Avon Wildlife Trust’s Feed Bristol Project – Job Vacancy

Now I certainly can’t miss the opportunity to post about a couple of jobs going at Avon Wildlife Trust here in Bristol UK. The 2 positions are for a project officer and seasonal worker who will be assisting AWT in transforming 7 acres of prime agricultural land into a community food growing project with space for large communal growing areas and smaller bespoke plots for specific groups.  Its funded by the Big Lottery Fund’s Local Food Scheme funded programme.

Closing date: Thursday 26 January – midday

Interviews: Wednesday 1 February in Bristol

Here is the page to apply http://avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/people/careers.htm

In Boston, farm-to-table doesn’t have to leave your street…

Today I happened on this brilliant project in Boston USA that aims to transform vacant lots in Boston into sustainable urban farms. It looks like they’ve had a good year securing 4 plots and growing already. They are using the SPIN farming as a model - http://spinfarming.com/ check it out – it seeks to make agricultura accessible, anywhere. In the next few years they hope to create a checkerboard of productive green space in Boston’s inner city where local growing talent thrives. Best of luck to them!

http://citygrowers.wordpress.com/

Another means by which urban agriculture business can sell their produce – Food Coops and Organic Buying Groups

Bristol in the UK – the city where I reside is hosting a food coop and organic buying group networking event on February 8th 2012. I’m going to try to go along to find out whether this would be a viable way for an Urban / Peri-urban agriculture business to sell produce.  The Community Supported Agriculture model blurs the line between producer and consumer – perhaps a buying group could be a part owner of a CSA business? This would mean that the producer needs to be really in tune with what that group wants, perhaps even involving the group in the selection of what to grow in the first place…

Food Coop and Organic Buying Group networking event

08 February 2012 10:00 – 08 February 2012 15:30

Southville Centre, Beauley Road, Southville, Bristol, BS3 1QG

(approx 25 min walk from the train station) www.southvillecentre.org.uk

A networking event for food co-ops and buying groups from the South West and West Midlands An opportunity to meet others, hear from case studies and participate in workshops on :
● Starting and developing a food co-op or buying group.
●Legal structures for community food enterprises.
●Grant funding and community shares.
●Good meetings, communication & facilitation.
This event is FREE and lunch will be provided

Booking is essential

If you would like to attend, please complete the attached Booking Form  and email it to Charlotte Muspratt :cmuspratt@soilassociation.org

If you have any queries, please contact: alison@sustainweb.org or pete@sustainweb.org

Bristol Groups: There is interest in developing support for co-ops in the Bristol area after the MLFW project finishes. There will be a special session for Bristol based groups to discuss this idea between 3.45pm and 4.30pm.

Sustainable food systems: The role for public health and planning

There’s an interesting Conference taking place in UWE in December if anyone is interested – Joy Carey author of ‘Who Feeds Bristol’ will be there…

Wednesday 14 December 2011, arrival 1.30pm for 2.00pm start. Finish 5.00pm. Main UWE site at Frenchay. Attendance free. Refreshments provided.

Sustainable food systems from farm to fork to farm:

The role for public health and planning

The theme for the seminar will be how spatial planning and public health can support the transition to a sustainable food system that is good for the planet and human health.

•  What is a sustainable food system
•  Can urban areas feed themselves?
•  How can public health and planning facilitate this agenda?

 Speakers:

Joy Carey – Independent Local Food Consultant -  Towards a resilient food plan for  Bristol

Angela Blair – Food Policy Worker and Paul Southon- Public Health Development Manager, Sandwell Primary Care Trust

Spaces of hope: spatial planning, public health and food policy in Sandwell

Notes from our Food System Modelling Workshop in Bristol

About 2 weeks ago, with the Converge project we ran the 1st of several food sector modelling workshops. We are trying to explore what the food system looks like, and how we can prioritise actions towards a fair and sustainable food system in the future. To do this we are developing a computer model that allows us to explore scenarios and see how the different parts of the system are interconnected.

Vala gave an ace introduction - (see slideshow), including an introduction of the Converge research project and of the research participants, and setting the stage for the day’s project. The introduction included “the state we are in”, resource depletion (including oil and phosphorous), what sustainability means, the TNS sustainability principles, the ISIS compass, city food production and an overview of what sustainable food production could look like for Bristol.

The next workshop is November 29th, where we will add an additional level of detail to the picture we have been drawing together.

 

 

Where is UK food policy going?

Repost from the Bristol Food Network - http://www.bristolfoodnetwork.org/

Centre for Food Policy (City University) 2nd Food Symposium: Where is UK food policy going?

9.30am–5pm Tuesday 13 December 2011 (plus Reception 5–7pm)
Cass Business School, 106 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8TZ
Free

There is now considerable evidence of the case to change course in food policy. We need to reduce carbon, waste, environmental and health impacts, social inequalities, and much more. Food is a huge employer. Meanwhile there is a view that the slow tentative growth of integrated policy in the 2000s has now halted. It’s a view shared widely among politicians, policy watchers, NGOs, academics and food industry.  This Symposium is to consider that gap between the case for change and what is needed to give more clarity about overall direction. The purpose of the Symposium is to address the policy deficit – to discuss realistically what needs to happen and what might happen. It is also to take stock, noting that Food Policy debate has come a long way since the 1970s and that the UK has been a leader in that process. The fact remains, however, that most analysts know that we need to make another big leap if we are to address the combination of environmental, societal and economic challenges ahead.

Booking at: http://www.city.ac.uk/events/2011/dec/where-is-uk-food-policy-going

Read more about the format of the day here.