1. sustain
the alliance for
better food and farming
Community
Food Projects:
a directory
A directory of projects on the
Food Poverty Projects Database
A PUBLICATION BY SUSTAIN: The alliance for better food and farming

2. Community Food Projects:
a directory of projects on the Food Poverty Projects Database
This directory lists over 260 community projects from the Food Poverty Projects Database.
The database is managed by Sustain’s Food Poverty Network,
in collaboration with the Health Development Agency.
Sustain's Food Poverty Working Party
Danilla Armstrong - Department of Health Jacqui Larder - East Lindsey Primary Care Group
Audrey Bronstein - Oxfam UK Poverty Programme Heidi Livingstone - Health Development Agency
Simon Bullock - Friends of the Earth Sarah-Jean Marie - Community Nutrition Group
June Copeman - Nutrition and Elderly Health Education Tim Marsh - UK Public Health Association
Unit Naomi Mason - Independent
Kath Dalmeny - The Food Commission Mike Nelson - Family Budget Unit
Liz Dowler - Department of Social Policy and Social Work, Aodhan O'Donnell - Health Action Zone, Northern
University of Warwick Ireland
Natasha Gowman - Independent Jillian Pitt - Food Standards Agency
Bill Gray - Scottish Community Diet Project Maggie Sanderson - Caroline Walker Trust
Robin Simpson - Independent
Michael Green - Independent
David Steed - Children's Society
Jayne Griffiths - Food Standards Agency Wales
Ruth Sutherland - Community Development and Health
Baljinder Heer - King's Fund
Network
Ann Hobbiss - Bradford Food Network
Aruna Thaker - Southwest London Community NHS Trust
Colette Jones - British Heart Foundation Health
Jacqui Webster - Food Standards Agency
Promotion Research Group
Sue Wilkinson - World Cancer Research Fund
Professor Tim Lang - Department of Health Management
and Food Policy, City University
Project Staff
Catharine Courtauld - Project Volunteer
Food Poverty Project Officers:
Annie Seeley, Lindy Sharpe, Courtney Van De Weyer, Victoria Williams
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to Gavin Dupee, Jeanette Longfield, Annie Seeley, Lindy Sharpe and Victoria Williams.
Cover illustration by Sarah Courtauld.
Designed by Gavin Dupee and Catharine Courtauld.
•II• Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming

3. Community Food Projects:
a directory
A directory of projects on the
Food Poverty Projects Database
Compiled by Catharine Courtauld
January 2003
sustain
the alliance for
better food and farming
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming •III•

4. •IV• Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming

5. Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1
Projects on the Food Poverty Projects Database
England
Bedfordshire, Bristol ........................................................................................ 5
Cheshire.......................................................................................................... 6
Co Durham, Cornwall ...................................................................................... 7
Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon............................................................................ 8
Dorset, East Sussex .......................................................................................... 9
Essex ............................................................................................................ 11
Greater London ............................................................................................ 12
Hampshire .................................................................................................... 18
Hertfordshire, Kent ...................................................................................... 20
Lancashire ................................................................................................. .. 21
Merseyside .................................................................................................. 23
North Yorkshire ............................................................................................ 24
Northamptonshire, Northumberland ............................................................ 25
Nottinghamshire .......................................................................................... 26
Oxfordshire .................................................................................................. 28
Somerset, South Yorkshire ............................................................................ 29
Staffordshire ................................................................................................ 31
Surrey, Tyne and Wear .................................................................................. 32
Warwickshire, West Midlands ........................................................................ 35
West Sussex, West Yorkshire .......................................................................... 37
Wiltshire ...................................................................................................... 39
Scotland
Aberdeenshire, Edinburgh ............................................................................ 40
Glasgow, Midlothian .................................................................................... 41
North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire............................................ 42
Wales
Anglesey, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend .............................................................. 43
Caerphilly .................................................................................................... 44
Cardiff .......................................................................................................... 45
Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion ........................................................................ 46
Conwy, Denbighshire .................................................................................... 47
Flintshire, Gwynedd ...................................................................................... 48
Merthyr Tydfil .............................................................................................. 49
Monmouthshire ............................................................................................ 50
Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire .................................................. 51
Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taff .......................................................................... 53
Swansea ...................................................................................................... 54
Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan .......................................................................... 57
Wrexham ...................................................................................................... 58
Republic of Ireland
Co. Meath, Co. Westmeath............................................................................ 60
Other useful contacts.................................................................................................. 61
Regional Development Agencies .............................................................................. 63
Strategic Health Authorities ...................................................................................... 64
Alphabetical index of projects .................................................................................. 67
Index of projects by activity .................................................................................... 70
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming •V•

6. •VI• Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming

7. Introduction
Welcome to Community Food Projects: a directory, the first printed directory of projects on the
Food Poverty Projects Database. The Database is maintained by the Food Poverty Network, part
of Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming, in collaboration with the Health
Development Agency. It contains a great variety of projects, all working at the local level to
improve access to healthy food for people on a low income.
The projects include food co-operatives, community cafés, school breakfast clubs, cooking clubs,
food growing projects and farmers’ markets. This directory will be useful for anyone with an
interest in local food initiatives, especially anyone running or trying to start a community food
project. We hope it will encourage you to contact people already working in the field. We cannot
over-emphasise the importance of networking and learning from other people's experience.
The directory gives an excellent overview of the huge range of projects currently running. We
hope you will find the examples here inspirational, as well as useful in giving you the
information you need. By reading the project summaries, you should get a feel for the amount of
energy and imagination that goes into these projects.
We have also included a list of Regional Development Agencies, Strategic Health Authorities and
the Primary Care Trusts within their remit, plus a list of other useful contacts.
What is the Food Poverty Projects Database?
The Food Poverty Projects Database was formerly called the Food and Low Income Database. It
was launched in 1996 to enable people working on local food projects to find out about each
other, make contact and pool experience in a way that had never been possible before. There are
currently more than 267 community food projects on the database, from across the UK and the
Republic of Ireland. Between them they carry out more than 700 activities, ranging from growing
and selling food to cooking and eating it.
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming •1•

