The membership achievement comes as Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight comes to a close this weekend.

The South Lanarkshire Good Food Forum is an inspirational example of how communities, businesses, partners and the council can work together to make good food a defining characteristic of South Lanarkshire.

The Forum aims to represent and engage with food stakeholders across all food sectors in the area.

Partnership working in South Lanarkshire is very dynamic with different food groups and networks focusing on food growing, public food procurement, food economy, healthier food environment or Fairtrade as well as more local groups.

The council is also working in partnership with other public bodies, the private and third sectors to implement its Good Food Strategy.

The vision of the strategy is to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of everyone in South Lanarkshire through the development of a Good Food Council where food is celebrated, supports healthy life and wellbeing, is affordable and accessible to all, encourages a fair and inclusive food economy, has limited impact on the environment and climate change and promotes animal welfare.

Councillor John Ross, the Leader of South Lanarkshire Council and Chair of the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee, said: "We are delighted to have achieved membership of the Sustainable Food Places network. The membership recognises and celebrates our approach to achieve positive changes on a range of key food issues.

“For instance, partnership working has been essential during the pandemic when local food banks and community organisations worked together with the council and the private sector to deliver food across South Lanarkshire to help with the significant rise in the number of people requiring support.

“Being part of the network is also an opportunity for South Lanarkshire to learn from other councils in Scotland and the UK and share all our experiences.”

Sustainable Food Places is a network of cross-sector partnerships in towns, cities, boroughs and counties across the UK that are using food as a vehicle to drive positive change.

With support from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and The National Lottery Community Fund, Sustainable Food Places helps people and places to share challenges, explore practical solutions and develop best practice in all aspects of healthy and sustainable food.

South Lanarkshire joins a network of more than 55 members across the UK.

Tom Andrews, Director of Sustainable Food Places, said: “In over 55 towns and cities across the UK, individuals and organisations have come together to develop a joint vision of the kind of food culture and food system they would like to see and are working together to make that vision a reality.

“South Lanarkshire has shown a real ambition to transform things for the better in and we are delighted to be able to support them in achieving their goals.”

The Sustainable Food Places Network works to tackle some of the biggest social, economic and environmental issues today, from an epidemic of food poverty and diet related ill-health to the loss of independent high street food businesses and family farms through to climate change, biodiversity loss and food waste.