People

With an MSc in International Development, Sara has worked in INGOs – focusing on child protection and development. She supports our team to keep everything running smoothly. "Food giants trick us into believing their products are good for you," she says. "Supermarkets are flooded with junk, strategically placed to attract your attention. Markets are more my thing – but I still need to go to the supermarket, and it's always a struggle to feel at ease there."

Sam has campaigned to end factory farming, invest in social housing, and tackle climate change with a nature-based approach. He played a key part in CPRE's successful campaign to end fracking in the UK. Sam's amazing dog Rummi, meanwhile, likes eating, running and sleeping. "When low price is the goal, everything else becomes less important," says Sam. "Cheap, unhealthy food is produced in a way that abuses animals and has no regard for human health and the environment."

After a 15-year career as a BBC presenter, Nicki went on to hold various senior leadership roles – including Chief Communications Officer at education charity Achievement for All. She leads all Bite Back's external relationships. "Supermarkets have always been a battleground where consumers are manipulated – and in the worst instances, deliberately exploited – by clever, enticing and colourful packaging and promotions. How different would it be if healthy options were the stars of the supermarket shelves?"

Nabeeha believes young people have the power to create real change in the food system – and leverages an impressive Instagram following to help spread the word. "There's no honest labelling on food. Children are attracted to food with colourful cartoon packaging – and those food products tend to be filled with excessive amounts of sugar," says the Birmingham-based campaigner, who moved to the UK from Pakistan in 2019. "I'd like to see a world where we aren't brainwashed by junk food ads."

Having dedicated her career to campaigning for social causes – from reproductive health to a clean energy transition – Beth has worked with The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, WaterAid, UNHCR and the Jamie Oliver Group to mobilise the public and influence policymakers. "Our broken food system makes life harder for children and families who are already struggling," she says. "Evidence shows that junk food advertising is targeted more heavily at people in lower socioeconomic groups and healthy options are harder to come by in low-income areas. It's outrageous and unjust."

With a passion for physical health, especially football and running, James joined Bite Back to help young people build a healthier, more fulfilling relationship with the food system. "It should be an even playing field. Each city's children should not have disproportionate access to nutritious food," says the Liverpool-based activist. "Starting university, it feels like I have more contact hours with junk food companies than I do my lecturers. From freshers' fair freebies to leaflets piled at my door, I still feel the cycle of constant manipulation."

A food blogger and passionate chef, Amy joined the Bite Back movement because she believes it should be easier for young people to eat healthily. "Healthy options should be put in the spotlight: they should be the first thing you see in a supermarket, and at the tills," says the London-based campaigner. "Less healthy options should be out of our direct eye-line." Amy also believes that marketing for foods high in fat, sugar and salt should end on large platforms.

With a passion for politics, human rights and journalism, Gavriella has been campaigning and volunteering for years. Through participating in food drives for homeless shelters and food banks in the local community, this North London-based activist has learnt first-hand about the barriers surrounding access to healthy food. Gavriella has met with the Education Secretary as part of our drive to improve school food, and appeared on Sky News to discuss the issues involved with a wider audience.

Despite living in a relatively rural place, Rebecca highlights the unstoppable tide of fast food in the area: one particular global chain has three outlets within a mile radius, one of which is a five-minute walk from school. "I absolutely believe this was done on purpose, and it's extremely detrimental to child health," says the young campaigner, based just outside of Sheffield. "I hate the fact that schools are flooded with takeaways. But we're all oblivious to it."

Part of the Bite Back movement since the very start, Dev was recently elected Youth MP for West Hampshire, and is also an ambassador for the Food Foundation. The Leicester-based young activist has been recognised by the UK Parliament as Volunteer of the Year for leading our successful campaign to end junk food advertising online – as announced in the Queen's Speech. Dev received the prestigious Diana Award in 2020 for his tireless efforts to end food poverty.

The lack of fundamental ethics amongst big food corporations angers Anna: "They constantly target young people, valuing profit over child health," says the young campaigner based in Yorkshire and the Humber. "Junk food giants have the largest influence in impressionable spaces that allow people to be targeted – like Council-owned spaces, or sports sponsorship," adds Anna. "I'd like to see a change to these harsh marketing strategies: a world where junk food isn't the only option."

Triple jumper, vinyl collector and former competitive street dancer Reuben aspires to go into politics, or perhaps start a charity to tackle poverty and knife crime. "We're conditioned to think of junk food as our first option," says the activist from Yorkshire and the Humber. "Young people deserve diverse food options." Reuben's local high street is flooded with fast food: "In the cost of living crisis it's the only affordable place to go. It's demoralising. These companies could serve unprocessed or healthier food, but they won't because of their greed."