8. What is the Food Poverty Network (FPN)?
The Food Poverty Network exists to support local food projects, and campaign on their behalf for
changes to government policy that would help to end food poverty. Food poverty can be briefly
described as the inability to obtain an adequate, nutritious diet. It comes as a surprise to many
people that even in the midst of the apparent wealth and abundance of our society, the effort to
eat well and feed the family is a daily struggle for millions of people. The problems they face
include insufficient funds, difficulty in reaching shops which sell appropriate, nutritious foods at
affordable prices, and lack of time, skills or information. Food poverty can affect many people at
some stage in their lives - for example adults and children living on benefits, lone parents, the
elderly, the disabled, and students. The Food Poverty Network, whose members include
members of local food groups, local authority workers, health workers, dietitians, nutritionists
and researchers, works to raise awareness of these issues and campaigns for policy changes that
would alleviate them.
Besides maintaining the database, the Network produces a quarterly members’ newsletter, Let Us
Eat Cake!, which is also sent free to all projects on the database. It has also produced a range of
publications (available to Network and Database members at a discount price), and organises
local seminars to bring together people working on food-related issues in different regions.
Using the database online
The database can be accessed online at www.foodpovertyprojects.org.uk. Using the database
online gives access to more information than is listed in this directory, including a list of any
materials a project produces, project opening times, how many users it has, when it started and
how it is funded, managed and evaluated. The information is also updated regularly, as new
projects are added.
There are two main ways of searching the database: by location or project type. Searching by
location allows you to find projects in a particular county, or in a particular type of location (eg
all projects in inner cities). Searching by project type can either list projects by activity (eg all
food-growing projects) or by type of user (eg all projects involving primary school children).
Under the advanced search option you can carry out a more detailed search, for example by
material type (eg all projects producing recipe books).
If you do not have access to the internet, and would like to see the latest entries on the database
or obtain fuller details on a particular project, Sustain runs a telephone enquiry service on 020
7837 1228.
•2• Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming

9. How To Use This Directory
We hope this directory will allow you to find out about initiatives in your region, so the projects
are listed by county. However, there are also two indices at the back showing the projects listed
alphabetically by name and by activity, so you can also find all the projects which include, for
example, a breakfast club.
Each entry contains contact details, a summary of the project’s aims and activities, and user
groups.
We decided not to include email contact addresses as, apart from the problems of junk email and
viruses increased by publishing email addresses, they often go out-of-date when contacts change
jobs. If you have access to the internet, you can see if the project you are trying to contact has an
email by searching the online directory.
We have included only projects which are running at the time of going to press (February 2003).
However, funding in this area is scarce and there is a high turnover of projects: you may
therefore find that unfortunately some projects are no longer active. Please be aware, too, that
this directory provides an overview of the different types of work going on, but is by no means a
comprehensive list of all the projects currently active in the UK.
One of the most effective ways to learn about different types of work is through direct contact.
Please do not hesitate to get in contact with any of the projects listed, to have a discussion or
arrange to visit.
We hope you find the directory useful. Whatever your experience of using it, we’d like to hear
from you. Any comments - positive or negative - will help us to improve future editions.
The Food Poverty Team
Sustain: The Alliance For Better Food and Farming
94 White Lion Street
London N1 9PF
Tel: 020 7837 1228
Fax: 020 7837 1141
Website: www.sustainweb.org
Email: foodpoverty@sustainweb.org
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming •3•

10. •4• Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming

11. Bedfordshire and Bristol
England
BEDFORDSHIRE
Hartcliffe Health and Environment
Asian Cookery Club Project Action Group
Contact Stephanie Cash Contact Wendy Harris
Nutrition and Dietetic Service The Gatehouse Centre
c/o Luton & Dunstable Hospital Hareclive Road
Main Stores Bristol BS13 9JN
Lewsey Tel 0117 946 5285
Luton LU4 0DZ Fax 0117 935 9863
Tel 01582 497 162
Fax 01582 497 361 This food co-op sells wholefoods, environmental
products, and organic fruit and vegetables. The
This is a cook and eat' project specifically aimed project also includes a nutrition and cooking
at South Asian women. It focuses on adapting project, a community food-growing project and a
traditional recipes to reduce fat and salt intake. market garden.
Activities Training Activities Growing food
Nutrition/health education Information/advice/support
Cookery class User Groups All Groups
User Groups Black and minority ethnic groups
BRISTOL
Federation of City Farms and
Community Gardens Oasis Cafe
Contact Jeremy Iles Contact Pat Biggs
The Green House Southville Centre
Hereford Street Beauley Road
Bedminster Bristol BS3 1QG
Bristol BS3 4NA Tel 0117 923 1039
Tel 0117 923 1800 Fax 0117 907 7198
Fax 0117 923 1900
Website www.farmgarden.org.uk A community cafe serving the general local
community and users of the Southville Centre -
A community gardening and city farming not specifically aimed at people on a low income.
federation which supports existing community
gardens or farms and advises people who are Activities Community café
considering starting one. The federation User Groups All groups
encourages food-growing and education projects
to improve health and the environment. A project
for growing food in schools was recently started.
Activities Growing food
Information/advice/support
Transport/Delivery
User Groups Low-income groups
Homeless
Single parents
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming •5•

