Hospital in Shropshire receives ‘Hero’ recognition from Love British Food
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RJAH) in Shropshire has been recognised as a Love British Food ‘Hero’, confirming its commitment to serving high-quality, locally sourced British produce on patient menus.
The hospital first signed up after attending one of Love British Food’s farm visits at Moor Farm in Herefordshire, where caterers saw first-hand the benefits of regenerative farming and the provenance of Hereford beef. The experience ‘inspired’ the Trust to embed local, seasonal British food at the heart of its patient catering.
Claire Fuller from the RJAH Catering Department said: “We join Love British Food as we purchase local British food for our hospital. We are looking to raise awareness of the value of local sourcing for patients and staff alike.”
Love British Food’s NHS programme has been building momentum across Trusts nationwide, encouraging caterers to prioritise British produce in patient meals. Feedback has been ‘overwhelmingly’ positive: patients report loving the taste and quality, while dieticians and senior nurses value the nutritional integrity of fresh British food.
Daniel Hoggett from RJAH, added: “Our Trust already buys British, but it’s something we don’t shout out about. We don’t let our patients know. Moving forward, I think we need to reach out to your local farms, look out to the new tenders, and see we you can achieve.”
RJAH joins a growing list of hospitals championing local sourcing for patients, including Yeovil Hospital and Milton Keynes University Hospital.
Alexia Robinson, founder of Love British Food, commented: “Recently, much of the focus of NHS catering has been on staff restaurants. While providing NHS staff with excellent food is absolutely vital, we’ve become concerned that patient meals risk being treated as the poor relation. That’s why it’s so exciting to see RJAH leading the way in making quality, fresh, local British produce a priority on patient menus.”
This announcement comes as NHS Trusts across the UK pledge to take part in British Food Fortnight (26 September – 12 October 2025), with over 40 Trusts expected to celebrate the event this year.
Major hospital food providers BonCulina and Medirest are also on board as official partners, amplifying the campaign’s reach and impact. All NHS Trusts are encouraged to join British Food Fortnight and explore the benefits of sourcing fresh, sustainable British produce for both staff and patient meals.
Love British Food’s farm visit programme continues to inspire NHS caterers to connect menus to provenance. Over 190 NHS caterers have now attended visits, reinforcing the link between how food is grown, nutrition, and patient outcomes.
