Yorkshire Forward
Focus on Food sponsor Yorkshire Forward is one of England’s nine Regional Development Agencies. The RDA aims to help improve the region’s relative economic performance and reduce social and economic disparities. Yorkshire Forward is also concerned to improve levels of education, learning and skills and do all that it can to enhance the region’s environment and infrastructure. This concern played a major part in the RDA’s decision to sponsor a Cooking Bus that could be dedicated to working with schools in Yorkshire and Humber.
Prior to the Bus’ launch in 2005, Alex McWhirter, Head of Enterprise, Yorkshire Forward, announced: “Yorkshire Forward is delighted to be working with the Focus on Food Campaign. We want to support our teachers to deliver top quality food projects in schools that help young people to learn how to develop healthy lifestyles. We also want to ensure that the Food and Drink Industry will be served by a skilled, knowledgeable and qualified workforce.”