Advisory Board

Sarah is Co-Director and Head of Food at Soil Association Scotland. As Co-Director (alongside David McKay) Sarah is responsible for all areas of the Soil Association’s charitable work in Scotland, delivering joined-up solutions in policy and practice to the interlinked climate, nature and dietary health crises.

As Head of Food, Sarah focuses specifically on the development and delivery of Soil Association Scotland’s strategic goal to transition to healthy and sustainable diets.  Core to this is our Food for Life Scotland programme, which Sarah has worked on for a number of years. Food for Life is a nationwide Soil Association programme that works to make good food the easy choice for everyone, and in Scotland, the programme is funded by the Scottish Government. Using the Food for Life Served Here certification as a framework for change, the Food for Life Scotland team support public sector caterers to serve meals using locally sourced and nutritious ingredients.  ​ The team provide menu development, supply chain support and data analysis to caterers to facilitate more sustainable food procurement and practices using the award as a framework for change. We advocate for good food as an investment not a cost, ​and connect with policymakers and producers, caterers ​and communities to make it a priority.​

Prior to Soil Association, Sarah worked on environmental initiatives and food systems in the higher education and social enterprise sectors.

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Sarah Newton is Food System Lead at Birmingham City Council. She is on a mission to unite those behind Birmingham’s diverse food projects through the Birmingham Food Revolution movement. As Food System Lead, she facilitates the city-wide partnership delivering the co-created Birmingham Food System Strategy and utilises behavioural science to transform communities, the environment, and the economy to regenerate the city's food system.

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Jayne Jones is Chair of the Public Sector Catering Alliance, and her long term commitment is to continue to work in partnership with a range of stakeholders to make systems shifts and improvements in public sector food by taking a sustainable food systems approach. Jayne is also Assistant Director for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde with responsibility for all Soft FM Services including catering, cleaning and portering services. Over the past ten years, Jayne has participated in a number of Scottish Government steering groups including those developing Local Food Strategies, ending the need for foodbanks in Scotland and in developing proposals for the next Scottish Organic Food Action Plan.  Jayne is past Chair of ASSIST FM and is currently a member of the HCA.  Jayne was previously recognised as one of the UK Public Sector Catering's Most Influential People in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2024, won the Public Sector Catey in 2023, is a 2021 Acumen Academy UK Fellow and holds an Honorary Fellowship with the University of Edinburgh Business School.

Miriam currently works as Community Gardens Support. She has worked for over 20 years supporting and networking community garden projects in Northern Ireland, 12 years working for Social Farms & Gardens, and in more recent years has been involved in formulating policy and establishing a Sustainable Food Partnership in Belfast. Miriam advises the Procurement for Good project on public food procurement in the context of Northern Ireland.