Author: Sarah Avery

Forest of Dean District Launch

We hosted our first in person district event on Friday 5th May at Harts Barn in the Forest of Dean. It was a great success and as you can see from the photos, we had a great turn out of enthusiastic stakeholders, all united in the desire to support, enhance and maximise opportunities for all the communities of the Forest of Dean.

The morning gave the opportunity for a reflection of the journey to date by the Forest Voluntary Action Forum, a celebration of what a community growing project can provide to its community through Beki at Blakeney Hill Growers and an update on where the Climate Emergency strategy for the district is. What was clear throughout the morning is the food is the golden thread that ties some many pieces together. We also heard from Jenny Salter, Gloucestershire’s Sustainable Food Places coordinator about the exciting plans and initiatives that everyone can be part of from the Council, organisations, and individuals.

The morning was rounded off with a delicious lunch cooked by Joe at Harts Barn, showcasing some of the fantastic food producers from the region.

Three main areas that came out the discussion at the event were:

  • A desire for more join up:
  • Who is doing what and where?
  • Food distribution, availability and surplus
  • Digital inclusion
  • Youth Interaction and engagement

We will work with our members and partners in the Forest of Dean and the County to explore these areas further and they will drive our work in the Forest of Dean going forward.

Stroud District Launch

Our 3rd Launch in May was Stroud District and saw us reach the halfway mark of our district launches, and it did not disappoint with over 60 people in attendance. We were hosted by Trinity Rooms Community Hub and between their team and wider members of NOSH Stroud (Network of Stroud Hubs) we were extremely well looked after.

Our morning showcased the very best of partnership working and what can be achieved through working together and supporting each other. Our thanks go to Sarah from Trinity Rooms Community Hub for her insight and update on NOSH Stroud , Annie the NOSH Stroud food coordinator for highlighting the opportunities of working with local producers. Liz Godsell from Godsells Cheese providing the essential view from the farmer and Will from The Long Table to show how sourcing locally is mutually rewarding and beneficial. We also heard from Simone from The Keepers – Wotton Area Community Hub about all the work they are doing and how valuable Food Hubs are for their communities, then Emma Keating Clark of Stroud District Council spoke about how they are supporting this work across the district

Our thanks to those who were able to join us for this launch.

Cotswold District Launch

On the 22nd June we had our sixth and final district launch and that was in Northleach at the Westwoods Centre for the Cotswold District. We had great representation across sector and conversations were so engrossed we ran late! We heard from Ed Bonn from the GREAT project about a new Zero Dig growing project in Cirencester, along with Anton providing an insightful look into the work the South Cotswold District Food bank is focusing on. We heard from the Cotswolds’ first food pantry, and we also had updates from the District Council.

This event was a platform for input and thoughts around a ‘Cotswold Food Network’ and what this could provide for the area. We will be pulling together the ideas, thoughts and aspirations in the coming weeks which will influence our journey ahead in the region.

As always food was a key theme of the day and following a decadent chocolate cake to get us going on arrival the team from the Long Table produced a wholesome and very tasty lunch for us all.

Both Debs and I reflected that we were sad to see the end of this series of in person events as each one has been inspiring and very insightful, most of all it has been a pleasure to meet so many passionate and motivate individuals all wanting to work together to strengthen our region’s food equity.

Worrying About Money Leaflets

Following on from the successful leaflet for Stroud and The Cotswolds, Feeding Gloucestershire worked with IFAN to produce a ‘Worrying About Money’ leaflet for each of the districts in our County, these leaflets are now printed and distributed across the county and are available online through the IFAN website.

Feeding Gloucestershire coordinated with IFAN and the Trussell Trust and delivered 2 online training workshops in July 2023. A recording of the online workshop is available here.

To see the leaflet for your district please click below

Cotswold

Cheltenham

Forest of Dean

Gloucester

Stroud

Tewkesbury Borough

To learn more about ‘Worrying About Money’ leaflets or our other work on financial inclusion and support please get in touch.

The Trussell Trust

The Trussell Trust supports a nationwide network of food banks that provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, and campaign for change to end the need for food banks in the UK.

The Trussell Trust have been part of the journey of Feeding Gloucestershire since 2021, with Phil Coysh, Area Manager for the Trussell Trust for Gloucestershire, Bristol and North Somerset, sitting on our Network Board.

