Beneficiary: Soil Association

The Soil Association was founded in 1946 by a group of farmers, scientists and nutritionists who observed a direct connection between farming practice and plant, animal, human and environmental health. Today the Soil Association is the UK's leading organic organisation, with staff based in Bristol and Edinburgh and working as certification inspectors across the country, and much more. This includes leading the improvement of school lunch in over 1000 schools across the country via its Food for Life Partnership along with charities Focus on Food Campaign, Health Education Trust and Garden Organic, and paving the way for more sustainable food policy through its numerous campaigns. The Soil Association's director is Patrick Holden, who has seen the organisation grow from a mere five staff and handful of licensees to 200 staff and over 17,000 organic licensees.