Six promises Pool Academy pupils made at a Camborne food conference

Around 100 young people spent a day at Duchy College Rosewarne talking about food. By the time they left, they had agreed to six things they would try to change.

Eight Year 7 students from Pool Academy were among them. They took part in Food Glorious Food, a youth conference led by Camborne Youth Council and hosted by Duchy College.

The event brought together Year 6 and 7 pupils from eight local schools to look at food, its role in bringing cultures together and how young people can make informed choices. Cllr Reece Weatherburn, Deputy Mayor of Camborne, opened the conference.

Five workshops and a look around college

The Pool Academy group took part in five workshops, including activities led by RJ Working, Fairtrade, Community Larder and Healthy Cornwall. There was also a welcome talk from Cllr Bev Fitzgerald-Bevington, founder of CocoBean.

They toured Duchy College with current students as well. Three of those students had been at Pool Academy themselves, so the Year 7s heard about college life from people who had made the same move.

The six-point pledge

The day ended with the students agreeing to a group pledge covering six actions:

• Reducing food waste
• Eating more Fairtrade food
• Donating food
• Eating healthily
• Sharing food with others
• Growing food where possible

Jon James, Town Clerk at Camborne Town Council, said: “I’m delighted with the success of this year’s Camborne Youth Conference. It was fantastic to bring together so many of our local schools and organisations to explore how sharing, growing and giving food can make a difference in our community. It was also a real pleasure to support our Youth Councillors in bringing their ideas to life.”

“The feedback has been very positive, with particular praise for the variety of speakers and activities, the interactive sessions and the group pledge created at the end of the event, which gave young people the opportunity to take what they had learned back to their schools.”

Ultra-processed foods off the school menu

The visit builds on wider work at Pool Academy to encourage healthy eating. The school recently introduced a new menu designed to exclude ultra-processed foods (UPFs), with a focus on nutritious, seasonal food and local ingredients wherever possible.

Tegen Thompson, Interim Headteacher at Pool Academy, said: “We want our students to understand how the food they eat affects not just their physical health but their mental health too. The conference gave them a chance to look at food from different angles, from healthy eating to where food comes from and how it brings people together.”

Youth Council places for 2027

Recruitment for the 2027 Camborne Youth Council opens next Monday (9 November) and closes on Sunday 29 November. Details on how to apply will appear on the town council’s website, social media and notice boards.

“If you’re a young person who wants to share your ideas and help shape future projects in Camborne, why not join our Youth Council?” said Jon.

The conference theme changes every year, and the Youth Councillors pick it. “We’re excited to see what next year’s themes will be,” Jon added.