Passion and commitment at the first ever Gateshead Food Summit
More than 170 community leaders, campaigners and ordinary citizens from across the Gateshead area and beyond have come together to discuss 'good food', highlighting issues, and promoting opportunities for food system change in Gateshead.
The Gateshead Food Partnership (GFP) was formed earlier this year as a central focus for organisations to collaborate under one umbrella to tackle food system transformation.
The inaugural Gateshead Food Summit represented the official launch for the Gateshead Food Partnership, as the members joined together to deliver the partnership's mission - to develop a 'whole system' approach to make nutritious, culturally appropriate, and environmentally sustainable food affordable and accessible for everyone in Gateshead.
Councillor Catherine Donovan, deputy leader of Gateshead Council, introduced the day and spoke passionately about the central role food plays in communities and why we must all work together to tackle food poverty.
She said: "In the North East region, we have the highest levels of food insecurity in the whole of the UK. One in three children in Gateshead are in food poverty.
"Many people are only one crisis away from disaster in their finances. And a lot of the people who are claiming free food are actually in work - I feel that is really unacceptable.
"In my opinion there should be a right to nutritious food. It's morally wrong for people not to have food."
18-year-old Yacub, representing campaigning organisation Bite Back, gave a powerful plea to fight against unhealthy food advertising, saying that the bombardment of junk food advertising aimed at young people is impossible to escape, and along with misleading health claims on foods, the odds are stacked against children growing up with a healthy diet.
The GFP has already connected with over 100 individuals, businesses, and organisations from across the Gateshead area who are working on food system change: from community allotments to social enterprise cafes, schools projects to food manufacturers.
Nikki Dravers, coordinator of the Gateshead Food Partnership and the founder of REfUSE CIC, said: "We want this event to be a space where voices are heard, and unity is built. An opportunity to find out what is going on across the whole food system, maybe outside of the area you normally work, with potential to spark new ideas and partnerships.
"From obesity, ill-health, and food poverty, to waste, climate change, and biodiversity loss, our current food system is causing some of our biggest problems, globally and locally.
"Yet food is also part of the solution. I'm inspired by so many of the people in the room today, and I'm excited for what we can do together for food in Gateshead."
The summit brought together representatives from public, voluntary and private sector organisations at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art to hear opportunities and challenges relating to food in Gateshead, to network and make connections, be inspired by work already happening, and to join in discussions and take action together.
Attendees at the summit signed Gateshead's new Food Charter, to help co-create and deliver a sustainable food strategy for Gateshead.Lunch was provided by a collective of local voluntary sector organisations, followed by panel discussions with a range of business and community leaders on topics such as food justice, diet-related health inequalities, and what part local businesses can play.
The high profile speakers at the summit included Andrew Forsey, founder and director of the national charity Feeding Britain, Sheinaz Stansfield, recently retired practice manager at Rawling Road Medical Centre, Alison Dunn, chief executive of Citizen's Advice Gateshead and Service Director for Communities, Health and Wellbeing; and Alice Wiseman, Director of Public Health for Gateshead and Newcastle Councils.
More than 170 community leaders, campaigners and ordinary citizens from across the Gateshead area and beyond have come together to discuss 'good food', highlighting issues, and promoting opportunities for food system change in Gateshead.
The Gateshead Food Partnership (GFP) was formed earlier this year as a central focus for organisations to collaborate under one umbrella to tackle food system transformation.
The inaugural Gateshead Food Summit represented the official launch for the Gateshead Food Partnership, as the members joined together to deliver the partnership's mission - to develop a 'whole system' approach to make nutritious, culturally appropriate, and environmentally sustainable food affordable and accessible for everyone in Gateshead.
Councillor Catherine Donovan, deputy leader of Gateshead Council, introduced the day and spoke passionately about the central role food plays in communities and why we must all work together to tackle food poverty.
She said: "In the North East region, we have the highest levels of food insecurity in the whole of the UK. One in three children in Gateshead are in food poverty.
"Many people are only one crisis away from disaster in their finances. And a lot of the people who are claiming free food are actually in work - I feel that is really unacceptable.
"In my opinion there should be a right to nutritious food. It's morally wrong for people not to have food."
18-year-old Yacub, representing campaigning organisation Bite Back, gave a powerful plea to fight against unhealthy food advertising, saying that the bombardment of junk food advertising aimed at young people is impossible to escape, and along with misleading health claims on foods, the odds are stacked against children growing up with a healthy diet.
The GFP has already connected with over 100 individuals, businesses, and organisations from across the Gateshead area who are working on food system change: from community allotments to social enterprise cafes, schools projects to food manufacturers.
Nikki Dravers, coordinator of the Gateshead Food Partnership and the founder of REfUSE CIC, said: "We want this event to be a space where voices are heard, and unity is built. An opportunity to find out what is going on across the whole food system, maybe outside of the area you normally work, with potential to spark new ideas and partnerships.
"From obesity, ill-health, and food poverty, to waste, climate change, and biodiversity loss, our current food system is causing some of our biggest problems, globally and locally.
"Yet food is also part of the solution. I'm inspired by so many of the people in the room today, and I'm excited for what we can do together for food in Gateshead."
The summit brought together representatives from public, voluntary and private sector organisations at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art to hear opportunities and challenges relating to food in Gateshead, to network and make connections, be inspired by work already happening, and to join in discussions and take action together.
Attendees at the summit signed Gateshead's new Food Charter, to help co-create and deliver a sustainable food strategy for Gateshead.Lunch was provided by a collective of local voluntary sector organisations, followed by panel discussions with a range of business and community leaders on topics such as food justice, diet-related health inequalities, and what part local businesses can play.
The high profile speakers at the summit included Andrew Forsey, founder and director of the national charity Feeding Britain, Sheinaz Stansfield, recently retired practice manager at Rawling Road Medical Centre, Alison Dunn, chief executive of Citizen's Advice Gateshead and Service Director for Communities, Health and Wellbeing; and Alice Wiseman, Director of Public Health for Gateshead and Newcastle Councils.