12. Bristol and Cheshire
The Rock Community Centre Community Food Workers (Cheshire)
Contact Sue Hale Contact Lynzie Porteous
St Peters Hall Highfield Hospital
Ridingleaze Highfield Road
Lawrence Weston Widnes WA8 7DJ
Bristol BS11 0QF Tel 0151 495 2951
Tel 0117 938 4636 Fax 0151 495 2951
Fax 0117 938 4636
This project employs local residents trained as
This project provides a community facility for the community food workers, who work with local
people of Lawrence Weston. Activities are aimed people to overcome barriers to healthy eating
at older and disabled people, and include a lunch through cook and taste sessions and food co-ops.
club, a gardening club and a disabled youth club. Other activities will be developed depending on
local needs.
Activities Luncheon club
User Groups Disabled Activities Cookery class
Older people Food co-op
User Groups All groups
CHESHIRE
Community Food and Health Programme Hattersley Market Garden
Contact Deborah Williams Contact Niamh Carey
Centre for Health Promotion 4th Floor Cheethams Mill
188 Buxton Road Park Street
Stockport SK2 7AE Stalybridge SK15 2BT
Tel 0161 456 3101 Tel 0161 303 1336
Fax 0161 419 9499 Fax 0161 303 0985
This project aims to improve the health of the This is an organic food and plant growing project
residents of Stockport through diet. The project’s on a housing estate. It sells vegetables and herbs
activities include health promotion in schools, to the community and provides local
community cafes, and support for producers, employment under the New Deal for
markets and small and medium sized enterprises Communities scheme.
to aid the local economy in areas of deprivation.
The project also hopes to introduce a community Activities Training
purchasing group. Based in the Primary Care Tool library
Trust, the project works with health advisers, Food growing
nutritionists and dietitians. User Groups All groups
Activities Community café
Information/advice/support
Nutrition/health education
User Groups Low-income groups
Practitioners/professionals
•6• Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming

13. Co Durham and Cornwall
CO DURHAM
Hands on Health Courses Skerne Park Community Cafe
Contact Mo Dobbie Contact Dave Appleby
Park House 1 Hammond Drive
Station Road Skerne Park
Lanchester DH7 0EX Darlington DL1 5TT
Tel 01207 529 621 Tel 01325 464632
Fax 01207 529 619 Fax 01325 464632
This project plans to run cookery classes in all This community café offers cheap meals and
areas of County Durham. snacks, provides a social meeting place and offers
a catering service on a disadvantaged estate. A
Activities Cookery class training budget is available for volunteers and
User Groups Children staff.
Low-income groups
Learning disabilities Activities Community café
Older people Breakfast club
Food provision
User Groups All groups
CORNWALL
Rossy Diner Trevithick School Breakfast Bar
Contact Diane Fraser Contact Stephanie Thomas
Rossmere Centre Trevithick CP School
Rossmere Way Mount Pleasant Road
Hartlepool TS25 5EB Cambourne TR14 7RH
Tel 01429 273 741 Tel 01209 713460
Fax 01429 405 989 Fax 01209 710028
This is a lunch time facility providing healthy This is a breakfast bar providing food during the
food for children from nearby schools in a youth school term, for children and parents.
centre during term time. Set up because during
the school day children were mainly eating foods Activities Breakfast club
high in fat, sugar and salt, such as chips, pastries User Groups Secondary school children
& sweets.
Activities Community café
Luncheon club
User Groups Secondary school children
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming •7•

14. Cumbria, Derbyshire and Devon
CUMBRIA
Age Concern Get Cooking! Unstone Grange Organic Gardens
Contact Amanda Davis Contact Darrell Maryon
20 Spencer Street c/o Unstone Grange
Carlisle CA1 1BG Crow Lane
Tel 01228 536 673 Unstone S18 5AL
Fax 01228 597 039 Tel 01246 412 344
Website www.unstonegrange.co.uk
A cookery club for older people who have either
limited skills or have lost the motivation to cook This project involves volunteers working together
for themselves. two days week on the restoration and use of a
kitchen garden and orchard. The weekly sessions
Activities Transport/delivery involve learning sustainable and organic
Nutrition/health education techniques. Herbs and seed are also produced
Cookery class for a local seed bank.
User Groups Older people
Activities Growing food
Food provision
User Groups All groups
DERBYSHIRE DEVON
The Jericho Project Exeter Community Umbrella Ltd
Contact Rev. Christine Rowberry Contact Trevor Gardner
The Geoffrey Allen Centre 3 Palace Gate
Winster Mews Exeter EX1 1JA
Gamesley Tel 01392 205 800
Glossop SK13 OLU Fax 01392 205 802
Tel 01457 868740
This is a food voucher scheme to help homeless
This project runs a community cafe that people eat nutritious food by providing them
promotes healthy eating, and a food co-operative with vouchers which can be exchanged for food
supplying fruit and vegetables. The project also at local retailers, including a take-away, a
provides supported employment, and sandwich bar and a day centre for homeless
opportunities for training and community service people. This is part of a national scheme run by
in conjunction with the local council. the Church National Housing Coalition (CNHC).
Activities Community café Activities Price discounts/vouchers
Food partnership User Groups Homeless people
Food co-op
User Groups All groups
Learning disabilities
Older people
Single parents
•8• Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming

