Market stallholders have joined café owners and shopkeepers in London’s East End for the first time to sign up for the local authority’s healthy foods awards.

Nine stallholders at Poplar’s Chrisp Street Market received awards along with three shopkeepers at the nearby Trussler community hall after joining Tower Hamlets council’s Food for Health scheme.

They included Aruk Choudray who set up his own fruit and veg stall after 25 years as a chef sweating it out in restaurant kitchens.

“Aruk has always wanted to run his own business,” said a Town Hall spokesman. “He uses his skills as a chef to create fruit and veg recipes and cooked pakora in the market which attracted customers to his stall.

“A large network of family and friends have supported him in his new venture.”

Aruk was one of nine stallholders at the ceremony which also included three corner shop owners, all receiving awards for giving shoppers wider choice of healthy food produce.

There are now 235 restaurants, cafés, corner shops and now market traders signed up, all giving shoppers wider choice of healthy food produce.

The 2013 Good Food for London report named the authority in tied second place out of 33 London boroughs for sustainable and healthier food options.

Traders interested in signing up to the Food Safety scheme can contact the council’s Consumer and Business Regulations service on 020-7364 5008, or email foodsafety@towerhamelts.gov.uk