Around Town: A Festive Edition

We've curated an ethical foodide guide of where to shop this Christmas from our wonderful London Food Link supporters. Check out festive workshops, great places to shop, gifts that do good, sustainable eateries, and finally stock up on great foodie products.

And for a chance to win amazing festive hampers and gifts and for a money saving selection of discounts, join us as a supporter this month. You'll also be helping our campaigns in 2022.

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Festive Events and Workshops

Fridge of Plenty*

Crouch End, N8

On Thursday 9 December, Fridge of Plenty is holding a free Mulled Wine and Hamper-Making evening between 5 and 8pm. Head along and curate your own gift box or Christmas bag full of locally-sourced, ethically-produced goodies, while sipping mulled wine and bopping along to Wham. (12% online dicsount for supporters)

Made in Hackney Workshops

Clapton, E5

Made in Hackney is a plant-based community cookery school with a host of festive classes on offer, such as festive baking, how to nail a multi-course gourmet dinner, and creating a perfect festive vegan cheeseboard. Something for everyone, with classes both online and in-person.

Courses at Hen Corner*

Brentford, TW8

A huge range of classes are on offer at the beautiful Hen Corner , an urban smallholding in West London with hens, honey bees and a fruitful kitchen garden. Choose from the likes of stollen making, or wreath making to get you in the spirit! (Join us for 15% discount)

Where to shop

Growing Communities Market

Stoke Newington, N16

The Growing Communities Farmers’ Market brings together local food producers, alongside a range of festive stalls perfect for creative, independent gifting. You can find locally-produced honey, hand-made ceramics, and candles amongst others. The market takes place, every Saturday until 18th December, 10 am-2.30 pm, by St Paul's Church.

Lady Lane Market x The Canvas*

Spitalfields, E1

Tower Hamlets-based female business-owners from both hospitality and retail are descending on women-owned social enterprise The Canvas, just off Brick Lane, for a glorious indoor pop up of Lady Lane Market. Featuring women of all backgrounds showcasing their significant talents in cooking and craft, with dates throughout December, this gorgeous indoor market offers Christmas shoppers a truly local and independent experience. (10% off at the Canvas shop for supporters)

London Farmers Markets

Ongoing, across London

For the freshest, most local ingredients for your Christmas celebrations, head to one of 22 farmers markets across the boroughs organised by London Farmers Markets. Prioritising sustainably grown, seasonal produce that increases local farm incomes, and connecting us with farmers, fishermen, growers, bakers, and makers, these markets are an impactful way to fill your (sustainable) shopping basket, as well as a wholesome way to spend a morning.

Where to eat

Well Kneaded*

Earlsfield, SW18

Well Kneaded have a fabulous farm to table Christmas sharing menu, using produce from amazing farms and suppliers. This year, they’re supporting Glass door with a donation from every Christmas menu enjoyed at the pizzeria. This will go directly towards helping the homeless receive food and shelter this winter. (*10% discount on the A La Carte menu).

Credit Well Kneaded

Eleven 98

Hackney, E8

Join the communal Chef's table at Eleven 98, a unique, one-of-a-kind fine dining concept showcasing the incredible produce grown in Hackney. Book fast, as their last date to enjoy this fantastic experience before Christmas is Friday 10 December.

Smoke & Salt

Tooting, SW17

Enjoy the Christmas menu from Smoke & Salt, a local restaurant in Tooting that celebrates the simplicity of seasonal and local ingredients, and ancient techniques such as smoking, curing and preserving.

Gifts that do good

Seeds To Solutions by Incredible Edible

Online

The recently released Seeds To Solutions is a book all about gardening, cooking and activism at different scales of the food system. It also features the work of Incredible Edible Lambeth and Incredible Edible Barnet and makes for the perfect gift for those interested in questions of sustainable living and finding ways of building effective solutions.

Refugee Café Hamper

Online

The Refugee Cafe work to bring refugees, asylum seekers & the wider UK public together through food. For this festive season, they have an amazing Christmas hamper full of delights like Ecuadorian chimichurri and Syrian shortbreads, alongside other great gifts such as their Syrian Date Truffle Selection all available on their website.

Vital Seeds

Online

Not London based but we love their seeds. Founded in response to a lack of UK-sourced organic seeds, Vital Seeds actively seeks to promote biodiversity by producing UK-grown organic and open-pollinated seeds. From flowers, herbs, vegetable seeds, this is a great gift for the horticulturalist in your life.

Stock up on good food

Alara Ote Hot Chocolates

Online

These hot chocolates are the perfect companion to a cosy and indulgent winters' evening. With all the four flavours: Original, Chilli, Maca and Turmeric, these organic hot chocolates are packed with natural flavours and nutrients.

Lemonaid*

Online

Lemonaid and ChariTea make soft drinks and iced teas how they should be, using only the best organic, fair trade ingredients. Beyond Fairtrade, 5p from every bottle is donated to the Lemonaid and ChariTea Foundation, which funds social projects in the growing regions. (Offering 15% to supporters)

Hackney Herbal Teas

Online

Made from herbs grown in a range of sites around Hackney, these teas bring together beautiful flavours for a beautiful brew. All funds go towards supporting free community activities in Hackney, which bring people together to learn, and be inspired by the power of nature.

Better Food Traders

Local Greens

Herne Hill, SE24

Supplying weekly organic veg bags to South Londoners, Local Greens is a non-profit organisation focusing on delicious, seasonal produce and their local community. For this holiday season, Local Greens have teamed up with the Healthy Living Platform to create chutneys and sauces from surplus ingredients, with all proceeds will be supporting the local food banks and food education programmes.

Crop Drop*

Haringey, N10

Join Crop Drop today to support organic, nature-friendly farmers, enjoy a variety of tasty, locally sourced produce and skip the supermarket queues this Christmas! During the holiday season their bags are bursting with wonderful, seasonal produce from our UK farmers. Planning a festive feast? Sign up in time for organic roasted chestnuts, buttery brussels, gorgeous red cabbage and crispy golden roast tatties!

Other great discounts and prizes

We're delighted to offer you a number of great prizes including a hamper from Natoora, a book bundle from Chelsea Green and a veg box from Sutton comunity farm, alongsides limited time discounts from those listed (*) above plus:

NEMI Teas
Hiver Beers
We Ferment
Naked Larder
Spare Snacks

Join London Food Link today to be in with a chance of winning a fabulous festive prize such as Made in Hackney, Hackney Herbal and Hen Corner course, a Vital Seeds gift pack and much more.

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London Food Link: London Food Link brings together community food enterprises and projects that are working to make good food accessible to everyone in London to help create a healthy, sustainable and ethical food system for all.

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