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MAKING LOCAL FOOD WORK FOR PEOPLE AND PLANET - 5th MAY 2010
This is the essential national conference for all those interested in community food enterprises. Taking place in Manchester for the first time, it will explore how community food enterprises benefit both people and planet. Community food enterprises come in many different forms from farmers’ markets to community-owned shops and community supported agricultural enterprises. What is the role and potential for such enterprises in making local food work for people and planet? The event is the third in a series of conferences hosted by Making Local Food Work, a Big Lottery funded programme which helps people take ownership of their food and where it comes from.
Key themes of the event:
-How community food enterprises can reduce the impact of food on the environment
- How people can take ownership of their food and where it comes from
- How community food enterprises can provide a fair deal for producers and consumers
Bookings will be open shortly through http://www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk.
CALL FOR TENDER PROPOSALS
The Plunkett Foundation is calling for tender proposals to undertake an on-going evaluation of the Specialist Enterprise Support strand of Making Local Food Work. The chief objective for Specialist Enterprise Support is; through the delivery of business advice and mentoring support, ‘to enable 200 community based food enterprises across England to develop and thrive’. Making Local Food Work is a £10m BIG Lottery funded programme involving seven partner organisations, managed by the Plunkett Foundation. Evaluation of this strand should commence in April 2010 and run to March 2012. The deadline for submission is Wednesday 31st March. Submissions are to be supplied electronically by 5pm to james.alcock@plunkett.co.uk. For full details of the tender specification, please visit http://www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk.
SUPPLIER SURVEY UPDATE
Making Local Food Work recently launched a survey to understand if suppliers and producers across England are interested in supplying small, locally based shops/outlets. Making Local Food Work is keen to build relationships between producers and food enterprises on a local basis, by this it refers to anything within a 30 mile radius of the shop or outlet. The survey had a huge response rate, with over 260 suppliers saying they want to be involved. All interested suppliers have been registered on the Making Local Food Work supplier database. If you are a supplier/producer and want to be part of this exciting opportunity, please visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/mlfw.
CALLING ON FOOD ENTERPRISES – GET PAID TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER!
Are you a community owned local food enterprise? Could you learn from visiting other enterprises? Would you like other enterprises to visit you? The Plunkett Foundation, through Making Local Food Work is running a fully funded study visits programme for community owned local food organisations to visit and learn from each other. The programme is open to applications from 1st March 2010 for visits scheduled between April 2010 and March 2011. To Apply or find out more information, please visit http://www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk/about/Enterprise_Support.cfm for an application form or call 01993 810730.
MAKING LOCAL FOOD WORK CASESTUDY -
SUSTAINABLE MODELS OF HOME PRODUCED FOOD
Making Local Food Work supports members of Country Markets Ltd in selling their high quality home-made, home baked or home-grown produce directly to the public, at approximately 450 weekly co-operatively run Country Markets, farmers’ markets. By developing a marketing and publicity campaign, working with food producers and a network of advisers and by providing information, support and training, the aim of this project is to develop a ‘market’ for people making home-cooked and handmade food, for selling their produce through community or local shops and other retail outlets across the country. Some Country Markets sell meat, fish and dairy produce.
Name: Worcester Country Market Society
Description: This is an Industrial and Provident Society of home producers selling home-grown, home-baked, home-preserved and other home-produced foods through special markets, shops, garden centers and through a hamper scheme.
A feature of this market is that it does a great deal of indirect selling through outlets including through local community owned shops. The market is open on Friday mornings. For any enquiries about getting involved in your nearest Country Market speak to Pat Van Zyl on 01246 261508 or email info@country-markets.co.uk.
THE PEOPLE’S MILLIONS 2010 - NOW OPEN!
The People's Millions - the popular partnership between the Big Lottery Fund and ITV - is now open for applications for 2010. This is your chance to win up to £50,000 to improve your local area. Come up with a new and original idea that will make life better for people where you live, and you could be on ITV this November, competing for viewers' votes. The application form and further details can be found at http://www.peoplesmillions.org.uk. Be quick though, the deadline for entries is 12pm on 14 May 2010.
http://tiny.cc/bdRXb
© The People's Millions
NEW HELP FOR COMMUNITIES TO GROW THEIR OWN FOOD
A recent Defra announcement highlighted the vast interest in 'growing your own' with people wanting to get more in touch with where their food comes from, as well as staying active and spending more time outdoors. About 300,000 gardeners in England already have allotments but demand still outstrips supply and the Government is therefore announcing new ways of meeting people's desire to dig in. On 3 March, John Denham and Hilary Benn set out a package of measures to help gardeners in the community. This included working with the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens to set up a new national community land bank and many other initiatives and proposals to support communities. This recent announcement, as part of the Government's Food 2030 strategy, responds to a resurgence of interest in people growing their own food.
