December, 2008
WANTED! Farmers seeking long term relationships with public sector
Do you want new customers who want your produce 52 weeks of the year? on long term contracts? who pay reliably?
Three new project officers at Sustain have recently joined an expanding project to increase the amount of sustainable food supplied to the public sector in London. One of the team, David Rose, is a farmer with considerable experience in helping other farmers bring their products to new markets. He has previously been involved in a number of projects looking at farmers working together on marketing ideas and supplying schools with regional produce.
David explains “The public sector spends approximately £2 billion a year on providing food and is increasingly interested in buying that food locally and sustainably. They are a desirable customer for farmers because they have consistent demand and legislative requirements to pay for goods on time”.
David’s employment along the food chain has also included managing and directing a regional food hub and co-ordinating the supply and delivery of local produce to schools. He, along with the other project officers – Kena Duignan and Jon Walker - will be working to help make sure that London’s public organisations are using their funds to support local and sustainable producers.
There are great opportunities for farmers who want to get their products into places like universities, prisons, schools, and hospitals. We are looking for farmers reasonably close to London (i.e. within 100 miles of the M25), who are interested in the principles of sustainability, and looking for new markets for their products. We will be working hard to help producers take advantage of the large buying requirements of this sector. If you want to know more, call David or Jon on 0207 837 1228 for a chat or email david@sustainweb.org, or jon@sustainweb.org
London farmers’ markets go all out for Christmas
Special Christmas farmers markets will take place on Tuesday 23rd December at the locations listed below. These markets will have a select number of stalls offering everything you need for your Christmas lunch. Use these special markets to collect any pre-ordered meat. Markets take place at the usual locations but note the special market hours.
Ealing 9am - 11am
Islington 12pm - 2pm
Marylebone 12pm - 2pm
Parliament Hill 12pm - 2pm
Pimlico 9am - 11am
Queens Park - 12pm - 2pm
Wimbledon 9am - 11am
Walthamstow 12pm - 2pm
Other markets - Blackheath, Twickenham, Clapham, Notting Hill, will have a pick up for pre-orders only from 10am - 12pm.
If you’re a farmer considering selling at farmers’ markets contact Cheryl or Mark 020 7833 0338 or email: info@lfm.org.uk.
The Prince of Wales presents food award to Hackney School
On 1 December, at the first ever Food for Life Partnership Awards Ceremony in London, The Prince of Wales, who has long spoken about the importance of educating young people about where their food comes from, presented an award to St John the Baptist Primary School in Hackney for good school food culture. So far, only five other schools in England have achieved the Food for Life Partnership Silver Award.
Jeanette Orrey, Food for Life Partnership School Meals Advisor and the school cook who inspired Jamie Oliver’s School Dinners campaign, says: "We campaigned for better school dinners, but it’s not just about school meals anymore, it’s also about practical food education like learning to cook, growing food and visiting farms to learn where food actually comes from. This is what we, at the Food for Life Partnership, work with schools across England to achieve.”
St John the Baptist school has shown that it is possible to transform school food culture by changing school meals and integrating practical food education into their school. It now serves as an inspiration for other schools across the country. Headteacher at St John the Baptist school, Louise Rosen, says: “The change in the children’s behaviour when we changed the food from processed to freshly prepared and organic was incredible! They’re much happier and more attentive in class now.”
Another London school, Morningside Primary School, has achieved the Food for Life Partnership Bronze Award and was also presented with an award at the Awards Ceremony.
The Food for Life Partnership’s ambitious goal is to have 3,600 schools enrolled by 2011 and, through working with these schools and their communities, improve the well-being of 150,000 people, helping them to understand where food comes from and take control of their food lives.