15. Devon, Dorset and East Sussex
DORSET
St Petrock's (Exeter) Ltd ACHIEVE Boscombe - Lunch Club
Contact M Gent Contact Mary Ann Roberts
St Petrocks Centre IHCS Bournemouth University
10 Cathedral Yard Bournemouth House,
Exeter EX1 1HJ Christchurch Road
Tel 01392 422 396 Bournemouth BH1 3LG
Fax 01392 439 758 Tel 01202 504 336
A resource, activity, training and resettlement This project provides weekly, cheap, two course
project for homeless people in Exeter. The healthy lunches for families in temporary
project also provides food, medical help, support accommodation - children's meals are free.
and luncheon vouchers. Service users can also learn basic food
preparation, food hygiene and team skills as well
Activities Food provision as enjoying eating together as a family.
Information/advice/support
Nutrition/health education Activities Food provision
User Groups Low-income groups Nutrition/health education
Homeless people User Groups Children
Women and children
Homeless people
Single parents
EAST SUSSEX
St Sidwells Centre Brighton Agroforestry Trials
Contact Tony Badcock Contact Pippa James
St Sidwells Centre Flat 2
Sidwell Street 13 Windlernam Gardens
Exeter EX4 6NN Brighton BN1 3AJ
Tel 01392 491 300 Tel 01273 208 816
Fax 01392 498 174
Website www.stsidwells.org.uk This is a sustainable food production project,
growing food-producing trees alongside annual
This Healthy Living Centre includes a community vegetables using organic and permaculture
cafe and training kitchen. The centre, which design.
opened in January 2001, also provides healthy
eating and cooking classes. The project focuses on Activities Growing food
families, young people and older people in the Food provision
local community. Transport/delivery
User Groups All groups
Activities Community café
LETS
User Groups Children
Women and children
Older people
Single parents
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming •9•

16. East Sussex
Care Co-ops Community Farm Emmaus Brighton and Hove
Contact Michael Hamilton Contact Dominic Dring
Stanmer Offices Emmaus, Drove Road
Stanmer Park Portslade
Lewes Road Brighton BN41 2PA
Brighton BN1 9SE Tel 01273 412 093
Tel 01273 696 153 Fax 01273 415 018
Fax 01273 571 151 www.emmaus.org.uk/brighton.htm
The farm is used by people in the local This is a self-supporting community for people
neighbourhood and people referred from social who have been homeless and unemployed. As
services who have mental health problems and well as providing food, it recycles furniture,
learning difficulties. The main activity is organic appliances, etc. The project is planning to
food production, using a 'beneficial horticulture' develop medium-scale horticultural activities.
supportive approach.
Activities Community café
Activities Growing food Growing food
Nutrition/health education Community shop
User Groups Black and minority ethnic groups User Groups All groups
Women and children Homeless people
Learning disabilities
Unemployed
Mental health users
Homeless people
Centre Café Fresh Ideas Project
Contact Caroline Ridley Contact Sarah Davies
Tim Jones House Food and Health Partnership
Rochester Gardens Sussex Downs and Weald PCT
Hove BN3 3AW 36-38 Friars Walk
Tel 01273 205 214 Lewes BN7 2PB
Fax 01273 205 371 Tel 01273 403 635
This is a café for people over retirement age. The This project aims to develop strategic and local
project also organises talks and activities. food partnerships and provides support for local
food projects, including cooking groups, lunch
Activities Community café clubs, pre-school intervention and healthy eating,
User Groups Older people kid's cafe, etc. It particularly targets low income
groups.
Activities Training
Community café
User Groups Disadvantaged people
Low-income groups
•10• Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming

17. East Sussex and Essex
ESSEX
Becontree Organic Growers Association
St John Ambulance Homeless Service (BOG)
Contact Charity Bevan
Community Base Contact Barry Ian Watson
130 Queens Road Three Trees
Brighton BN1 3XG 44 Gale Street
Tel 01273 234 761 Dagenham RM9 4NH
Fax 01273 234 851 Tel 020 8592 8941
Website www.communitybase.org/stjohn Mobile 07931 270119
Website www.sbbc.co.uk/resources/new_is/
The project aims to address inequalities in access PP94.htm
to primary health care services. It provides health
education and promotion for homeless people This community garden has reclaimed a derelict,
and professionals working with them. Training in three-acre site. Workshops in techniques and
nutrition education is a key component of this permaculture methods are given in exchange for
project. There are also mobile primary health effort and work. The courses involve all members
care units with health professionals, including a of the community. The project is also a regional
dietitian. centre for Plant for a Future.
Activities Training Activities Training
Nutrition/health education Composting
User Groups Practitioners/professionals User Groups All groups
Homeless people Refugees
Students
Ex-offenders
Whitehawk Community Food Project Bluebell Resource Centre (Stay & Play)
Contact Simon Powell Contact Julie Baker
c/o 19 St Martins Place St John's at Highwoods
Brighton BN2 3LE Community Centre
Tel 01273 626 660 Highwood Square
Highwoods
The project seeks to increase awareness and Colchester CO4 9SR
participation of local people in organic food Tel 01206 853 111
growing. It encourages active 'hands-on'
involvement, coupled with informal teaching. The Stay & Play project offers basic cookery
The key target audiences are families, children, lessons, which are aimed at parents and children,
young people, unemployed and people on a low with a particular focus on low income.
income.
Activities Nutrition/health education
Activities Training Cookery class
Tool library User Groups Children
User Groups All groups Black and minority ethnic groups
Children Women and children
Families Practitioners/professionals
Low-income groups Single parents
Unemployed
Single parents
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming •11•

