London Food Resilience Partnership

The work of the Partnership will contribute to London’s overall resilience strategy and preparedness planning to minimise disruption to communities, to respond effectively, and to recover community access to food efficiently in an emergency.

In line with the London Resilience Partnership Strategy, we view resilience as an essential enabler that helps London survive and prosper—strengthening the ability of institutions and communities to work together to prevent, handle, recover, and learn from disruption. By embedding resilience across our food system, the Partnership strengthens overall city preparedness to minimise disruption and respond effectively in an emergency—or an event or situation causing serious threat or damage to human welfare, the environment, or security.

How to apply

Applications to join the London Food Resilience Partnership are now open and will close 11:59pm 23rd November. Successful applicants will be notified week commencing 1 December. Successful applicants are strongly encouraged to attend an online introductory session provisionally scheduled for Thursday, 10 December, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM.

Who we are looking for

The Partnership will recruit 20-25 members reflecting the diversity of actors across London’s food system. This includes community organisations, local food partnerships, supply chain organisations, academia and individuals with lived experience of food insecurity and barriers to access to food and support during emergencies.

To align with wider city resilience systems, the Partnership will connect directly with representatives of the London Resilience Unit, the London Communities Emergency Partnership and the Greater London Authority. All members, whether representing organisations, networks and public authorities are expected to champion a shared mission around food resilience, including food supply chain resilience and/or equitable food access for all Londoners.

Sustain welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, class, socio-economic background, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and/or belief. We particularly encourage applications from Black people and people of colour, and people with disabilities, to help reflect the diversity of London’s population and communities most affected by household food insecurity.

What participation will look like

Members will meet quarterly in person and will actively co-own and help deliver actions in a shared action plan. Members will help shape the Partnership's Terms of Reference and will participate in monitoring and evaluation of the Partnership’s influence, outputs and overall benefit to members’ work to enable continuous learning and improvement of the Partnership’s structure. Opportunities for members to promote and champion the priority actions identified by the Partnership will be explored.

Community and lived experience representatives not participating in a professional capacity will be able to access a bursary, including remuneration for their time based on the London Real Living Wage and travel costs.

Practical and access support is available to anyone who requires it. Meetings will take place in accessible venues and access needs will be planned for, including arrangements to attend virtually if access needs require it.

Membership criteria

Essential

• Professional, vested and/or personal interest in community food resilience and security
• Working knowledge of food system issues, whether production and supply chain infrastructure, distribution, food justice and access, public health and nutrition, or wider food strategy and governance. Optional if applying as a lived experience representative.
• Ability and willingness to participate in Partnership meetings and carry forward adopted actions.
• Commitment to promote the work of the London Food Resilience Partnership and encouraging uptake of action across other networks, where appropriate. Optional if applying as a lived experience representative.
• Commitment to collaborative working, acknowledging diverse perspectives and working styles.
• Commitment to inclusion, equity and diversity, including an awareness of power dynamics and resource inequality in partnership working.

Desirable

• Knowledge of climate-related risks and vulnerabilities affecting food systems, community safety and wellbeing.
• Knowledge of wider resilience and preparedness planning structures and protocols across London.
• Experience coordinating a crisis food response (for example during the Covid19 pandemic)
• Confidence or interest in public speaking roles (with possibility of securing training and support if needed)

Apply here

If you’d like a Word document with the questions ahead of applying, or if you’d like an accessible application form, please contact Trin Gong at trin.gong@sustainweb.org.