For further information and Food for Life case studies contact:
Rikke Bruntse-Dahl, PR & Media Co-ordinator for the Food for Life Partnership on
T: 0117 314 5145, M: 079 2046 5239, E: rbruntse-dahl@soilassociation.org
St John the Baptist School: office@st-john.hackney.sch.uk
Or visit http://www.foodforlife.org.uk/
New Covent Garden Market traders form local grower marketing group
Following on from the highly successful October 1st event at New Covent Garden Market, where dozens of local producers met a plethora of London food buyers, four of the market’s key tenants have asked for the support of the Local to London team in creating a marketing group to promote their local British growers, and to assist in finding new regional suppliers for their growing demand for UK produce.
Zeenat Anjari, the new group’s coordinator said: “This goes to show just how keen the market and its traders are on supporting and promoting local, seasonal produce”.
The traders are:
Martin Mash, Mash Purveyors - Catering Distributor
Rob Davies, Fresh Source & Pavitts - Catering Distributor
Matthew Smith, Entremettier - Catering Distributor
Paul Bishop, P&I - Wholesale Trading
The plan is to get the ball rolling with a small number of members and then involve as many other market businesses who wish to contribute. The first activity will be to identify 12 key growers to start a month by month promotions calendar, to which it is hoped they will be able to add many more growers in the coming months. Planning is underway to support the promotion with chef visits to the market, farm visits for traders and chefs, supported by the new group attending relevant trade shows.
Martin Mash explained: "we need to build our growers’ brands and add real value to the business we serve, this is a great step forward"
Anyone interested in working with this new group should initially contact Local to London team members Zeenat Anjari 07810 482 547 zeenat@sustainweb.org.
Boris’s advisor Rosie Boycott warns food system cannot cope with crisis
In an interview with London Food Link’s The Jellied Eel magazine — which launched in a new, full-colour format last week — Rosie Boycott questioned where London would get its food from if faced with a crisis. This is a crisis she feels we are on the brink of in light of the banking collapse, wildly fluctuating oil and food prices and climate change.
Rosie commented: ‘As a society we have pathetically little resilience in the face of such threats. Peak oil is imminent. In my lifetime we have used half of the available oil already, so our oil dependent food system cannot continue.’
Rosie Boycott, who was appointed by London Mayor Boris Johnson as his food adviser in September, underscored the importance of urban food growing. Not only can this help solve economic and environmental problems but also cut down on waste and fuel spent delivering food, and strengthens communities in the process:
“We need to bring food back into the heart of communities, where it has been lost – to the detriment of families, and contributing to social breakdown.” Rosie added, “There is a grassroots movement – groups of people who want to support each other and to have a reliable supply of good food. And through food, community connections can be re-established.
Urban food growing also reconnects people with where the vast majority of the food grown in the UK comes from; rural farms. This can help city dwellers appreciate the seasons - and the sheer effort involved in producing food.
The Jellied Eel is London’s first ethical food magazine. This free quarterly magazine, is available in conscientious restaurants, cafes, and good food shops around London. Editor, Ben Reynolds, says, ‘The Jellied Eel is the first ethical food magazine for London. We are responding not only to the wealth of interesting products and initiatives that are helping to make the capital’s grub greener and vibrant, but also to the demand from people who want to make ethical choices.’
Grants still available for local food schemes
Visit the Local Food website at http://www.localfoodgrants.org/ or call the Changing Spaces Advice Line on 0845 3 671 671
Local Food, a new and exciting grants programme funded by the Big Lottery Fund, opened for applications in March 2008. The £50 million programme aims to make locally grown food accessible and affordable to local communities, has been developed by a consortium of organisations, and is managed on their behalf by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT). Local Food is the first Award Partner scheme funded by the Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme to open its doors for applications, and will look to distribute grants to a variety of food-related community projects across England. Mark Wheddon, Local Food Programme Manager said:
“The Local Food programme provides a fantastic opportunity for a broad section of the public to gain access to local food and is perfectly timed to capitalise on the public’s enthusiasm for locally produced food and the environmental benefits which that brings.”
Grants from £2,000 up to £500,000 will be awarded to not-for-profit groups and organisations in England developing such projects as growing, processing, marketing and distributing local food, composting, and raising awareness of the benefits of such activities.
