Podcast featuring Marcus Rashford, Dame Emma Thompson and Melissa Hemsley in discussion with young people about the Children’s #Right2Food Campaign.

In a new podcast, Footballer Marcus Rashford talks to young people and Dame Emma Thompson from the Children’s Right2Food Campaign about overcoming stigma and channelling personal experience of food poverty into campaigning. 

• The first podcast in a four-part series also features food writer and Instagram star Melissa Hemsley who offers youth campaigners ideas on how to inspire others into activism. 
• The new podcast is produced by the Food Foundation in partnership with Delicious Magazine and is presented by young people who all have personal experience of food insecurity.  
• Presented by young Food Campaigners, as they explore different problems within our broken food system and examine how Covid has impacted on them.    

31 March 2021 - a new four-part series of the Children’s Right2Food podcasts is being released this week as a collaboration between the Food Foundation and Delicious Magazine.  

The past year has thrown up shocking issues surrounding food deprivation and inequality in the UK.  Marcus Rashford, Dame Emma Thompson and Melissa Hemsley discuss these issues with the Children’s Right2Food  Young Food Ambassadors in the first episode. Presented by young people, many of whom have experienced food poverty, the four episodes explore how to make the food system fairer and look at some of the solutions young people believe in.   

You can find the podcasts here: https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/foodfoundation/ or access them via Apple, Spotify and all major podcast platforms. 

The series unpacks the food system, revealing many of the gaps that Covid has revealed. 

In Episode 1 they meet with footballer Marcus Rashford, Dame Emma Thompson and Melissa Hemsley about the campaign they’ve been part of, and how young people can get their voices heard. Dame Emma Thompson joined the Children’s Right2Food Campaign in 2019 and together with the Young Food Ambassadors delivered the Right2Food Charter to 10 Downing Street to call for the establishment of a new, independent Children’s Food Commission to monitor and improve children’s food.  

In Episode 2 the young food ambassadors continue their mission to fix the broken food system in Britain. They investigate the huge increase across the UK of the use of food banks and speak to some on the front line of delivering the services.     

Episode 3 will investigate the potential use of environmental labelling and local food markets to reduce the carbon footprint and make healthier food more accessible to everyone.  

Episode 4 will look at how food is promoted and how the creative energy of the advertising industry could be a game changer in changing how we eat.     

The podcasts were recorded all around the UK and produced by award-winning Delicious podcast producer Gilly Smith.   

Despite Government’s Covid-19 emergency measures in place, the problem of child food poverty persists. A new report published by the Food Foundation found that households with children have higher levels of food insecurity compared to those without. An estimated 2.3 million children live in households that have experienced food insecurity in the past 6 months since January (12% of households with children). 

Quotes

Dame Emma Thompson, Children’s Right2Food Campaign Ambassador, said; “lockdown has seen far too many parents and children experience food insecurity and these podcasts tell the stories of those who young people who have experienced this grim reality and are standing up to rally against it. That includes the heroic Marcus Rashford who has been a game changer in shining the light on child food poverty.” 

Melissa Hemsley, Author and Chef, said: “I’m in so much admiration of these young people who channel their personal experiences of hardship into their campaigning on behalf of all children. The podcast has some truly inspiring voices – Emma Thompson and Marcus Rashford, who use their huge influence for the greater good. But, as I explain on the podcast, anyone who cares about the world can be an activist and inspire others to be too.” 

Jani, 19, Young Food Ambassador, said: “I’m really proud of being part of this podcast series. Emma and I discuss some difficult subjects and some of my own experiences of food insecurity.  When I was younger I often didn’t play sport because I didn’t have enough to eat. Being listened to by Marcus Rashford is pretty amazing, as he understands how this feels but also shows us young activists that change is possible. We need more people lending their support to our campaign so every young person can get enough healthy food – listening to this podcast and sharing with a friend is a good way to get involved.”      

Notes to Editor   

Available for interview: 

• Gilly Smith, Podcast Producer  - gilly@gillysmith.com   07930 400805 
• Jani, Young Food Ambassador, Children’s Right2Food Campaign c/o  raf.bogan@foodfoundation.org.uk 

Link to Podcasts:

• https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/foodfoundation/ or access them via Apple, Spotify and all major podcast platforms. 

Images

Image 1: Young Food Ambassadors Jani and Rabiya recording the Right2Food podcast; image 2 Melissa Hemsley who features on the podcast; image 3: Dame Emma Thompson and the Young Food Ambassadors visit no. 10.  

Please contact:  

• Raf Bogan – 07891 286340 /  raf.bogan@foodfoundation.org.uk 
• Jo Ralling – 07770 500858 / jo.ralling@foodfoundation.org.uk  

Social Media   

• Twitter: @Food_Foundation  @deliciousmag 
• #Right2Food 

About the Food Foundation   

The Food Foundation is a charity working to influence food policy and business practice, shaping a sustainable food system which makes healthy diets affordable and accessible for all. We work in partnership with researchers, campaigners, community bodies, industry, investors, government and citizens to galvanise the UK’s diverse agents of change, using surprising and inventive ideas to drive fundamental shifts in our food system. These efforts are based on the continual re-evaluation of opportunities for action, building and synthesising strong evidence, convening powerful coalitions, harnessing citizens’ voices and delivering impactful communications.  
Registered Charity Number 1187611 

 About Gilly Smith, Podcast Producer 

Food journalist and podcaster Gilly Smith was an early adopter in British food podcasting, and was nominated for a Fortnum and Mason award in 2017 for the delicious. Podcast and won a Silver at the Community Radio Awards in 2015 for her podcast series on Syrian refugees, Jaibli Salaam. She is the producer and presenter of The Food Foundation’s Right2Food podcast, the delicious. podcast, Leon’s How to Eat to Save the Planet, Philip Lymbery’s The Big Table, The Borough Market Podcast and her own Cooking the Books with Gilly Smith and The Write Songs.