‘Hugely inspiring’: Environmental educator wins praise from Jamie Oliver

A LOCAL environmental conservation educator has taken home the title of Food Entrepreneur of the Year at the inaugural Jamie Oliver Food Hero Awards.

James McLennan, the co-founder of the acclaimed Farm My School pilot program at Bellarine Secondary College, was presented with the title and a “Golden Spoon” trophy at an event earlier this month in Sydney.

The award recognises those who put all their love and care into making incredible produce to help kids stay healthy, or those building a business with sustainability and healthy food for kids at its heart.

McLennan’s recognition follows 20 years of engaging people of all ages with their environment and his ongoing efforts to shine a light on conversation, preservation and regeneration through his business Grassroots Sustainability and the innovative Farm My School food education model.

British celebrity chef and child health campaigner Jamie Oliver said the work McLennan was doing in schools “mixing up the food system for the better” is “hugely inspiring”.

“The way we grow food and look after the planet, how we teach children about cooking, the way we vote with our forks – it’s all so important and James is bringing it all together beautifully,” he said.

“I can’t wait to hear what’s next for Grassroots Sustainability and Farm My School.”

McLennan was one of just five winners to take home a Food Hero Award, whittled down from more than 1,200 entries by a panel of industry experts and celebrity judges.

McLennan’s award was presented by Australian electropop singer-songwriter Boo Seeka.

“This incredible human is going into schools and turning spare land into farms and veggie gardens, getting the kids involved in growing, then using that produce in the school community,” he said.

“I just thought it was a brilliant, brilliant idea.”

McLennan said there is a team of people behind him without whom the award, and most importantly the impact of the programs he offers, would not be possible.

“I don’t do the work for recognition. I do it for the impact and the passion that I have for it,” he said.

“It certainly is pretty humbling to get the recognition and also to put this really important work on a pedestal and be able to really amplify the small networks or small things that I’m doing across quite a global network.”

Raised on a beef and lamb farm that also produced fruit and vegetables, it wasn’t until McLennan moved away to study at Latrobe University that he realised, for many, there was a disconnect between themselves and the food system.

This realisation was further reinforced during his years as an educator, before he left the field to launch his own business and create community programs that inspire people to learn about the food cycle and increase access to local, seasonal, nutrient-dense food.

Farm My School ambassador and television presenter Costa Georgiadis praised McLennan’s “fearless passion” for the entire food system.

“He works with more than 5,000 Victorian school students a year. His unwavering dedication to transforming the way we think about food – especially when it comes to children’s health – goes deep and it motivates him every day.