HAWORTH Primary School is at the centre of efforts to reduce food waste.

The school, together with two others in the district, is already involved in the Real Junk Food Project.

Now a campaign is being staged to encourage more schools to get involved.

And a launch event will be held at Haworth next week.

The project intercepts food destined for the waste bin and instead puts it to good use, either by selling it or using it as ingredients in 'pay as you feel' cafes.

Haworth Primary, Christ Church Academy in Windhill and Trinity All Saints at Bingley are currently the only three Bradford-district schools taking part.

Over 40 in the Leeds area are involved.

Schools from across Bradford have been invited to the campaign launch at Haworth Primary on Monday (Jan 23), from 1pm to 3pm, to see the benefits of the scheme.

The Real Junk Food Project – which has a large warehouse at Pudsey – collects the waste food from shops, allotments, restaurants, cafes and other establishments.

Haworth Primary has been involved since last September.

As well as learning about food poverty, waste and sustainability, the school runs a 'pay as you feel' stall – stocked with surplus food provided by the project – once a week in the Airedale Shopping Centre in Keighley.

Kevin Mackay, for the project, said: "We have the infrastructure in place to deliver the project in more areas and we're keen to get to other Bradford schools.

"We see a lot of great social outcomes to our project, but our big legacy is going to be what we teach the next generation.

"Educating children is our best chance of stopping food waste, which is a major global problem.

"Schools can get a lot from this. Our partner schools run market stalls where the local community can pay as they feel for food."

Helen Thompson, head at Haworth Primary School, said: "We have a team from the school that runs the shop on Fridays and we're looking to extend that and have it open for longer.

"We're now looking for something longer term, not just a pop-up shop.

"As well as learning about food waste, children learn things about communication and how businesses work.

"It is a really good way to support local families as well as being a great education for the children."