Well, we have been busy lately! So busy we’ve not had a chance to write a newsletter in a while, so this is a long one, but stick it out to the end! It’s worth it. Loads of great info, and dates for the diary. Please spread the love and pass it on!
Surplus Feast is coming – 2nd December 12 till 6!
Building on the success of our two previous feasts, we’re delighted to be holding our next surplus Feast as part of the Woolwich Winter Warmer. Expect reindeer displays, ice sculpting, puppet shows roving entertainers all accompanied by live music. And we’ll be there all day to raise awareness of how much food is wasted in the UK that is perfectly good to eat. Like last time, we’ll be cooking up a storm and giving away the food for free at certain times of the day. Of course, the wonderful FareShare will provide food, but we’re looking for volunteers to help chop and cook.
We’re looking for volunteers too, so please get in touch if you’d like to be involved! Email mel@gcda.org.uk
Want to set up a Food Growing Project?
Good Food in Greenwich and GCDA are delighted to offer a unique and exciting opportunity; advice and guidance on setting up a food growing project. Being outside in the beautiful outdoors (come rain or shine!) can contribute to feeling more positive, and also contribute towards your physical activity recommendations.
Green space and food growing spaces need to be created and protected so people can access these places. So, if you have, or know of a space that could be turned into a community food growing space, then get in touch to find out what support we can offer to help you do this.
What can we offer?
Visit to see the space you have
Discuss what resources you’ll need and how you might get them
Help you plan your planting
Help you find volunteers to work with you
Contact kevin@gcda.org.uk for more information or see here
All Greenwich Children’s Centres sign their pledge!
Once again our incredible Children’s Centres have been at the fore-front of innovative thinking when it comes to healthy and sustainable food. We are so delighted and proud to say that now all 5 clusters of children’s centres have signed a pledge to do something for Good Food in Greenwich. They have already been awarded an incredible accolade this year by UNICEF Baby Friendly; meaning that Greenwich is the first borough to be Baby Friendly accredited. Find out more about this incredible work
The Cookery Clubs are back – book a taster for your organisation!
Whenever I visit other boroughs and tell them about the work we do in Greenwich, they are always blown away. One of the things people find incredible is that Greenwich Council commissions the delivery of 60 FREE cookery clubs across the borough every year. In this climate of cut backs and austerity, maintaining these cookery clubs is a real testament to the importance Greenwich places on the health of it’s residents. Focusing on affordable, delicious meals, the 5 week clubs work with people to make small, gradual changes that can have a big impact on their health. This is a fantastic service, but don’t take our word for it! If you work for a not-for-profit organisation, you can book a taster for you and your staff to see how they’re run – email fay@gcda.org.uk for more, call 0800 4704831 to book a place and see here for more info
Greenwich Tops the Good Food for London Awards
We’re delighted to report that the royal Borough of Greenwich has topped the competitive Good Food for London Awards table for demonstrating leadership on healthy and sustainable food. The league table assesses a range of criteria including how breast-feeding or growing are supported, whether it pays the London Living wage, how the school meals are procured, and how it supports businesses to be healthier among others. We are so proud to be at the top of the table and it is a real mark of the hard work, dedication and commitment of the borough and partners to delivering on healthy, fairer, more sustainable food.
Since the launch of Sugar Smart Greenwich in January, the campaign has gone from strength to strength. We’ve had loads of organisations and schools sign up to make their work places more healthy by reducing or removing the sugary foods/drinks they sell, promoting healthier options, running workshops or assemblies, and many other ideas! One fantastic partnership is between Charlton Athletic Football club, the Community Trust and their caterers. Together they have made real, meaningful changes to help their fans lead healthier lives. Find out more about this incredible partnership here
New Good Food Businesses
We’re delighted to welcome some fab new businesses to the Good Food in Greenwich. Bridge Support and the Greenwich Recovery College have opened their own café in Woolwich – Stir. Stir is a social enterprise café, promoting wellbeing and recovery. An innovative venture, the café’s focus is on improving the mood of the whole the community, this includes their volunteers – who are using Stir to gain the necessary skills required for employment – as well as customers. Since signing up to Sugar Smart in January, they have continued with amazing work including serving a range of good mood food options and avoiding selling lots of cakes, pastries, and sweets, instead focusing on a range of more healthy options and a small number of treats. Read more here!
Join us at our next Food Business Network, 14th December 6pm – 8.30pm at Hop Stuff Brewery in Woolwich. We’ll be focusing on Market Research! Book here
Good Food in Greenwich Needs You! 7th December
Our next network meeting is fast approaching and we want you there! Good Food in Greenwich meets every quarter to network, share news and stories and help workshop ideas to support each other make Greenwich a better food borough. This quarter we’re being hosted by the wonderful National Maritime Museum in the Compass Rose Room from 10am – 12pm and we want your involvement. So, if you have an idea for a food project and want to find out how to make it a reality, we can help. Or if you just want to meet others and find out more about what’s going on come along; meet other fantastic foodie types and let us know what you’re doing, or what you’d like to do.
Email mel@gcda.org.uk for more information, venue information or to book a place
We’re delighted to welcome SOOP (Stories on our Plates) to Greenwich. SOOP are an innovative new social enterprise that uses food to challenge the marginalisation of refugees living in the UK through supper clubs and training. Read more here
More dates for your diary:
2nd December, 12pm – 2pm – Woolwich Winter Warmer, General Gordon Square. Email mel@gcda.org.uk if you can volunteer 7th December, 10am – 12pm – Good Food in Greenwich Network meeting – National Maritime Museum, Compass Rose Room. Email mel@gcda.org.uk for more 14th December, 6pm – 8.30pm – Food Business Network meeting, venue TBC – email mel@gcda.org.uk for more January 24th for 6 weeks – Business Start-up training – email Edina@gcda.org.uk for more Every Thursday GCDA deliver post-business support sessions for businesses who might need some help. To book a place email Edina@gcda.org.uk
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