18. Essex and Greater London
St Anne's Fresh Food Fayre Cable Street Community Gardens
Contact Fay Mathers Contact J Sill
Colchester Borough Council 101 Matilda House
PO Box 331 St Katherine's Way
Town Hall E1 1LF
Colchester CO1 1GL Tel 020 7480 5456
Tel 01206 282968 Fax 020 7480 5456
Fax 01206 282916
This is a community garden where plot-holders
The project provides catering and information to grow a wide variety of vegetables, soft fruit and
statutory and voluntary groups, and is involved herbs for personal use and for friends, neighbours
with selling fruit and vegetables on a local estate. and family.
It is currently mobile but is hoping to acquire
permanent premises. Activities Composting
Growing food
Activities Community café User Groups All groups
Food provision Black and minority ethnic groups
Information/advice/support Women and children
User Groups Children Practitioners/professionals
Black and minority ethnic groups Older people
Women and children Secondary school children
Learning disabilities Single parents
Practitioners/professionals
Ex-offenders
HIV/Aids
Older people
Single parents
GREATER LONDON
Community Nutrition Project: White
Breakfast Clubs in London City Healthy Living Centre
Contact Lynne Tucher Contact Diana Hawdon
London Borough of Hammersmith Shepherds Bush Healthy Living
& Fulham Centre
Town Hall White City Health Centre
King Street Australia Road
W6 9JU W12 7PH
Tel 020 8753 3604 Tel 020 8846 6441
Fax 020 8753 3713 Fax 020 8846 6881
This scheme provides breakfast clubs in primary This nutrition project takes a community
and secondary schools and schools for children development approach to encourage and enable
with learning disabilities. local residents - including all age ranges and
ethnic backgrounds, in particular groups who are
Activities Breakfast club traditionally hard to reach - to improve their skills
LETS for healthy eating. Possible initiatives may include
Food provision a cook and taste group, discussion group,
User Groups Primary school children displays, food co-ops and food provision.
Children
Learning disabilities Activities Community café
Secondary school children Breakfast club
Growing food
•12• Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming

19. Greater London
Conservation and Urban Ecology Cultivating the Future
Contact Wanjiku Kamau Contact Caroline Fernandez
Queen's Lodge Women's Environmental Network
Queen's Wood PO Box 30326
42 Muswell Hill Road E1 1TZ
N10 3JP Tel 020 7481 9004
Tel 020 8444 2604 Fax 020 7481 9144
Fax 020 8444 2604 Website www.wen.org.uk
This project involves renovation of a disused This project aims to encourage and develop food
keeper’s lodge into an environmental and growing projects among ethnic minority women
sustainable energy centre. There is an organic and school children.
wholefood cafe where the aim is to grow much
of the food. The project also aims to take an Activities Growing food
educational approach to food growing. Information/advice/support
User Groups Children
Activities Community café Black and minority ethnic groups
Composting Women and children
Growing food
User Groups Children
Black and minority ethnic groups
Women and children
Practitioners/professionals
Older people
Single parents
Crisis Fareshare The Food Chain
Contact Peter Clements Contact Nicholas Fant
Unit 1A 25 Bertram Street
175 Long Lane N19 5DQ
SE1 4PN (only valid until April 03) Tel 020 7272 7272
Tel 020 7403 8588 Fax 020 7272 2273
Fax 020 7403 8656 Website www.foodchain.org.uk
Website www.crisis.org.uk
The Food Chain provides nutritional services to
A national charity for single homeless people, people who are living with HIV & Aids as well as
giving them access to a healthier diet by partners, carers and dependants. Services include
distributing surplus, high quality, fresh food from Sunday meals, weekly grocery boxes and
shops and restaurants to day centres and hostels. emergency hampers.
One project is based in London and there are
seven nationwide. Activities Food provision
User Groups HIV/Aids
Activities Food provision
Transport/delivery
User Groups Homeless people
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming •13•

20. Greater London
Foodlink Grazebrook Pupils' Treescape
Contact Victoria Taylor Contact Pat Gannon
Croydon Health Promotion 9 Allerton Road
12-18 Lennard Road N16 5UJ
Croydon Tel 020 8802 4002
CR9 2RS
Tel 020 8680 2008 Ext 201 A project involving a "green gang" comprising
Fax 020 8666 0495 primary school pupils, parents and local residents
which explores many different methods for food
The project aims to increase access to fruit and growing, including community vegetable
vegetables in the Shrublands area by promoting production.
growing activities and redistribution mechanisms.
Activities Farmers market
Activities Community café Composting
Growing food Growing food
Transport/delivery User Groups Primary school children
User Groups Children Families
Black and minority ethnic groups Secondary school children
Low-income groups
Women and children
Single parents
Garrett Centre Community Lunch Green Ventures
Contact Julie Harris Contact Margaret Jailler
117 Mansford Street 41 Grosvenor Park
Bethnal Green Camberwell
E2 6LX SE5 0NH
Tel 020 7729 1231 Tel 020 7703 1260
Fax 020 7729 1231 Website www.safetycat.org/green
This project provides weekly community lunches A box scheme providing organic fruit and veg,
to improve access to healthy, cheap food for bread and eggs. The project’s main activity is a
socially excluded people. It aims to consolidate home delivery service in Southwark and Lambeth,
and improve the lunch provision. supplying low income groups in the local
community, including those with special dietary
Activities Luncheon club requirements and the housebound.
User Groups Disadvantaged people
Activities Growing food
Food provision
Transport/delivery
User Groups Low-income groups
Women and children
•14• Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming

