THE drive to tackle food poverty in Stirling received a boost with the launch of a healthy eating initiative.

The draft for the Stirling Food Framework was approved at Stirling Council’s Community Planning and Regeneration Committee, with the final version set to return in May.

It was developed by the local authority along with partners, including the NHS, with strategic priorities to improve access to good quality, health and sustainable food, to address food insecurity and to increase access to food education, particularly in community settings.

Councillor Chris Kane, convener of the committee, said: “Access to affordable, quality food is a basic human right that must be available to everyone in the Stirling area.

“This wide-ranging framework sets us on a course to reduce health and income inequalities which is a key council priority and sits within the inclusive growth aims of the Stirling Plan.

“We now need to rise to the challenge along with our community partners to ensure we deliver on these ambitions.”

A cocktail of activities is set to deliver the goals of the framework.

These include healthy eating campaigns, free opportunities to taste and learn about healthy and sustainable food at events, rapid referral to hardship funds, more healthy eating options in schools as well as nurseries and other workplaces.

There is more and the framework is also set to compliment the council’s sport, physical activity and healthy living strategy.