Croydon scoops award for being a good egg
Press Release Details
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- 3369
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- Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:40:29
The council's pioneering move will see it join 15 top UK companies in being presented with a Compassion in World Farming Good Egg Award today (Tuesday).
Croydon is one of only five local authorities in the UK to receive the award. Its move to free-range eggs will affect all kitchens in council-run establishments.
The council's main catering suppliers already use only fresh free-range eggs, but caterers in all council establishments such as schools and residential homes are set to follow suit.
Council Leader Mike Fisher said: "We are delighted to have won this award for our commitment to going cage-free. TV campaigns have highlighted the issues and I think the majority of people in Croydon will back us on this.
"Since becoming the first London borough to achieve Fairtrade status in 2002, Croydon is committed to ensuring more sustainable foods are used in its catering contracts. Many of our catering suppliers already use only free-range eggs and we hope to extend this to all council-run establishments as soon as possible."
The use of free-range eggs will soon become a council requirement with the revision of its sustainable food policy, which will state that all eggs and egg derivatives used across council catering must be sourced from free-range chickens.
The council's action has won praise from animal welfare campaigners.
Local campaigner, Ann Boyce, said: "I am very encouraged by Croydon Council's commitment to go cage-free on eggs, which follows a national trend towards a more compassionate Britain. I would like to thank the council for taking leadership and becoming one of the first local authorities to commit to higher welfare."
Rowen West-Henzell, head of food policy at Compassion in World Farming, said: "I would like to congratulate Croydon Council for making this bold step forward for chickens, ahead of most of the UK.
"At this year's Good Egg Awards we wanted to celebrate councils who've decided to show leadership on this crucial welfare issue. By going cage-free they've demonstrated best practice and have responded well to the concerns of a growing number of their constituents."
