A partnership helping local businesses and community groups in Torfaen promote healthy and sustainable food has won a national award.

Torfaen Food4Growth was honoured with a silver award by the UK Sustainable Food Places programme.

The Torfaen initiative is designed to create a network of food producers and suppliers while providing grants for diversification and helping organisations seeking sustainable solutions to food poverty.

Leon Ballin, the Sustainable Food Places Programme manager, said: "The Torfaen Food Partnership has shown just what can be achieved when creative and committed people work together to make healthy and sustainable food a defining characteristic of where they live.

“While there is still much to do and many challenges to overcome, Torfaen Food Partnership has helped to set a benchmark for the other members of the UK Sustainable Food Places Network to follow. "

This year, the council's food resilience team has given grants to 34 community groups and 13 businesses through the Food4Growth partnership.

One recipient was the Cwmbran Centre for Young People, which used the grant to provide cooking, bread making, butter churning and preserving food lessons.

The centre also used the grant to buy ingredients from Monachty Farm Shop, another grant beneficiary, which is based at Mamhilad.

Councillor Sue Morgan, executive member for waste and sustainability, said: "What the team has achieved to date is brilliant, and I know they are working hard to work with as many food-related groups as possible.

"I would like to congratulate them for winning this award, it goes to show what hard work and dedication can achieve."

The Torfaen Food4Growth partnership includes Torfaen County Borough Council, Torfaen Voluntary Association and Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, along with 80 businesses and community organisations.

The Food Resilience Programme is funded by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund and Welsh Government.

The Sustainable Food Places Programme is a partnership between the Soil Association, Food Matters and Sustain, funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the National Lottery Community Fund.