Do you want to supply the London Olympic Games?
CompeteFor is a ground-breaking website that allows companies to compete for business opportunities linked to the 2012 Games. The online resource acts as a brokerage service between potential suppliers and buyers throughout the London 2012 supply chain. CompeteFor can match companies of all sizes – food and drink producers included - to thousands of opportunities supplying London 2012 and their contractors.
By registering online, businesses are able to apply for contracts that are part of the estimated 75,000 future business opportunities — around £6 billion of work is expected to be contracted by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).
CompeteFor also links businesses with local Business Link support services, helping to boost their long-term competitiveness.
To find out more about the business opportunities available and for help with getting your business fit to supply the 2012 Games go to http://www.londonbusinessnetwork.org/.
July, 2008
Spring renaissance at Covent Garden
During May, Covent Garden awoke to an aromatic dawn of flowers and gardening, the like of which had not been seen there since the days of Eliza Doolittle and her fellow flower-girls of the Piazza.
Visitors to Spring Renaissance witnessed a semi-permanent working allotment, with the North Piazza given over to a sizeable plot growing seasonal produce. Volunteers offered would-be Percy Throwers tips on growing the featured fruit and vegetables, and a scarecrow warned off pesky birds. Covent Garden Market also collaborated with The Conservation Foundation’s Green Corners Programme. Weekend workshops encouraged visitors to get green fingered at home and in the garden, covering topics from composting to bee-keeping. On Saturdays and Sundays a bygone era was evoked in the Piazza, with around 20 barrows selling not only flowers but also kitchen garden items like herbs, garden furniture, tools and potted plants.
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Year of Food and Farming kids at New Covent Garden market
New Covent Garden Market has been giving children from seven local schools the chance to learn about food, farming and the countryside, during the Year of Food and Farming. A class from each school will visit a real farm to see how food is grown. A visit to New Covent Garden Market will then follow so pupils can begin to understand how food reaches their plates. Schools are also being challenged to develop a sustainable garden and grow something edible by the beginning of July.
Jan Lloyd, Chief Executive of Covent Garden Market Authority said: “Nearly half the fresh produce served outside the home in London comes from New Covent Garden and hundreds of schools in London get their fruit and vegetables from us. We have been overwhelmed by the response to this initiative by the local schools.”
Gary Marshall, Chairman of Covent Garden Tenants’ Association said: “Where better to explore and enjoy healthy eating than at London’s leading Fruit & Vegetable Market? These kids are the next generation of fruit buyers and we are delighted to give them the opportunity to learn first hand what good food is all about.”
During their visit to the Market the children will take part in a quiz in the Buyers’ Walk, learn how to make smoothies or fruit kebabs and play specially designed games around the theme of healthy eating. As part of the project a Fruit and Vegetable Hub Challenge has been developed which will help the children's understanding about the positive benefits of eating fruit and vegetables. This project has been developed in partnership with Wandsworth Children’s Services, Widehorizons Outdoor Centres and Farming And Countryside Education (FACE).
Growing Food for London conference
London Food Link joined with London Parks and Green Spaces to host a conference on urban agriculture on June 30 at London’s City Hall.
As the era of cheap energy comes to an end, growing food closer to the market will become a necessity against the backdrop of soaring food prices and climate change. The event, which was part of the London Festival of Architecture, showcased presentations from international and national experts, academics, and growers.
One of the debates looked at the viability of commercial agriculture in and around London and featured Terry Jones, director of the NFU’s Westminster office. Mr Jones explored how to encourage more commercial agriculture and horticulture in and around the capital, how to make farming in the Greenbelt commercially viable with growing pressure on land availability and how farmers could tap into the marketplace.