21. Greater London
Hackney City Farm Leaves of Life Health Promotion Project
Contact Dee Miller Contact Sherry Nicholls
1A Goldsmiths Row 28 Sandford Avenue
Hackney Wood Green
E2 8QA N22 5EH
Tel 020 7729 6381 Tel 020 8881 8865
Fax 020 7729 6381 Fax 020 8881 8865
Website www.hackneycityfarm.co.uk Website www.leavesoflife.org
This is a city farm garden which grows This project organises health seminars, and runs
vegetables, herbs and flowers using a varied monthly vegetarian and vegan cooking
approach within the Hackney community and demonstrations to promote health and natural
Tower Hamlets. It also has animals: sheep, pigs, living. This project also works with community
calves, ducks, geese, turkeys, rabbits, guinea pigs groups in the centre of London.
and chinchillas. Admission is free.
Activities Information/advice/support
Activities Community café Nutrition/health education
Composting Cookery class
User Groups All groups User Groups Black and minority ethnic groups
Learning disabilities
Practitioners/professionals
Older people
Healing Gardens NCH (National Children's Homes)
Contact Barry Watson Contact Caroline Abrahams
Groundwork Thames Valley 85 Highbury Park
Colne Valley Park Centre N5 1UD
Denham Tel 020 704 7000
Uxbridge Fax 020 7226 2537
UB9 5PG Website www.nch.org.uk
Tel 01895 832 662
Fax 01895 833 552 Advice and support work on budgeting and
Website www.groundwork.org.uk health matters in 450 local level projects, most of
which are in family centres or community centres.
This project aims to improve the everyday life of
the chronically or terminally ill by making Activities Information/advice/support
maximum use of the healing and spiritual User Groups Children
qualities of gardens. Volunteers and beneficiaries
work together.
Activities Growing food
User Groups Chronically and terminally ill
Disabled
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming •15•

22. Greater London
New Horizon Youth Centre Oasis Children's Nature Garden
Contact Pauline Roberts Contact Joanne Brown
68 Chalton Street 1 Aston House
NW1 1JR Wandsworth Road
Tel 020 7388 5570 Springfield Estate
Fax 020 7338 5848 SW8 4ER
Website www.newhorizonyouthcentre.org.uk Tel 020 7498 2329
Fax 020 7720 4276
This is a drop-in centre providing food and advice
for homeless people. A nature garden for children, with organic
vegetable and herbs plot.
Activities Food provision
Nutrition/health education Activities Composting
User Groups Young people Growing food
Homeless people User Groups Secondary school children
Newham City Farm Roots and Shoots
Contact Theresa Salmon Contact Linda Phillips
Newham City Farm Vauxhall Centre
King George Avenue Walnut Tree Walk
E16 3HR SE11 6DN
Tel 020 7476 1170 Tel 020 7587 1131
Fax 020 7474 4960 Fax 020 7735 0602
This project works mainly with families with Training for young people (aged 16-25) with
young children (under 10), school groups and learning disabilities, using horticulture/woodwork
adults with learning difficulties. The main as practical, transferable skills.
activities are breeding and rearing livestock,
growing vegetables and herbs and eggs, honey Activities Training
production and manure. Growing food
User Groups Black and minority ethnic groups
Activities Composting Young people
Growing food Learning disabilities
User Groups Children Disabled
Women and children
Learning disabilities
Secondary school children
Single parents
•16• Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming

23. Greater London
Simon Community Emergency Thrive, promoting therapeutic
Nightshelter horticulture (formerly Horticultural
Therapy)
Contact Jonathan Burleigh
PO Box 1187 Contact Nicola Reynolds
NW5 4HW St Mary's Garden
Tel 020 7485 6639 PO Box 13719
Fax 020 7482 6305 E2 8TB
Tel 020 7739 2965
An emergency night shelter in a homeless Fax 020 7739 2965
community providing a warm meal for guests Website www.thrive.org.uk
and workers. The project also organises tea, soup
and sandwich runs and a street cafe. This is a garden project used for training and
employment, rehabilitation, therapy and health
Activities Community café for local people, disabled people and volunteers.
Food provision It grows fruit, vegetables and herbs using both
User Groups Homeless people organic and conventional methods.
Activities After school club
Growing food
User Groups Learning disabilities
Practitioners/professionals
Disabled
Mental health users
Older people
Small Change (East London) Tower Hamlets Food Co-ops
Contact Jowanna Lewis Contact Ros Thompson
Global Action Plan Environmental Health,
8 Fulwood Place Environmental Protection
WC1V 6HG Southern Grove
Tel 020 7405 5633 Poplar
Fax 020 7831 6244 Tower Hamlets
E3 4PN
This project works with primary schools to Tel 020 7364 6715
develop community awareness of and Fax 020 7364 6779
involvement in environmental issues including
healthy eating. A pilot project works in four Two fresh fruit and vegetable co-ops providing
schools in east London, with fruit tuck shops, weekly orders to black and minority ethnic
resources for teachers and parents, plus cookery groups, the elderly, women and children, and
skills. single parents. It is currently working on a food
access project in a New Deal for Communities
Activities Tuck shop area.
Nutrition/health education
User Groups Parents Activities Nutrition/health education
Primary school children Food co-op
User Groups Black and minority ethnic groups
Low-income groups
Women and children
Older people
Single parents
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming •17•

24. Greater London and Hampshire
Vauxhall City Farm Horticulture Project Hollybush Family Centre
Contact Amanda Rew Contact Mo Burns
24 St Oswalds Place Hollybush Family Centre
SE11 5JE Hollybush Walk
Tel 020 7582 4204 Hinton HR2 6AF
Tel 01432 269 437
This is a food-growing project , producing fruit,
vegetables, herbs and flowers for users of the Based in a family centre with a teaching kitchen
group to cook and eat on site or take home with and community café, this project provides classes,
them. The project targets refugees and asylum health education and information, advice and
seekers. support. The aim is to improve the general health
of families, and to help single parents with
Activities Growing food parenting problems related to poverty and low
Nutrition/health education income.
User Groups Refugees
Black and minority ethnic groups Activities Community café
Growing food
Information/advice/support
User Groups Families
Women and children
Single parents
HAMPSHIRE
Breaking the Cycle Northern Point
Contact Jennifer Davies Contact Ian Gilain
Health Promotion Service 2 Spur Road
Oatlands House Cosham
Winchester Road Portsmouth PO6 3DY
Southampton SO15 5NB Tel 023 9220 0413
Tel 023 8051 5202
Fax 023 8070 1489 A social club for people living in the Portsmouth
area who suffer from severe or enduring mental
This project was set up after research among local health problem (aged 16-64yrs).
young South Asian women showed high rates of
anaemia and low- birthweight babies. Locally Activities Food provision
trained community food assistants raise User Groups Mental health users
awareness of nutrition issues and increase
people's knowledge and healthy cooking/eating
skills through practical sessions, eg, shopping
tours, cook and taste sessions, cookery clubs.
Activities Training
Growing food
Information/advice/support
User Groups Black and minority ethnic groups
•18• Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming

