling a major national challenge – how to make it easier for everyone in Britain, including those with the least money, to eat well – so they can protect their health, and we can all protect our fragile planet. While we’re working as hard as we can, we urgently need our politicians to take action – our failing food system has been ignored for too long.”
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, celebrity chef and judge at the awards, said, “The Food Foundation is an extraordinary organisation that underpins so much of the research and campaigning that is paving the way for better food for the nation, especially for young people struggling in poverty whose lives would be so transformed by dependable access to good nutrition”
Laura Sandys, Chair and Founder of The Food Foundation, said, “I am thrilled that we have been so honoured to receive the Derek Cooper Award. This is a tribute to the fabulous team at The Food Foundation and Anna Taylor. Their determination, dedicatation and passion to change the food system for all in society drives the work and achievements of the Foundation. I am proud to be a little part of their success “