Essex County Council Public Health summarise and reflect on their Nourishing Our Future (NOF) programme and work to date.
Introduction
This programme commenced as a research project, led by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), and has transformed into an innovative, high profile, collaborative and multidimensional work programme between Essex County Council Public Health and Education, ARU, the local early years sector, and national experts to improve the early years food and nutrition landscape in Essex and influence national change.
NOF research
- Report: Nourishing our future: exploring food provision in Essex early years settings
- NOF animation video
- Website: Developing food provision in Essex early years settings
NOF award
- Toolkit – NOF Award toolkit
- NOF award animation video
- Website – Essex Early Years Nourishing Our Future (NOF) Award
NOF team
Background to the project: what inspired it?
Further to the development and publication of the first Essex healthy weight strategy in 2024, where early years settings were identified as a priority setting and children / young people a priority cohort, Essex County Council Public Health sought to scope the position and possibilities within this agenda in Essex. With childhood obesity affecting 21 per cent of four to five-year-olds and tooth decay 14 per cent of five-year-olds in Essex, Public Health recognised a significant opportunity to improve long-term health by prioritising early years nutrition and prevention.
Objectives: what were the things you wanted to achieve or change through the project?
Following approval from the Director of Public Health to ringfence funding for early years nutrition from the Essex County Council Public Health grant, Public Health procured research to understand the current food provision, consumption, attitudes, practices, challenges, and opportunities, within early years settings in Essex. Recognising that children may eat up to 90 per cent of their daily intake in early years settings, Public Health recognised these environments as a key site for intervention to further the objectives of the Essex Healthy Weight Strategy. The commissioning team for the research comprised Essex County Council Public Health and Education.
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), a local Essex based University, were successful in the competitive tender, and commenced the research in August 2024. The research team, led by Dr Kay Aaronricks (Head of School, Education), was multidisciplinary, comprising expertise and experience from education, early years, nutrition, and Public Health, through seven researchers.
"This collaboration, bringing together public health insight, practical expertise from Early Years settings, and academic rigour from Anglia Ruskin University, has created a powerful foundation for the NOF research. The depth of insight achieved in just six months is a testament to the strength of this dynamic partnership.”
Susie Threadgold, EYCC Children’s Community Development Lead, Essex County Council, NOF Commissioning support.
The research utilised mixed methodology, including a survey (201 responses), online and face to face workshops (8 held), menu analysis (25 menus analysed), photo capture (749 photos collected) and interviews (five held).
“Holistic, community-driven approaches can empower toddlers, young children, and families when it comes to food and nutrition. The approach has reaffirmed the importance of listening, co-creating, and nurturing environments where every voice matters. This is an exciting journey of change in Essex…”
Stacy Randall, Course Director Early Childhood Studies, Anglia Ruskin University, NOF Researcher.
The research engaged with 207 early years settings (67 pre-schools, 58 day nurseries, 94 childminders, Figure 1), estimated to support over 7,000 children, across all 12 Districts of Essex, covering rural and urban geographies, and each deprivation decile (categorised by Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index, IDACI).
Figure 1
“It was really important to us for the research to be relevant and meaningful across Essex, as not only is our population very diverse, but so is the early years sector, so we needed any recommendations for practice to be generalisable and actionable.”
Emily Fallon, Public Health Manager, Essex County Council, and Lead NOF Commissioner.
The research identified six key themes from the data collected, and outlined recommendations for practise and policy for each theme accordingly.
- requirements and guidance
- nutrition and portion size
- food environment
- food inclusivity
- food education
- sustainable food.
The research identity was also designed by brand agency sixredsquares, which brought a fun, professional, unique, and recognisable element to the work, creating the NOF brand, that was trusted by the sector and is now well recognised locally, regionally, and nationally (Figure 2).
Figure 2
“Nourishing Our Future is exactly the type of purposeful project that we love to work on at sixredsquares. It has been a really rewarding experience for our team to be involved with something that has such an important issue at its heart. The collaborative approach that has been taken by all of the project partners has created such a positive space for the sharing of ideas. We can’t wait to see how it evolves”
Owen, Managing Director, sixredsquares.
The research was also developed into an animation, increasing the accessibility and impact of the work, by creative media agency Ranch.
How effective has the project been and what has been the impact been of the programme?
The NOF research has been, and continues to be, incredibly effective and impactful. The research has celebrated, showcased, and empowered the early years sector in Essex to continue to innovatively and effectively address and showcase early years nutrition in their setting. Settings continue to proudly update the NOF research team on their best practice, inspired by their involvement in the NOF research, such as working with nutritionists to improve their menus, introducing new food education activities with children and staff, and providing families with resources and guidance.
“Just having more confidence to ensure the children that come through my setting have the best start to their nutrition and food journey.”
Essex early years setting.
The research recommendations have informed the opportunity and direction for Essex County Council Public Health to offer additional investment and support into early years nutrition in Essex, working with Essex County Council Education and ARU, including by:
- jointly commissioning national sensory food education charity TastEd, with ARU, to deliver and support training to 12 pilot settings, and capture staff and children’s experiences
- joining the national early years food coalition, working with leading experts to influence national policy and practice relating to early years food and nutrition, and broader child health
- working with local MPs to showcase best practice front line work within settings
- being established as a trailblazing proof of concept for other councils around the country
- bolstering the design work to create further NOF outputs and assets
- commissioning food policy consultancy Bremner and Co to work with us in raising NOF’s profile, showcasing Essex’s leadership, and connecting learning to national policy priorities and conversations.