There are around 400 farmers in the GLA area with an average holding size of 70 acres. The NFU has consistently recommended that planners recognise the importance of farmers as producers of food and fuel, providers of valued green-spaces and guardians of a potential educational resource. Mr Jones said that training for planners could help them to recognise farms as businesses and help them to understand the needs of farm businesses making planning applications. He said it was vital that planning authorities within the capital grasped the rural policy in the London Plan and the Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy for the South East. He called for greater involvement from ‘real farmers’ in the London Food Strategy and said the strategy should support all types of farming. The NFU believes that public procurement policies should be giving British farmers and growers clear signals about where food would be sourced from in the future. For more information see www.sustainweb.org/ or contact Vanessa Domenzain on 020 7837 1228.
Year of Food and Farming at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
School may be out for summer – but it’s hoped that the Year of Food and Farming has provided thousands of pupils with valuable experiences which will last them a life-time. The campaign, which has given young people an insight into the origins of their food and the workings of our farmed countryside, will certainly leave a legacy. The activities of the Year in the South East have been reflected in School’s In – School’s Out, an award-winning exhibit in the Growing Tastes marquee (G2) at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show (July 8/13, 2008).
The display won a Silver Gilt for designer Gillian van der Meer, a dairy farmer from East Sussex and events manager for Year of Food and Farming South East. Taking centre stage was a school garden, a Victorian market porter’s cart laden with local produce, plus a cropped field with a species-rich hedgerow and wild-flower margin.
Gillian is not a grower by trade and she sourced fresh produce and plants from growers in the South East, cultivating many plants herself from seed, including all the arable crops on display.
She says: “School’s In - School’s Out celebrated the achievements of young people during the Year of Food and Farming in the South East. The Year has given young people opportunities to experience farming for real and to grow, cook and eat healthy food. Many of them have learned life-skills that they would not have acquired in any normal school year. The display showcases the finest local produce, demonstrating what can be grown in a small school garden plot and replicating a field studies experience in miniature.”
Bluetongue update
The NFU has helped to protect the livestock sector in East Anglia and the South East by acting swiftly to roll out an industry campaign. It successfully encouraged the majority of livestock keepers to vaccinate cattle and sheep against the deadly bluetongue virus thanks to cash injections from regional development agencies.
This spring saw the launch of the Joint campaign Against Bluetongue, JAB, which has the backing of industry organisations including the NFU and the British Veterinary Association. The NFU got behind this campaign at a regional level and was instrumental in urging farmers to protect their livestock against bluetongue (BTV8) once vaccine became available. Support for the campaign came from both SEEDA, the South East England development agency, and EEDA, the East of England Development Agency. More than 35,000 awareness postcards were distributed in East Anglia and the South East to farmers, agricultural societies, breed societies, vets and country stores. A high profile radio campaign followed on May 1. In addition, EEDA funded the making of an online film and a DVD for farmers – The Hows and Whys of Vaccination – available on the NFU website here (http://www.nfuonline.com/) You can navigate around the NFU’s bluetongue channel from this page, where latest updates about the disease control measures appear.
The vaccination programme is voluntary and it is hoped that the good uptake of vaccine in the East and South East will have ensured eradication of Bluetongue serotype 8 (BTV8).
Gold for NFU at flower shows
The finest British fresh produce displayed in an innovative way helped the NFU to scoop more Gold medals at Chelsea Flower Show, BBC Gardeners’ World and Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. The NFU celebrates its centenary in 2008 so all those involved with the Growing For Another Century exhibit were delighted at the NFU’s 12th Chelsea Gold. The same display was replicated by East Sussex designer Penny Riley at BBC Gardeners’ World at the NEC in Birmingham. You can see pictures online here ( http://www.nfuonline.com/ ).
Why Horticulture Matters
‘Get your five a day the British way’ is the message of a new campaign looking to help the health of the nation - and the economy. The NFU’s Why Horticulture Matters campaign will highlight the many benefits of buying British fruit, flowers and vegetables.
NFU horticulture board chairman Richard Hirst joined NFU President Peter Kendall at New Covent Garden Market for the campaign launch on July 1.
