Gateshead the latest to join UK's biggest growing movement for food systems change
Gateshead has just become a member of the Sustainable Food Places network which will support our efforts to make local, healthy and sustainable food available to everybody in our area.
Over the past few months, a network of around 100 individuals, organisations and businesses with interest in good food has assembled, as Gateshead Council has taken on the task of establishing and hosting the Gateshead Food Partnership.
The partnership aims to be an inspirational example of how communities, businesses and local councils can work together to make affordable good food a defining characteristic of living and working here.
So far there have been monthly newsletters with information and resources, monthly events held through open invitation, with different food themes, and plenty of discussion to begin building a strategy for improving Gateshead's food system.
Councillor Maria Hall, cabinet member for Localities, Communities and Volunteering, said: "So far in 2024, the new food partnership has already addressed food waste and redistribution; community cooking activities; re-imagining responses to food insecurity; and growing food.
"Coming up this year, the partnership will be discussing the barriers to healthy diets, and how we can build a local good food economy. We're really pleased with the impressive start already made by the partnership and the vital issues it addresses, and we look forward to what more they can achieve in the months to come."
Sustainable Food Places is a network of cross-sector partnerships in towns, cities, boroughs and counties that are using food as a vehicle to drive positive change.
With support from the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and the National Lottery Community Fund, the network helps people and places to share challenges, explore practical solutions, and develop best practice in all aspects of healthy and sustainable food.
Gateshead is amongst the latest to join the network of over 100 Sustainable Food Places across the four nations of the UK.
Leon Ballin, Sustainable Food Places Programme Manager, said: "In over 100 places across the UK, individuals and organisations have been coming together to develop a joint vision of the kind of food culture and food system they would like to see, and they are working together to make that vision a reality.
"Gateshead has shown a real ambition to transform things for the better and we are delighted to be able to support them in achieving their goals further."
The Sustainable Food Places network works to tackle some of the biggest social, economic and environmental issues we face today, from an epidemic of food poverty and diet related ill-health, to the loss of independent high street food businesses and family farms, through to climate change, biodiversity loss, and food waste. There is no issue too big or wide.
Gateshead has just become a member of the Sustainable Food Places network which will support our efforts to make local, healthy and sustainable food available to everybody in our area.
Over the past few months, a network of around 100 individuals, organisations and businesses with interest in good food has assembled, as Gateshead Council has taken on the task of establishing and hosting the Gateshead Food Partnership.
The partnership aims to be an inspirational example of how communities, businesses and local councils can work together to make affordable good food a defining characteristic of living and working here.
So far there have been monthly newsletters with information and resources, monthly events held through open invitation, with different food themes, and plenty of discussion to begin building a strategy for improving Gateshead's food system.
Councillor Maria Hall, cabinet member for Localities, Communities and Volunteering, said: "So far in 2024, the new food partnership has already addressed food waste and redistribution; community cooking activities; re-imagining responses to food insecurity; and growing food.
"Coming up this year, the partnership will be discussing the barriers to healthy diets, and how we can build a local good food economy. We're really pleased with the impressive start already made by the partnership and the vital issues it addresses, and we look forward to what more they can achieve in the months to come."
Sustainable Food Places is a network of cross-sector partnerships in towns, cities, boroughs and counties that are using food as a vehicle to drive positive change.
With support from the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and the National Lottery Community Fund, the network helps people and places to share challenges, explore practical solutions, and develop best practice in all aspects of healthy and sustainable food.
Gateshead is amongst the latest to join the network of over 100 Sustainable Food Places across the four nations of the UK.
Leon Ballin, Sustainable Food Places Programme Manager, said: "In over 100 places across the UK, individuals and organisations have been coming together to develop a joint vision of the kind of food culture and food system they would like to see, and they are working together to make that vision a reality.
"Gateshead has shown a real ambition to transform things for the better and we are delighted to be able to support them in achieving their goals further."
The Sustainable Food Places network works to tackle some of the biggest social, economic and environmental issues we face today, from an epidemic of food poverty and diet related ill-health, to the loss of independent high street food businesses and family farms, through to climate change, biodiversity loss, and food waste. There is no issue too big or wide.