To read more of this article visit: http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2010/100303d.htm.
© Communities and Local Government
SCOTLAND'S FARMERS' MARKETS WIN CASH BOOST
A three-year initiative to boost the number and frequency of farmers' markets in Scotland has been launched with £217,000 from the Scottish Government and other organisations. The first meeting of the Scottish Farmers' Market Partnership (SFMP) this week attracted representation from 30 groups. It was addressed by the government's rural affairs secretary, Richard Lochhead, who described the growing network of markets as "an integral part of the government's work to boost the country's reputation as a land of food and drink". Douglas Watson, the newly appointed director of the SFMP, said key targets included increasing the frequency of markets and experimenting with other locations, particularly in Glasgow and Edinburgh and smaller towns across the country. "However, the founding principle is producer profitability," he added. "That guides everything. Markets need to be in the right place, at the right time and they need to be attractive to consumers. We need to serve our customers well." The project was welcomed by NFU Scotland's chief executive James Withers who said: "There were questions from some as to how the Government's National Food and Drink Strategy would translate into action on the ground but it has to be said that the SFMP initiative is one of the best examples."
http://tiny.cc/Negzs.
© Farmers Weekly Interactive
EVENTS
FEEDING THE FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND, IN SHEFFIELD
A one day event is taking place exploring the future of food for Sheffield. Join people involved or interested in food related projects and organisations from across the city to meet each other and learn about the current developments which include a Sheffield food plan, food partnership and food festival, a range of local growing and food related initiatives and representatives from the Making Local Food Work programme. You are invited to attend Feeding the Five Hundred Thousand: The Future of Food for Sheffield, on Saturday 20 March at 10:00am until 4:00pm at the Centre in the Park, Norfolk Heritage Park, Guildford Avenue, S2 2PL Sheffield.
GOOD GOVERNANCE
The Co-operativesuk, good food, good governance team, as a partner in the Making Local Food Work programme offers regional training workshops and bespoke training events. It also publishes good governance publications including Simply Legal; it runs a dedicated telephone helpline and 1:1 advice for governance and legal structures support, plus web resources and signposting. For more information, visit http://www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk/governance or call Penny Claiden on 0161 246 2953.
The following workshops are full days from 10am to 4pm (including lunch) and are free for development workers or anyone involved with a community food enterprise. Places are limited as the workshops are often oversubscribed so please visit http://www.mlfw.co.uk/training to book your place or for more information.
• STRICTLY BOARDROOM
Develop your knowledge and skills to ensure your governing body is more effective and accountable. 17th March - Manchester
• SIMPLY LEGAL
All you need to know about legal forms and organisational types for community food enterprises - to tie in with our new publication:
Download your copy now!
31st March – Nottingham
• CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Taking a step back, taking a step forward. Identifying conflict, its’ impact and methods of responses to this. 14th April - Manchester
• SIMPLY LEGAL - ADDITIONAL WORKSHOP DUE TO DEMAND
All you need to know about legal forms and organisational types for community food enterprises - to tie in with our new publication: Download your copy now!
23rd April - Manchester
• SIMPLY GOVERNANCE
An overview of the structures, systems and processes concerned with running a sustainable community food enterprise.
28th April - Northampton
• EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Learning the basic listening and communication skills to make yourselves and other people feel heard and understood.
12th May - Manchester
• SIMPLY LEGAL
All you need to know about legal forms and organisational types for community food enterprises - to tie in with our new publication: Download your copy now!
26th May - Bristol
• MEMBERS, MEETINGS AND DECISION MAKING
A workshop to explore strategies for an engaged membership, effective meetings and decision making in a community food enterprise.
16th June - Sheffield
• SIMPLY GOVERNANCE
An overview of the structures, systems and processes concerned with running a sustainable community food enterprise.
24th June – Plymouth
28th April – Northampton
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