Welcome to the Transition New Cross Food Group.
Are you interested in locally-sourced, affordable food? So are we!
Latest news:
How to trade the food we grow
Local Action on Food, a UK network of people and projects working on a sustainable food system, is helping food growing projects start to trade in the food they grow. They have produced a new report, a Growing Trade, which has tips on how to ensure rules and regs aren’t a barrier, and examples of successful models which have already worked. For instance, Wenlock herb garden, based on a Hackney housing estate, sold 200 kilos of salads over a short season to a range of outlets and earned an income; Bristol’s Avon Organic Group has set up a ‘combined stall’ for selling surplus organic home-grown produce, earning a significant amount for some members; and Thornton’s Budgens in North London has invested in a community food growing space above its shop. These are all projects that Transition New Cross Food Coop could learn from.
Joining Local Action on Food costs £20 for small organisations – you get free advice, guidance on funding, and most recently, information on helping communities take control of their food supply! Join here.
Support is also available through London Food Link to connect urban food-growing spaces with a range of outlets to sell produce to, including restaurants, markets and retailers. Contact Emily@sustainweb.org for more information. You can follow Ethical Eats, the network of restaurants and catering businesses that care about sustainability, on Twitter (@ethicaleats) or join/like the Facebook page. TTNX members can tell local restaurants and caterers about the network and encourage them to join.
http://www.sustainweb.org/localactiononfood/a_growing_trade/
More news:
The UK Food Group held a conference this week looking at the growing movement around localising food production. Transition food groups fit well under this platform, read more about it here.
The Transition New Cross Food Group was launched on June 21st, 2011 at the The Hill Station cafe opposite Telegraph Hill Park.
Approximately 40 local residents and community activists kicked off the group by discussing how we could make food more sustainable, local, healthy and fair for all. Food producers and food distributors came togther. Representatives from New Cross Food Coop, 170 Works and Common Growth Community Garden (Sandbourne Road) shared information and ideas. Using an ‘Open Space’ format people moved between three tables to cross-pollinate ideas on three themes: food growing, food distribution and community outreach.
We heard how many residents in New Cross live in ‘food poverty’ – for many children, school meals are now their main meal of the day. With food prices predicted to rise, the benefits of local food are not simply cutting food miles and packaging but also securing food justice and better health too. We heard that fresh, healthy, cheap food is already available in New Cross – and that we need to get that message out there to everyone, as well as increase the number of food producers.
Many participants were keen to help set up a new Community Supermarket/Greengrocers. We also heard how allotments can be assisted to trade and barter surplus. The possibilities of setting up seed-swaps and a garden-share scheme were discussed and a mapping exercise has already begun!
The Food Group will meet once every two months on a Tuesday to take these ideas forward.
The next meeting date will be confirmed soon.
Many fantastic ideas came out of that night. To read the main points on Community Outreach click here, Food Growing here and Distribution here.
Meanwhile here is a link to some great resources on setting up and running a food coop: (http://www.sustainweb.org/foodcoopstoolkit/)
and here are some links to existing food growing and distribution points in New Cross.
Common Growth – new food growing project on Sandbourne Road, Telegraph Hill. Email Kat to get involved.
Green Shoots – an environmental and family learning project offering a wide variety of activities and courses in New Cross Gate and beyond. Based on Besson Street, SE14 5AS.
New Cross Food Co-op – a project that promotes healthy eating across the area and access to good quality fresh fruit and vegetables at affordable prices. The fruit and veg stall is held every Friday outside All Saints Church on New Cross Road between the hours of 9am and 4pm.
The Hill Station – cafe serving freshly made food with seasonal and local ingredients. At the front of the large community centre attached to St Catherine’s Church in Kitto Road, Telegraph Hill, SE14. Overlooking the park. See map
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[...] New Cross now has a Food Group page. They are especially keen to build up their google map of local food related initatives. You can [...]