In 2022 Feeding Gloucestershire worked alongside Phil to bring the Independent Food Aid Network’s ‘Worrying About Money?’ cash first referral leaflets to Gloucestershire, with the roll out of the leaflet in Stroud and the Cotswolds, and now our project coordinator is coordinating the work to roll out the leaflets in Gloucester, Cheltenham, Tewkesbury, and the Forest of Dean, this work will be completed in spring 2023

The GREAT Project

Through our connection with The Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group SW, Feeding Gloucestershire has linked to The GREAT Project. Through the link with the GREAT project we aim to connect community growing projects across the county to support and to knowledge of environmentally friendly growing methods.

The GREAT Project is putting Gloucestershire in the vanguard of the transition to regenerative agriculture.

GREAT stands for Gloucestershire Regenerative Environment and Agriculture Transition. It’s a three-year project, funded by Thirty Percy, to boost the transition to farming methods that restore the soil, water and air. We want to join the dots between farmers, advisors, growers, mentors and their communities to facilitate this change that is so sorely needed for a resilient future for farms, nature and the earth.

We have three core aims: build evidence, facilitate knowledge exchange, and nurture enterprise.

The Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West

The Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West  (FWAGSW) have worked with Feeding Gloucestershire since September 2021. FWAG SW currently administer Feeding Gloucestershire’s funding and are part of our Network Board connecting us to farming and conservation work happening in our county and nationally.

FWAG SW also host the Sustainable Food Places coordinator, and work closely with the Gloucestershire Food and Farming partnership and Feeding Gloucestershire to support the County’s membership of this national program and the development of the county’s campaign for the bronze award

FWAG SW is a registered charity representing the region’s farmers and landowners in the delivery of wildlife conservation.

FWAG was first established as a charity in the 1960s by a group of forward thinking farmers who saw that the environment was an important part of a successful farming business. FWAG SW shares this vision today and acts to promote and enhance the conservation of wildlife, the environment and the landscape in relation to modern agricultural needs

FWAG SW provide independent advice and deliver real change on farmland by working with land managers and landowners across the region. Combining an understanding of farming systems, land management and farm businesses with habitat creation, habitat management and species conservation, FWAG SW is able to effect positive environmental change in the wider landscape.

We also focus on helping farm businesses manage their natural capital assets like soil, water and carbon. FWAG SW specialises in making government policy, environmental incentives, regulations and emerging environmental markets accessible for farmers and land managers at a practical delivery level.

Poets Pantry

We are a food distribution pantry and food club

This organisation was set up in 2021 during the pandemic and is based on preventing or cutting down food waste, we have a supply chain made up from donations, FareShare, and surplus from supermarkets.

With these resources we run a food club on a Thursday and free food sessions on a Thursday and Friday morning.

The food club is £3 to join and then £1.50 once a week. For this you will receive between 7 and 10 items – which includes ambient, fresh fruit and vegetables and a mixture of pasta, rice etc. Depending on supply we also have a small supply of freezer food which is surplus from the supermarkets -if you are a regular member of the food club you will be told when this is available.

Address: 96-98 Masefield Avenue Podsmead Gloucester GL2 5BA

jim@blackbridge.org.uk
07923 445327

 

www.facebook.com/PodsmeadBigLocal/

Forest Voluntary Action Forum (FVAF)

The Forest Voluntary Action Forum have supported and worked with Feeding Gloucestershire since 2021. They have provided valuable insight into the work happening in the Forest of Dean and Nick Penny has sat on the Network Board of Feeding Gloucestershire bringing insight and experience from his work in the communities of the Forest of Dean to help ensure the Vision, Mission and Aims of Feeding Gloucestershire are reflective of the work needed at grassroots level.

FVAF are the Voluntary Service Council and Volunteer Centre for the Forest of Dean. Providing assistance to many of the hundreds of voluntary and community organisations in the District who are in turn better able to deliver their work in and for the local community.

Since forming in 1994 they have developed a reputation for encouraging, embracing and enhancing community action throughout the Forest of Dean. They believe that through community-led approaches we enable citizens to develop the skills, resiliency and social capital to live happier, better connected lives.