25. Hampshire
Central Point Roberts Centre
Contact Simon Summerill Contact Carole Damper
22-24 Kingston Road 84 Crasswell Street
Portsmouth PO1 5RZ Landport
Tel 023 9229 8791 Portsmouth PO1 1HT
Fax 023 9229 8924 Tel 023 9229 6919
Website: www.rethink.org Fax 023 9234 6088
Website www.phagroup.org.uk/
This project runs a healthy living day centre for ECRobertsCentre.htm
homeless single people aged 18-65 yrs. The
centre provides accommodation and benefit This is a day centre, which provides food for
advice, a healthcare surgery and subsidised families in crisis. It also runs literacy courses,
lunches, as well as training in budgeting, cooking where a meal is also provided, and holds weekly
and independent living skills. cookery classes.
Activities Food provision Activities Food provision
Transport/delivery Transport/delivery
Nutrition/health education Nutrition/health education
User Groups Drug/alcohol abusers User Groups Women and children
Learning disabilities Learning disabilities
Mental health users Homeless people
Homeless people Ex-offenders
Ex-offenders Secondary school children
HIV/Aids
St George's Beneficial Breakfast &
Crisis Fareshare Southampton Homework Clubs
Contact Barry Gibbons Contact Jane Love
158 Windermere Avenue St Georges Beneficial C of E
Millbrook Primary School
Southampton SO16 9GA Hanover Street
Tel 023 8051 1146 Portsea
Portsmouth PO1 3BN
This project redistributes surplus fresh foods Tel 023 9282 2886
(from retailers and supermarkets) to homeless Fax 023 9282 0179
projects. It also delivers to low-income groups. It
works work with a team of volunteers, roughly A school club providing before and after school
half of whom have been homeless themselves. care, for 12 children in the morning and 24
children after school hours. The children are
Activities Transport/delivery supplied with breakfast and an afternoon meal
User Groups Low-income groups and are encouraged to take part in preparing the
Homeless people meals.
Activities After school club
Breakfast club
Cookery class
User Groups Primary school children
Low-income groups
Single parents
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming •19•

26. Hampshire, Hertfordshire and Kent
HERTFORDSHIRE
St Simon's Church Meals Provision
Programme North London Organic Gardeners
Contact Louise Mant Contact Sue Campbell
95 Devonshire Avenue 48 Wellington Road
Southsea Enfield EN1 2PG
Portsmouth PO4 9ED Tel 020 8363 3643
Tel 023 9236 0109
A local group of Henry Doubleday Research
This project provides meals at minimal cost three Association (HDRA) members and others who
days a week (two lunches and one evening meal) meet to promote home growing of organic food,
to low income groups and the homeless. particularly in schools, for shows and for other
clubs.
Activities Food provision
Information/advice/support Activities Composting
User Groups Drug/alcohol abusers Growing food
Homeless people User Groups All groups
Ex-offenders
Single parents
KENT
The Co-operative Bunch Fruit and
Vegetable Co-op South Ashford Community Food Project
Contact Gulzar Sharif Contact Jilla Burgess-Allen
Southampton Environment Centre Ray Allen Centre
14-15 Brunswick Place Stanhope Road
Southampton SO15 2AQ Ashford TN23 5RN
Tel 023 8033 6172 Tel 01304 828 707
This project is the umbrella organisation for two The project runs 'Healthy Eating on a Budget'
fresh fruit and vegetable co-ops which run in courses. Participants prepare & eat a meal
inner city Southampton. They sell seasonal fruit together each week and discuss cheap, healthy
and vegetables at a reduced cost to members. food. The centre has a garden project (growing
The project is open to all those living and sensory plants, fruit, veg & herbs) and is hoping
working in the areas where the co-ops operate, to open a community café this summer.
and the surrounding areas. It aims to improve
access to fruit and veg, geographically and Activities Community café
economically, for those living in deprived areas. Growing food
Food Provision
Activities Transport/delivery User Groups All groups
Nutrition/health education Children
Price discounts/vouchers Women and children
User Groups All groups
•20• Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming

27. Lancashire
LANCASHIRE
Bolton Community Nutrition Bolton's Food Co-ops
Contact Steffie El Hassan or Julie Holt Contact Steffie El Hassan
Lever Chambers for Health Lever Chambers Centre for Health
Ashburner Street Ashburner Street
Bolton BL1 1SQ Bolton BL1 1SQ
Tel 01204 360 094/5 Tel 01204 360 094/5
Fax 01204 360 098 Fax 01204 360 098
Website www.bolton.nhs.uk/Dietetics/
menupage.htm This is a network of volunteer-run co-ops
providing weekly fruit and vegetables and
This service uses trained community nutrition wholefoods. It is aimed at the elderly, low-
assistants to work on local food and health issues. income individuals and families.
Activities Information/advice/support Activities Food co-op
Nutrition/health education User Groups Families
User Groups All groups Older people
Practitioners/professionals
Homeless people
Bolton Gathering of Organic Growers Bolton's Growing its own Food
Contact Jenny Hall Contact Jenny Hall
Bolton Wildlife Project Lancashire Wildlife Trust
Blackburn Road 125 Blackburn Road
Bolton BL1 Bolton BL1 8HF
Tel 01204 397 800 Tel 01204 361 847
Fax 01204 397 800
The project consists of a network of organic
growers' groups, including Farnworth and We provide suppport to community groups
Kearsley, Halliwell, Westhoughton, Women’s growing their own organic food in "community
Group Nai Zindagi, Great Lever, Oldhams Estate, allotments". People work the land together and
Heaton, Johnson's Fold and Breightmet. share the produce. Anyone is welcome, and
some projects target particular groups such as the
Activities Composting socially excluded, children and ethnic minorities.
Growing food There are currently 11 projects in Bolton, one in
User Groups Low-income groups Salford and two in Wigan.
Activities Growing food
Food Co-op
User Groups Children
Black and minority ethnic groups
Women and children
Learning disabilities
Older people
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming •21•