Mr Hirst said: “We are rightly proud of our British growers who supply us with fresh and seasonal fruit, vegetables and flowers.
“This diverse sector underpins our nation’s health, providing all of the essential ingredients for our five a day as well as contributing greatly to its wealth.”
To support the campaign the NFU has produced a detailed report showing why horticulture is so important. It reveals that the sector contributes an estimated £1.2 billion to the British economy and employs 37,000 people.
Producers needed for London festivals
London Food Link is working with festival organisers to find food producers for two major events in the capital. Stallholders are needed for Cheapside 2008, in the City of London, on July 19. The whole of Cheapside will be closed to traffic and a street market, from 10am till 4pm, will bring together the trades and crafts that have helped shape the city. Awnings and tables are provided and there is no fee. Cheapside is one of the headline events for the London Festival of Architecture http://www.lfa2008.org/. Please get in touch with Sarah Mildenhall to find out more information: sarah.mildenhall@live.com or 07779 339624.
Feast on the Bridge took place for the first time in 2007 as part of the Mayor’s Thames Festival. It was a huge success with audiences of around 40,000 people and most traders completely selling out. Building upon this phenomenal success, the event is being repeated on September 13, between 12noon and 10pm, and again stallholders are sought. Southwark Bridge will be closed to traffic and transformed into a unique environment for food, feasting, dance and celebration with music, entertainment and harvest activities throughout.
The Thames Festival team is working with Sustain to promote sustainable and ethical trading on the Bridge and seeks goods that reflect this in their production, sourcing and presentation. Thames Festival will use Feast on the Bridge as a benchmark for sustainable, high quality festival food with the aim of rolling this out across the Festival site in future years. Details from Kitty Ross on 0207 9288998 or k.ross@thamesfestival.org.
London Farmers’ Market news – from South Ken to Swiss Cottage
The South Kensington Farmers’ Market opened on May 10, and organisers claim it is the first new street market in central London for more than 100 years. Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens has agreed to be the market’s patron. Thanks to support from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, the farmers’ market is taking place on Bute Street, every Saturday between 9am and 1pm, when traffic is excluded.
Margot James, the former Brompton Ward councillor, who helped to establish the market in South Kensington said: “I am very pleased to have been involved in bringing a farmers’ market to South Kensington; I am a great supporter of British farmers and eating locally produced quality food.”
Tom Aikens said:‘It is a great pleasure to be made patron of the Bute Street Farmers’ market. I firmly believe in supporting our own local farmers, growers and producers and customers can be confident they are buying the freshest, most local produce possible. Through this, we are also supporting our local community and economy, as well as helping the environment.” m/f…
Cheryl Cohen from London Farmers’ Markets said the market would bring great, fresh food to a street where there is already a great selection of independent food retailers. She was delighted that Tom Aikens had agreed to support it.
The market will provide a fantastic choice of produce including delicious organic and outdoor-reared meat, game in season, dairy, juice, plants and flowers, hand made preserves, soft and top fruit, herbs, wet fish and shellfish, free range eggs, and the freshest vegetables and salads.
British food is being brought back to the heart of Swiss Cottage, with the return of a farmers’ market to Eton Avenue. The market will take place every week from 10 am – 4 pm. There will be a huge selection of local, seasonal produce. London Chef Allegra McEvedy came to check out what was on offer. Allegra is a founding partner of the healthy fast-food restaurant Leon, which feeds 18,000 people a day in four restaurants across London. The restaurant uses local and seasonal foods where possible and enjoys working with farmers markets.
Working in conjunction with Camden Council, the Swiss Cottage farmers’ market takes place outside Hampstead Theatre. The market moved from the O2 centre to this new location, doubling in size.
London Farmers’ Markets wishes to hear from farmers and growers within 100 miles of the M25. It is keen to encourage livestock farmers and growers of vegetables and fruit to take stalls. Contact Cheryl, Mark or Arthur at London Farmers’ Markets on 020 7833 0338 or info@lfm.org.uk for further details.
