---
title: "Food Matters: Reducing food inequalities in secondary aged young people 2024 - 2025 - AWARD"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-8587ec68-4b22-4225-bc64-c3390bfede6b"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-8587ec68-4b22-4225-bc64-c3390bfede6b"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-8587ec68-4b22-4225-bc64-c3390bfede6b.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-8587ec68-4b22-4225-bc64-c3390bfede6b.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "BEDFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL"
published: "2025-01-27"
---

# Food Matters: Reducing food inequalities in secondary aged young people 2024 - 2025 - AWARD

Buyer: BEDFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-8587ec68-4b22-4225-bc64-c3390bfede6b

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## Summary

Bedford Borough Council invites organisations, including education settings, to participate in the "Food Matters: Reducing food inequalities in secondary aged young people 2024 - 2025" project. This initiative focuses on addressing food inequality and ensuring access to a healthy diet for secondary-aged young people within the United Kingdom. The procurement process is in the Award stage, with contracts starting on 21 January 2025 and ending on 18 July 2025. Key dates include the tender period end on 13 December 2024. The initiative falls under the services category and uses an open procurement method. The project provides funding opportunities of up to £5,000 per bid to organisations aiming to increase the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables among young people, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds or facing higher living costs.

This tender represents a substantial opportunity for businesses within the food, education, and community support sectors to engage in impactful work that supports public health and reduces inequality. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) are particularly well-suited for this project. Potential bidders include those experienced in food provision, community engagement, and educational programmes centred on nutrition and healthy living. The initiative offers a platform for organisations to enhance their community impact, collaborate for greater reach, and secure funding while contributing to meaningful social change.

## Notice

It is increasingly difficult for people on a lower income to afford to eat a healthy diet. Demand for support from food banks and community food providers is growing, and providing healthy, fresh food can be challenging - due to the cost, shelf-life and storage requirements. Individuals and families in some forms of temporary accommodation or struggling with utilities bills may not have access to the means to store, prepare and cook fresh produce. This will negatively affect health outcomes and increase health inequalities, e.g. stunted growth, excess weight, worse oral health. Around 4 in 10 adults still report having to spend more than usual on their food shopping and the number of people fed by Bedford Foodbank has trebled in the last 5 years. Among children and young people obesity prevalence is significantly higher in children living in the most deprived areas and obesity is more common among children of Black and Asian ethnicity (Source: NCMP, 5 years of data combined (2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2021-22). As part of the wider work to utilise the health inequalities funding, two objectives have been identified: Objective 1: Work with the Food Providers' Network to increase the coverage and support the sustainability of emergency and community food provision. Objective 2: Increase the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables for residents of all ages who are accessing emergency and community food provision. There have been a variety of projects and work taken forward to address these objectives and part of this is a more specific focus on young people of secondary school age: 11 to 19 years, or up to 25 with SEND. We invite organisations, including education settings, who work directly with secondary-aged young people to bid for up to ?5,000 to address the following objectives: a) Target the following support towards young people (11 to 19 years, or up to 25 with SEND), ensuring an inclusive approach for those from our most deprived areas and/or whose families are struggling with the cost-of-living. b) Increase access to fresh fruit and vegetables as part of a well-balanced diet. c) Work in collaboration with young people to develop budgeting, menu planning, where and how to shop and food preparation skills. d) Experience food growing as part of a greater understanding of 'source to plate'. e) Produce insights with young people to gain a greater understanding of their current food experiences throughout a whole day, including what they actually eat and what are the barriers to access and enjoying a healthier diet. f) Support current emergency food providers with how to specifically support young people.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/6aa4299d-508a-4a22-8120-210cd33c4da2 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 27 Jan 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 13 Dec 2024 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 21 Jan 2025 |
| Contract period | 21 Jan 2025 - 18 Jul 2025 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | BEDFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL |
| Locality | UNITED KINGDOM |
| Post town | Milton Keynes |
| Postcode | MK42 9AP |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLH East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire |
| ITL 3 | TLH24 Bedford |
| Local authority | Bedford |
| Electoral ward | Cauldwell |
| Westminster constituency | Bedford |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 4 |
| Supplier names | 4YPUK; FOOD ETC; GROUNDWORK EAST; MARY SEACOLE HOUSING ASSOCIATION |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 15 - Food, beverages, tobacco and related products

### Codes

- 15897300 - Food parcels

## Release History

- 27 Jan 2025 at 11:47 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/6aa4299d-508a-4a22-8120-210cd33c4da2

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/6aa4299d-508a-4a22-8120-210cd33c4da2
  27th January 2025 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder

## Provenance

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