I?m delighted that our innovative meal production project with FareShare has been shortlisted for a Public Sector Catering Award for sustainability.

This important project saves surplus food from being wasted and uses the council?s Loxley House kitchens to turn it into 1,000 meals a week. These are then delivered to charities and community groups helping local families in need. The meals created have been of an excellent standard and it is evident that they are making a difference to people who receive them.

Not only that, but the project is giving volunteers, including adults with learning difficulties, valuable opportunities to develop their skills, take part in training, improve their employability and improve mental wellbeing. The project also supports our commitment to CN28 by saving on CO2 emissions, with food production ? from farm vehicles to production and transportation of fertiliser and animal feed ? having a significant carbon footprint. This project highlights the need to reduce food waste, which releases further greenhouse gas as it biodegrades.

The Public Sector Catering Awards celebrate the work of individuals, teams and organisations in the catering industry that work to make a difference whether in schools, universities, NHS or local government.

More here

The award-winning International Market returns to Nottingham this week from Wednesday 22 ? Sunday 26 March. Featuring an array of global treats, Old Market Square will host unusual arts and crafts, fine foods and delis, alongside mouth-watering street food.

Some of the street food on offer will include Greek gyros, filo spinach and feta cheese pies, traditional French crepes and savoury galettes, each one lovingly made to order. You can sample some great exotic meats, or be tempted by a fantastic selection of Indian and Chinese foods.

The ever-popular Dutch Market Garden will be bringing an array of colourful flowers, bulbs and plants. There will also be a variety of crafts and gifts from across the globe for shoppers to explore, such as: South American clothing, knitwear, jewellery, dream catchers and traditional musical instruments; amber jewellery selected from the Baltic Sea; and Fair Trade wooden furniture and carvings all the way from Kenya.

When you want to take the weight off your feet you can relax and unwind in the Continental Street Bar with a range of beers and wine.

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We continue to encourage and support local businesses to join us on our journey towards carbon neutrality. The City Council is only responsible for around 3% of Nottingham?s carbon dioxide emissions, so a collective effort across the city is vital to help tackle the climate crisis.?

To support organisations in Nottingham to decarbonise, the council has organised a series of online webinars, the latest of which is this Wednesday, 23 March. This online session, Beginning your carbon reduction journey, will offer guidance on how organisations can get started and connect with available support. You can book to join the session here.

All webinars will give attendees meaningful information about getting involved and will explain the support that is on offer in Nottingham. More information about this and future webinar sessions is available here.