Heartbeat Award
More people are eating out and it is therefore important that caterers are helping their customers to contribute towards a healthy lifestyle.
To encourage this, we run the Heartbeat Award Scheme in conjunction with the Health Promotion Service at Surrey Primary Care Trust.
This scheme is nationally recognised and aims to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Caterers who demonstrate their strong commitment to their customers by offering healthier food choices, good standards of hygiene and smoke-free eating areas may be eligible for this award.
Requirements for the Heartbeat Award
You must first demonstrate to an Environmental Health Officer that you comply with all the legal requirements for hygiene. This involves satisfying 3 criteria:
- Your premises must comply with the relevant Food Safety legislation. Additionally, all your staff involved in food handling should have received formal food hygiene training to the level of the CIEH Level 2 Award in food safety.
- All eating areas must be 100% smoke free.
- Your menu must give your customers healthy food choices. This can be achieved by increasing the availability of healthier food choices and by adopting healthier food preparation, cooking and serving practices.
How can I apply for the award?
All types of catering establishments can apply for the Heartbeat Award from workplaces, schools or hospital canteens, to sandwich bars, restaurants, pubs, hotels and takeaways. For more information contact Environmental Health and Licensing Services.
Young at Heart Award
The Young at Heart Award Scheme is a local initiative, supported by borough councils across Surrey and the Health Promotion Service. It gives caterers, whose main customers are older people, an opportunity to show commitment to them by offering healthier food choices in a healthier environment.
The Young at Heart Award advocates modified catering practice whilst promoting a menu that gives the customer the choice to eat healthily. This is achieved by:
- increasing the availability of healthier food choices based on the recognised needs of older people.
- adopting healthier food preparation, cooking and serving practices e.g. trimming fat from meat before cooking and avoiding the use of bicarbonate of soda to preserve the greenness of green vegetables.
- recognising that older people should contribute to the menu planning process and be asked their opinions regarding food quality.
- acknowledging that older people have unique nutritional needs which reflect physical, psychological, social, cultural and other factors important to them as individuals.
All establishments which cater predominantly for older people can apply for the award, for example: residential homes and luncheon clubs (although Nursing Homes are not included as the nutritional standards here will be different).
For more information on this award, please contact Environmental Health and Licensing Services.
National Food Safety Week
National Food Safety week provides a nationwide focal point for highlighting the importance of food safety and the basic principals of food hygiene. It provides the opportunity for everyone across the UK to work together in communicating simple food safety messages. Event organisers include Environmental Health Departments, Health Promotion and Infection Control Teams in hospitals, GP practices, schools, companies and many others.
Surrey Curry Club
The Surrey Curry Club has been founded to recognise and promote restaurants and catering establishments in Surrey that prepare their foods within the legal guidelines and use the minimum of additives and artificial colourings in their dishes. For more information please visit the Surrey Curry Club website (this page opens in a new window).
Environmental Health and Licensing Services
Guildford Borough Council
Millmead House
Millmead
Guildford
GU2 4BB
Tel: 01483 444371
Fax: 01483 444546
Email: environmentalhealth@guildford.gov.uk