At Chartwells, we believe that the journey to a more sustainable future starts with education, and there's no better place to begin than in our schools.
That’s why we were thrilled to host a sustainability-focused event in Cornwall to celebrate Stop Food Waste Day, by educating primary and secondary school pupils on food waste reduction, sustainability, and cooking.
Held at Newquay Junior Academy, we welcomed 60 enthusiastic pupils from across the Cornwall Education Learning Trust (CELT) for a day of hands-on learning, cooking with wonky vegetables, and reflection on the impact of food waste. Together, we explored how much food is wasted, what happens to that waste, and—most importantly—how we can all play a part in reducing it at school and at home.
One of the most eye-opening moments came when we shared that CELT schools had produced 7,612 kg of food waste over the past year—the same weight as an African elephant. Pupils got stuck into a growing session, planting tomato seeds and reusing spring onion roots to better understand where their food comes from.
We also served up a delicious, nutritious lunch crafted from our very own ‘Waste Warrior’ cookbook, featuring recipes made from ingredients that often end up in the bin—like crusty bread ends, misshapen vegetables, and overlooked leftovers. All carbon labelled and developed by our Regional Executive Chef, Richard Abbott, the recipes ranged from Curried Cauliflower Leaf and Chickpea Salad to Tortilla Pizza and Butterbean and Tomato Soup.
The pupils then channelled their inner chefs as they joined Richard in creating a tomato-based sauce using wonky vegetables. Their creativity didn’t stop in the kitchen—they later teamed up to craft pledges on how they would tackle food waste at school, at home, and in their communities.
Everyone left with more than just knowledge. All pupils left with the event with gift bags containing a copy of the Waste Warrior cookbook, a pencil, a notebook, and wildflower seeds to sow in their gardens to promote biodiversity.
Building on the success of the session, we have introduced weighing scales and a “waste-o-meter” in every CELT school to track food waste in real time, making it easier—and more fun—for pupils to see the difference they’re making. Food waste and carbon emissions from the event were also measured, revealing that a total of nine kilograms of waste were diverted from landfill.
We couldn’t have done this alone. SUEZ recycling and recovery UK joined us on the day to share how food waste is processed using anaerobic digestion and ran a fun, educational quiz with the pupils.
Craig Hayes, Executive Headteacher at Newquay Junior Academy, said: “Educating the next generation on food waste is instrumental, and it’s wonderful to have events like these where pupils can learn practical ways to make positive strides forward. It was fantastic to see our pupils so engaged with the cooking and food waste reduction, and we want to thank Chartwells for organising such a fun and informative session.”
This is the latest in a series of workshops, events, and digital engagement sessions delivered as part of Chartwells’ mission to educate one million children and young people about sustainability by 2030. As part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, Chartwells’ efforts contribute to its wider commitment to reach Climate Net Zero by 2030.
Lisa Warne, Regional Manager at Chartwells, said: “We were delighted to host this sustainability event for CELT pupils, empowering them to make positive choices on food and nutrition. At Chartwells, we’re passionate about not just providing fantastic food to growing minds but inspiring lifelong positive habits. We are excited to see how the pupils deliver on the food waste pledges that they made, and hope they enjoy recreating the recipes at home with their families.”
SUEZ recycling and recovery UK contributed to the session by explaining how discarded food is collected and processed in an anaerobic digester and provided a fun quiz for the pupils on food waste.
Sam Fisher, Education and Community Officer at SUEZ, said: “We’re always keen to support our customers in any educational work around waste and recycling. Chartwells organised a really engaging day, and it was great to be part of it.”