How do we ensure that everyone in our community has enough good food to eat?
80-odd people involved in foodbanks and community larders, -groceries, -cafes and more, got together on the 23rd November at the Lincolnshire Food Summit.
It was an opportunity to develop local and collaborative responses to food challenges, in an economic context where things are getting harder and harder for people across Lincolnshire and the organisations that are supporting them.
What are the burning issues that we talked about?
Accessing Food: Surplus food, logistics + transport, donations and buying food
The problem of food waste is in some ways a problem of distribution.
The good news is that food waste has gained significant public awareness in recent years, and less food is going to landfill thanks to distribution charities like Fareshare.
The bad news – especially since Fareshare made the hard decision to close its distribution hub in Lincoln – is that the logistics of distributing surplus food is increasingly challenging, complicated and reliant on volunteers
… and just now, the surplus food supply insufficient to meet growing need in the county.
Beyond Food: Reducing dependency on foodbanks, wrap around care / support
Actually, we think that “food poverty” is a misnomer – it’s just straight up poverty!
It’s a term that has come about because after rent/mortgage and bills have gone out, there’s often not enough left to get by and therefore an emergency food response becomes needed.
However, emergency food is only a short term answer, so it’s important to look simultaneously at more fundamental and diverse responses to poverty: Acts Trust is on the case!
Increasing dignity: Community Groceries, Cafes & other socially inclusive models
The thing is, there are people working on the ground in their communities across Lincolnshire, who understand local needs.
They are developing creative ways of strengthening their communities through improving access and connection to nutritious food. And that’s to say nothing of the skills, social capital and mental & physical health benefits!
The event provided a platform for a few of the inspiring projects in the county, to share knowledge and experience, showing what is possible and impactful.
Connections with growing: Health, skills & community resilience
Community allotments and urban market gardens in Lincolnshire are one such response and there are several in Lincolnshire demonstrating how growing food in urban places can provide some serious quantities of fresh, healthy, delicious food, but that’s not all!
They also empower communities, improve physical and mental health, develop beautiful spaces in urban environments and enable people to re/connect with food, nature and place, diversifying diets and building resilience.
Get involved.
You are needed more than you know.
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The event was run collaboratively by the Greater Lincolnshire Food Partnership, the Lincolnshire Co-op, Acts Trust and Sleaford New Life.
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