“The Nourishing Our Future programme demonstrates how local leadership and collaboration across public health, education, and research can help early years settings put evidence into practice, improving children’s food and shaping approaches across the sector. We’re pleased to be working with the team to raise the profile and impact of this trailblazing programme at regional and national levels.”
Dayna Brackley, Partner, Bremner & Co.
Furthermore, in response to the research recommendations, and working closely with the early years sector, the Council and ARU have created and launched the first Essex Early Years Nourishing Our Future Award (‘the NOF award’) to recognise and support early years food and nutrition in practice. The award supports local settings to implement the EYFS nutrition guidance (DfE, 2025). This award has created opportunities for Essex County Council Public Health to procure nationally recognised experts in early years food and nutrition, including Laura Matthews, Charlotte Stirling Reed and Catherine Lippe with Nursery Kitchen, to produce new resources for local settings, parents, and carers, reflecting calls for support made during the research. Within the first three weeks of launching the award, 60 Essex based early years settings signed up and began working towards the introductory ‘rooting’ level.
“The NOF research and the support offered through the NOF Award are truly invaluable for early years professionals. We know that practical guidance, training, and resources around food provision are greatly needed across the sector. The NOF Award provides the perfect space for early years professionals to come together, share experiences, collaborate, and learn, all of which is essential for helping settings provide nutritious food and foster healthy eating habits from the very start. I am delighted to be supporting this groundbreaking initiative and hope it paves the way for other local authorities, so that Early Years settings across the nation can benefit.”
Catherine Lippe, Registered Nutritionist and Head of Nutrition and Policy, Nursery Kitchen.
These settings represent all 12 Essex Districts, representing diverse areas of the County from the most to least deprived, and collectively support close to 3,000 children. These immediate impacts demonstrate the dedication from across the sector to improve early years food and nutrition for local children and families, and set a strong trajectory for widespread success of the award for the sector.
“The Nourishing Our Future work demonstrates what's possible when research directly informs practice. By genuinely listening to the early years sector, Essex County Council has built a meaningful approach to improving children's nutrition that reflects real-world needs. It's exciting to see settings across the county embracing this work and making real changes that will benefit thousands of children.”
Laura Matthews, Registered Nutritionist and Director of Laura Matthews Nutrition Ltd.
Furthermore, the research has achieved significant reach. Following the launch at the inaugural NOF conference in March 2025 (Figure 3) to over 200 people, it has since been recognised by various national media, reaching over half a billion views, and has been presented in parliament three times this year, advocating as evidence for national change in early years nutrition.
Figure 3
“It has been incredible to see what happens when children, parents, early years settings, researchers, and local councils unite together, if feels like we have spark meaningful change, shaping healthier futures and nourishing the lives of our youngest generation.”
Dr Michelle Wisbey, Assistant Director EdD, Anglia Ruskin University, NOF Researcher.
What has led to the success of the programme?
The strong partnership, collaboration, and coproduction between the local early years sector, Essex County Council (Public Health and Education) and ARU, as each organisation, partner, and person has brought unique skills, experiences, and perspectives that have shaped and influenced NOF. The passion and tenacity of the group, to make a difference and improve lives, has been the driver of this work and made it special.
“Food is deeply rooted in culture, family and the essence of life, making it a profoundly emotional topic that goes far beyond nutrition. Struggling to feed your children is heartbreaking and there is still much work to do to support our most vulnerable children I am privileged to be part of a project that amplifies the voices of practitioners and parents, bringing to light the lived realities of nourishing our future generations. Thanks to the thoughtfulness of Emily and her team at Essex County Council, we have been able to plant the seeds of NOF in Essex and firmly place healthy eating on the early years agenda.”
Dr Kay Aaronricks, Head of School Education, Anglia Ruskin University, Lead NOF Researcher.
What are the next steps?
- To continue to support all Essex based settings to implement the three levels of NOF award, aiming to reach all 1,300 settings in the County, with the potential to support over 40,000 children and families.
- To continue to promote and evaluate the award, and disseminate the impact locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally, to share best practice and inspire activity in other areas.
- To continue to work to influence further local, regional, and national action, policy, and practice regarding early years nutrition, and raise the profile of this agenda.
- To continue to share and expand the research, and develop further practical and academic publications, to add to the evidence base for early years food and nutrition.
Any recommendations for other councils interested in implementing similar projects?
Before commencing any new activity or commissioning, scope the current landscape – find out what is working well, what could be done differently, what are the challenges and opportunities, and most of all what the target audience / sector want or need. Try to work with and listen to the sector and people you’re trying to support, and work with people that they trust and resonate with – spend time with them, hear their views and ideas, they know their sector best.
“Forming relationships and aligning with the sector has been so important in establishing a wider NOF community.”
Mitzi Harris, Research Assistant, Anglia Ruskin University, NOF Researcher.
Ultimately, create / commission / shape community based participatory research that can be implemented into practice, and part of an ongoing journey, rather than a one-off piece of work, to make impactful and sustained change.
Second NOF conference: 14 March 2026
To showcase the continued successes and impacts of the Nourishing Our Future work, the Anglia Ruskin University and Essex County Council team are hosting a second ‘NOF Conference’ on Saturday 14 March 2026, at ARU, Chelmsford.
Contact
For further information, please email Emily Fallon (Wellbeing and Public Health Manager) at [email protected].