Book your space at the Lincolnshire Food Summit 2024

At last November’s Lincolnshire Food Summit, one foodbank volunteer spoke publicly, and deeply personally, about heart-breaking stories she heard from people who came for help with food. This was an experience that clearly resonated with many people in the room – that those who are referred for food support are dealing with so many bigger and more complex problems than just food. For me, it was one of the most moving – and jarring – moments of the Summit.

Foodbank volunteers sometimes feel more like counsellors than food parcel providers – hearing humbling stories of struggle and hardship, grief and courage, pain and despair, that most of us will never know. These are stories that so often go unheard but need to be clearly voiced for the change that so urgently needs to happen to come to fruition.

On November 21st, we will be giving special focus to how we can communicate these invisible issues and unheard stories to the right people, those who have the power and are willing to instigate wider change.

Simon Hawking, from Lincoln’s Acts Trust, will be chairing a discussion panel with Steve Meadwell from the Centre for Social Justice, which seeks to influence policy and law to address root causes of poverty; Andy Cleaver from Trussell, the foodbank network that seeks to end the need for foodbanks; Matti Colley of Lincoln Anxiety Resilience Association.

If you are looking for a stand-out theme from last year, though, it was education! Matti and I went through the copious notes made by last year’s 60-odd participants across the discussions that took place, and one thing came through very strongly: we need better food education.

We’ve forgotten how to cook! It’s a skill barely taught in school and practised at home less and less – but one that we (and the next generation) need in order to eat healthily, especially if we’re doing so on a small budget. Good food education is an area that needs backing up with policy change, but there are things that we can do locally.

At this year’s Food Summit, we will be hearing from some exceptional food educators who are showing what is possible: an inspiring partnership between a primary school and an urban market garden; a school that has become internationally famous for embedding good food right across the curriculum, the school kitchen garden and into the dining hall; and the County’s food team, that helps schools to improve food provision against the odds, and is willing to talk about the considerable challenges they face.

When: Thursday, November 21st, 2024, from 9:30am until 4:430pm
Where: Market Rasen New Life Centre, Serpentine St, Market Rasen, LN8 3AR
Tickets: Free of charge
Booking is essential, secure your space today.

Of course, learning is not just for children! Chefs from GoGro will be speaking from their experience of teaching cooking skills to adults: how to make delicious, nourishing food – and doing so on the tiniest of household budgets.

We will also be practically getting to grips with what the food landscape in Lincolnshire looks like, with a long-standing friend of the Food Partnership and a big inspiration of mine, Carolina Camacho from the University of Lincoln. Carolina will be working with everyone on some shared mapping: Where are foodbanks (and other organisations providing social food support) getting food from? Who are the other actors and how are they involved? And importantly, how do we use this knowledge to change the status quo?

Participants told us that they came out of last year’s Food Summit feeling inspired; full of hope, new insights and ideas; and no longer alone in their concerns. Most of all they made new connections that helped them develop collaborative local solutions (this is what Food Partnership does best), and they asked for more!

If you are already (or wish to be) active in working together to end poverty and develop a better food system in Lincolnshire, you are needed at the Lincolnshire Food Summit on November 21st! Come and be part of what promises to be an exciting and energising day.

The article published in the Lincoln Independent, November 2024