Avante Care and Support has become the first residential care home group to become a member of Produced In Kent. We believe this is the first collaboration of its kind between a food group promoting local food and drink and a care home partnership.
The move is part of Avante’s review of healthy eating through its care homes across the county. The charity, which is based in Faversham, runs 15 care homes across Kent and South East London, caring for 1,200 residents living with dementia. The review is resulting in more locally sourced fresh produce, creating new menus and investing in more training for its cooks.
Sophie Murray, Head of Nutrition and Hydration at Avante Care and Support, says: “We are really pleased to be the first care home group to have signed up with Produced In Kent and I am looking forward to working with them.
Kent produces great food and we will buy local wherever and whenever we can. Cooking fresh and healthy food is good for our clients and sourcing top quality ingredients from producers in Kent is good for the local economy too.
Nutrition is a very important part of caring for our clients, particularly those with dementia. We age because the lipids (fats) and proteins within our bodies changes and those with dementia often lose their appetite, which can make it harder for them to get the nutrients they need to remain healthy. A diet, rich in fresh fruit and vegetables and with a healthy fat profile has been linked to healthier bodies and healthier brains in the elderly.”
Ed Martin, Manager from Produced In Kent says: “’Produced in Kent’ is delighted that Avante Care and Support has chosen to join as a corporate member. In a clear sign of the times and with changing priorities for food sourcing nationwide, Avante Care and Support is leading the way, seeing the benefits of working closely with Kent based food and drink producers to support the excellent services that Avante Care and Support provide to their customers.
Good nutrition is fundamental to the ethos of Avante Care and Support just as provenance is to ‘Produced in Kent’ and its members. We look forward to working with Avante Care and Support in sourcing and supplying the best and most nutritious produce, Kent has to offer through our extensive membership.”