Two employees of West Dunbartonshire have been recognised for their work towards improving students meals in schools.

Fiona Holland and Donald McInnes have been awarded as Food For Life Scotland Ambassadors as a result of pushing forward the 'good food' movement.

Launched in November 2021, the aim of the Food for Life Scotland Ambassadors programme is to shine a spotlight on the unsung heroes of the what's going on behind the scenes in school meals.

Fiona, team leader and facilities manager at the council, has been working towards serving a seasonal dish of the month in schools as part of a new menu to launch in August and increasing awareness of the Food for Life programme and its benefits.

She will also be setting up Good Food Groups in schools with a mix of stakeholders generating ideas of how to promote good food in West Dunbartonshire.

And Donald, catering manager at the council, has worked with a student council at Clydebank High School to put a seasonal dish on the menu each month.

This means students get a say in what’s served in the dining hall and the school has seen an increase in the uptake of hot school meals.

Through the student council, pupils learn more about the ingredients and nutritional value of different dishes.

Donald’s work has contributed to Clydebank High School being officially awarded with the Food for Life Served Here Bronze Award for its freshly prepared, sustainable and locally sourced school meals from today.

Speaking upon receiving the award, Donald said: “What motivates me is empowering the next generation of children, at high school especially, who can come in and eat better prepared food, freshly prepared food, more nutritional food and making it as easy as possible and as accessible as possible for the children.”

Sarah Duley, head of food at Food for Life Scotland, said: “As communities across Scotland continue to grapple with uncertainties, from climate change and the impact of the pandemic, to supply chain disruptions and the increased cost of living, the need to improve access to food that’s nutritious and freshly prepared, at the same time as being sustainably and locally produced, has never been more important.

“Our Food for Life Scotland Ambassadors put their all into providing the best possible meals for Scotland’s young people every single day. We hope that we can shine a spotlight on the actions of these individuals to show what’s possible in school meals and inspire others to join in the mission of creating a ‘Good Food Nation’ in Scotland.”