Local Food now on the funding menu
Local Food, a new and exciting grants programme funded by the Big Lottery Fund, opened for applications in March. This £50m programme aimed at making locally grown food accessible and affordable to local communities has been developed by a consortium of organisations. It is managed by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT).
Mark Wheddon, Local Food Programme Manager, said: "The Local Food programme provides a fantastic opportunity for a broad section of the public to gain access to local food and is perfectly timed to capitalise on the public's enthusiasm for locally produced food and the environmental benefits which that brings.
"With such a broad and varied funding programme we would encourage people who are thinking of applying to be as creative as possible. From school farms and community box schemes, to local food education centres and community composting, the list is endless."
Grants from £2,000 up to £500,000 will be awarded to not-for-profit groups and organisations in England delivering projects related to growing, processing, marketing and distributing local food and composting. Changing Spaces Advice Line tel: 0845 3 671 671 or visit http://www.localfoodgrants.org/
Demand for local food rises at New Covent Garden Market
There are 160 companies in the food sector at New Covent Garden Market and around 60% of the produce sold by wholesalers at the market is purchased by the food service companies based on site. Consultants surveyed tenants on behalf of Covent Garden Market Authority (CGMA) and found 96% said that the demand for local/British produce had increased, with most of this demand coming from the food service sector. CGMA is seeking Government approval to link with a development partner to secure the long term future of the market, establishing a modern market for wholesale businesses supplying quality fresh produce – food, flowers and plants. The private sector will be invited to contribute ideas on how trade can be strengthened.
DIARY DATES:
July 19/20, 2008: The Lambeth Country Show will once again be held in Brockwell Park, Herne Hill, SE24 0NG between 11am and 7pm. http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/
October 1, 2008: Local To London trade event, New Covent Garden Market (7am/1pm)
Farmers and growers from the South East, East Anglia and London area are being invited to show off their produce during a special Local to London trade event aimed at getting more local produce on the capital's plate. The event follows the success of A Celebration of Local Food - a trade event at the market in February 2008.
October also sees the start of Wholesaler month with all six wholesale markets of London taking part (New Covent Garden Market, Smithfield Market, New Spitalfields Market, Billingsgate Market, Borough Market and Western International Market).
The day is part of a renewed drive for New Covent Garden to source more produce from its surrounding regions. The area around the capital used to be London’s larder, but wholesalers often now buy produce from overseas. Reasons for this include price, availability and presentation. Now the demand for local and regional produce is rising, the project aims to restore the link between producers and buyers in the London market.
This is an excellent opportunity for producers to meet at the largest wholesale market in the country, to hear first hand about the opportunities available in the public and food service sectors and to gain a real understanding of opportunities, from producers already supplying these markets.
Local to London trade event programme
7.00am Tour of the Market and Buyers' Walk
8.00am Breakfast
8.00am Start Programme Master classes from Fruit & Vegetable, Butchery and Fish experts
8.00am-13.00pm Meet-the-Supplier with producers & growers
Light refreshments will be available during the day.
The event is open to producers offering products suitable for the London Food Service market including fresh produce, meat, fish and dairy products.
Businesses can apply for space now - a 2 x 2 metre area with a table and wall behind costs £50.00 + VAT for Food Group Members. Non members are charged £85.00 + VAT. Refrigeration must be provided by producers themselves if needed – liaise with the organiser on size of units. After the organisers have received your application form you will receive a confirmation and invoice from your regional food group. The bookings are administered by Tastes of Anglia.
Download an application form from http://www.sefgp.co.uk/ - ApplicationFormOct08.doc
Queries to Helen Fomenko at Tastes of Anglia Tel: 01473 785883 http://www.tastesofanglia.com/
This event is made possible with help from development agencies EEDA and SEEDA, Covent Garden Market Authority, Tastes of Anglia, the South East Food Group Partnership Ltd and the London Development Agency. The event is administered by Tastes of Anglia.
Registered charity (no.