Welcome to the September edition of the MLFW newsletter
September is always a busy month for the programme, as we prepare to wind up the year’s financial and impact reporting, but it also provides an opportunity to look back at what we have achieved.
As the second year of MLFW draws to a close, we can already see many examples of community food enterprises supported or inspired by our work, as well as a surge in interest from the Press as people begin to understand the importance of re-connecting with food production and supply. Our message is increasing in popularity, as demonstrated by our first conference selling out within two weeks, and a second, larger one looking like it will do the same.
It is also a time to review our projects and processes. With that in mind, we would like to ask newsletter subscribers to take a quick (5 question) satisfaction survey at a href="http://www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk/news/reader_survey.cfm">http://www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk/news/reader_survey.cfm. We want to make this newsletter as reader-friendly and useful to you as possible, so your feedback would be gratefully received.
Conference Update
All of the free places for Making local food work: community enterprise and the future of food on 30th September have now been allocated. At the time of writing, there were also fewer than twenty paying places left, so please book now, if you haven’t already, to avoid disappointment.
Full details and booking forms can be found on our conference page - http://www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk/conference.cfm.
Case Study
The Handmade Bakery – A community supported bakery has risen in Marsden, near Huddersfield, with help from the Real Bread Campaign and Making Local Food Work’s Enterprise Support project. This innovative model borrows from CSA and applies the same logic to a community bakery selling properly hand made, artisanal bread. Read more here http://www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk/about/ice/community_supported_bakery.cfm
Co-operatives Consultation
Co-operatives and local communities - a positive impact?
Do you think that your co-operative makes a positive difference to the local community where it operates?
Co-operativesUK, the trade body for co-operatives, knows that many co-operatives do and so is putting in place a programme of activity to begin evidencing this impact. The first stage of this programme is a survey to begin capturing exactly what this impact is. For example, do staff or members get involved in local volunteer work or participate in local decision making?
We would be grateful if you could complete a survey, or pass this information on to a colleague who might be interested. The survey is designed to give us an indication of what further action we might undertake in order to promote the role of the co-operative movement in local regeneration.
To complete the survey follow this link: http://tinyurl.com/co-opconsultation
Triodos Photo Competition
There are only three days to go until applications close for Triodos Bank’s social enterprise photo competition in association with Social Enterprise Magazine. Now in its second year, Social Vision sets out to find the images that best capture the work of social enterprise today.
There’s a cash prize up for grabs for the best photographer and the social enterprise pictured. The winning photographer receives a £750 prize. And the social enterprise featured in the photograph will also win a prize of £750. Entries from social enterprises themselves are encouraged. The competition closes on 4 September 2009.
Entry is easy and free. Visit www.triodos.co.uk/socialvision or e-mail socialvision@triodos.co.uk for more information and to find out how to apply.
Local News
Truly scrumptious Food and Drink Festival 2009 enters it 5th year!
South Gloucestershire Council’s food and drink festival is set to be the best ever. More than 25 producers will be showcasing their wares at 39 events in the area which have been organised for the month-long event.
The festival kicks off with a food fair in Thornbury High Street on September 12 which will be opened by award winning Chef Ron Faulker, whose restaurant Ronnies won restaurant of the year in The Good Food Guide 2009.
The fair will feature hands-on demonstrations of butter making as well as apple scrumping, plus real ale lovers will be able to whet the whistle at the Great Western Brewery Company stall.
The Avon Valley Railway station in Bitton is a popular destination with families and cyclists who regularly stop at the café to watch to sample the Victoria sponges made on site. Some of the station caterers will be at the food fair hosting regular sponge-making sessions throughout the day to help teach people how to make their own cakes.
To help mark its 500th year, Thornbury Castle will be joining the culinary celebrations with a guided tour of its vineyard and grounds. Throughout the festival visitors will also be able to get a discount on the castle’s renowned cream tea.
For a full copy of the programme, visit www.southgloslocalfood.org/festival or contact Val Harding, Local Food Officer on 01454-863883 or e-mail localfood@southglos.gov.uk
Organic Food Festival
Held September 12-13 at Bristol’s scenic Harbourside, the Organic Food Festival is organized in association with the Soil Association and with the generous support of Yeo Valley. It is Europe’s largest showcase of the organic community, with hundreds of organic products, cooking demonstrations with Raymond Blanc and other top chefs, childrens taste workshops and a lively Street Food Bazaar and Organic Bar.
Find out more at www.theorganicfoodfestival.co.uk
Job Vacancies
Regional Mapping Co-ordinators
The Food Webs and Mapping project is recruiting two Regional Mapping Co-ordinators to manage the mapping of local food webs in the South West and West Midlands.
Please see our jobs page http://www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk/news/jobs.cfm for more information and to apply.
Regional food co-op advisers
Sustain is currently recruiting eight part-time freelance regional food co-ops advisers as part of the Making Local Food Work programme. Their main responsibilities are to provide support and advice to new and existing food co-ops in each region, to raise awareness of food co-ops via a range of activities, and to help local farmers and suppliers link with food co-ops. To find out more about food co-ops visit www.foodcoops.org
Job title: Regional food co-op adviser
Location: Home-based, one adviser to cover each government region (excluding London)
Pay: Freelance rate of £135 per day
Working hours: Average of 2 days per week, based on flexible working
Contract: Fixed Term Freelance Contract for 12 months, with potential to extend for an additional 18 months
To download a job description visit www.sustainweb.org/jobs
Applications: To apply for this position, please send your CV and a covering letter telling us about your experience and what you think you could bring to Sustain, and also your availability / flexibility of work hours, to Maresa Bossano at: maresa@sustainweb.org or to Sustain, 94 White Lion St, London N1 9PF to arrive by 5pm on 16 September 2009.
Staff News
With the close of Year 2, we are also seeing some staffing changes, as Communication Project Officer, Jan Trefusis and CSA and Organic Buying Groups Project Manager, Dan Keech both leaving to continue their studies. We wish them all the best and will introduce their successors in future editions of the newsletter.
Finally, a polite reminder about the reader satisfaction survey http://www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk/news/reader_survey.cfm
With best wishes
The MLFW Team