Central and West Integration Network were supported by CFHS/NHS Health Scotland last year to lead a community-led research project. The research explored the experiences of ethnic minority communities around food security, diet and obesity. Specifically, the aim was to learn more about: Cultural understanding and awareness about diet and obesity Differences or factors that may affect attitude to diet and obesity, such …
CFHS updates
Food security, diet and obesity – community-led research
Also posted in News, Research and consultations
Areas of Work: Minority ethnic communities, Research and evaluation
‘It’s not just a wee cooking group’: Community cooking skills courses – train the trainers workshop
This Community Food and Health (Scotland) workshop will be held on Thursday 9 May. 1.30pm – 4pm (lunch 12.30) Stirling Come and hear from three organisations who train people to run community cooking skills courses, on how they have cascaded learning from a CFHS realist evaluation of community cooking skills courses. Share and learn from …
Also posted in Events and conferences, News
Area of Work: Cookery skills
Why becoming a Good Food Nation will be good for our health
Lesley McCranor, Executive Manager at Healthy Valleys, talks about the Scotttish Government’s Good Food Nation consultation … In 2017, 65% of adults aged 16 and over were overweight, including 29% who were obese. (NHS Health Scotland Nov 2018). Therefore, it may not be surprising to learn that Scotland has the fifth highest prevalence of obesity …
Reasons to be cheerful part 2 – CFHS cooking skills research. What did we learn about the best ways to run a cooking skills course?
Our cooking skills study group realist evaluation (2016-2018), gathered information from 29 community cooking skills courses (attended by 75 adults -all of whom were managing on low-incomes and the majority were ‘vulnerable’*). The results showed that: 79% improved their cooking skills (a further 16% could already cook) 68% made steps to improve their diet As …
Also posted in CFHS Blog, Cooking skills research
Areas of Work: Cookery skills, Information provision, Research and evaluation
Finland study tour
Six colleagues from Finland arrived on 3 December 2018 to share experiences on work around older people and food. Their project in Finland ‘Eating Together – Lunches for Seniors’ involved organising lunches for older people with local businesses and charities in a sparsely populated region of South Savo in Finland. The seniors were also involved …
Also posted in Events and conferences, News
Areas of Work: Networking and learning development, Older people
Say hear!

Thanks to all who attended our annual networking event, Hear Say, on 24 October 2018, making it such a great day. Community activists, local practitioners, planners, policy makers and academics from across the country and sectors and disciplines came together in Dunfermline to hear a range of speakers, take part in table and workshop discussions …
Also posted in Events and conferences, News
Area of Work: Networking and learning development
Understanding food insecurity in Scotland: using evidence for policy and practice change
The latest seminar on measuring food insecurity, co-organised with A Menu for Change, took place in Glasgow at the beginning of October. National and international presentations, including a look at the first data from the new food insecurity questions in the Scottish Health Survey, an update on A Menu for Change and a fascinating insight …
Also posted in Events and conferences, News
Areas of Work: Food poverty and access, Networking and learning development
Hear Say
The CFHS annual networking conference will take place on Wednesday 24 October at the Carnegie Conference Centre in Dunfermline. Planning is going well for this latest event, with speakers confirmed and workshop contributions taking shape. Our focus this year is on taking advantage of local evidence and experience to inform the development of policy and …
Also posted in Events and conferences, News
Area of Work: Networking and learning development
Matter of fact
With the latest Scottish Health Survey results due to include data from the three new food insecurity questions and research work ongoing across the UK, CFHS is delighted to be offering the latest opportunity for researchers, practitioners and policy makers to come together to digest the latest information and explore future opportunities. Working alongside A …
Also posted in Events and conferences, News
Areas of Work: Food poverty and access, Networking and learning development
CFHS development fund
It has been decided not to run our development fund in 2019. Our thanks go to all those community initiatives who have achieved so much with so little over the years. We intend exploring the impact and influence these small amounts of funding have had and will no doubt be in touch with a number …