28. Lancashire
MegaBite South and West Lancashire Food Bank
Contact Tara Guha Contact Linsey Pavsic
Churches' National Housing 49 Westgate
Coalition Sandy Lane Centre
Central Buildings, Oldham St Skelmersdale WN8 8LP
Manchester M1 1JT Tel 01695 555717
Tel 0161 236 9321 Fax 01695 558073
Fax 0161 237 5359
This is a food bank which tries to prevent waste
This project co-ordinates food voucher schemes in the food industry by distributing surplus to
for homeless people in the UK. Food outlets people in need through voluntary organisations.
where vouchers can be exchanged include day It is an environmentally friendly, free method of
centres, where client groups can also access disposal of surplus products.
support services.
Activities Food provision
Activities Price discounts/vouchers Transport/delivery
User Groups Homeless people Food bank
User Groups All groups
Disadvantaged people
Low-income groups
Werneth and Freehold Organic Herb
Offshoots and Vegetable Project
Contact Richard Jones Contact Matt Favier
65 Berry Street Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale
Burnley BB11 2LF The Environment Centre
Tel 01282 430 433 Shaw Road
Fax 01282 430 432 Higginshaw
Website www.communigate.co.uk/lancs/ Oldham OL1 4AW
offshootsgardenburnley Tel 0161 624 1444
This is a community garden designed on This is an organic herb and vegetable project
permaculture principles, producing organic food providing practical advice on organic gardening,
in polytunnels and greenhouses. It also has a and on how to grow and use herbs and
community compost site and alternative energy vegetables. The target audience is Asian women
systems. The project is linked to a community and community groups in the Oldham area.
resource centre and aims to develop a
community cafe. Activities Tool library
Growing food
Activities Community café Food provision
Growing food User Groups Black and minority ethnic groups
Food provision Women and children
User Groups All groups Single parents
Mental health users
•22• Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming

29. Lancashire and Merseyside
MERSEYSIDE
Westhoughton Food Co-op Food Works - Abercromby
Contact Alan Brown Contact Shirley Judd
5 Snydle Close Abercromby Health Centre
Westhoughton Grove Street
Bolton BL5 3EP Liverpool L7 7HG
Tel 01942 841 356 Tel 0151 708 9370
Fax 0151 709 6725
This project provides affordable wholefoods to
disadvantaged groups and holds cooking Community food workers work with local groups
demonstrations. It encourages people to grow to promote better nutrition, increasing cooking
their own food by providing support and skills & knowledge of healthy eating. The project
training. targets the general community, plus single
parents and hard to reach groups, eg, asylum
Activities Growing food seekers and the homeless.
Food co-op
User Groups All groups Activities After school club
Nutrition/health education
Cookery class
User Groups Refugees
Women and children
Homeless people
Single parents
Local Food Links (with Netherton
World of Food Project Feelgood Factory)
Contact Steffie El Hassan Contact Pamela Mitchell
Lever Chambers Centre for Health Netherton Feelgood Factory
Ashburner Street 32 Marian Square
Bolton BL1 1SQ Netherton
Tel 01204 360 094/5 Liverpool L30 5QA
Fax 01204 360 098 Tel 0151 330 5811
Fax 0151 330 5820
Multi-cultural cooking festivals and workshops.
This project promotes healthy eating and
Activities Cookery class encourages development of community-led food
User Groups All groups initiatives, including food growing, a community
Black and minority ethnic groups cafe, cookery classes, mother and baby weaning
activities and heart disease prevention.
Activities Community café
Growing food
Nutrition/health education
User Groups Mothers and babies
Parents
Young people
Women and children
Older people
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming •23•

30. Merseyside and North Yorkshire
Tots' Plots Healthy Tuck Shop, Cleveland
Contact Jeff Hughes Contact Wendy Martindale
Centre for Sustainable Living Dental Dept
c/o Manor Trust Building Guisborough General Hospital
79 Gorsey Lane Northgate
Wallasey CH44 4HF Guisborough TS14 6HZ
Tel 0151 639 2121 Tel 01287 284 000
Fax 0151 639 0090 Fax 01287 610 508
Website www.cesul.org.uk
This project organises healthy tuckshops in local
This project aims to promote healthier eating and primary schools, to increase knowledge of
increase vegetable consumption among children healthy eating. It comes under the umbrella of
in Wirral. It involves mini allotment schemes for the Lifestyle Health Link project.
children under five, in nursery schools, play
groups and primary schools. Activities Tuck shop
Nutrition/health education
Activities Growing food User Groups Primary school children
Nutrition/health education
User Groups Primary school children
Pre-school children
Low-income groups
NORTH YORKSHIRE
East Cleveland Good Grub Clubs Lifestyle Health Link
Contact Frank Blenkey Contact Frank Blenkey
c/o Lifestyle Health Link, Co-op building
Co-op building High Street
High Street Loftus
Loftus Saltburn-By-The-Sea TS13 4HW
Saltburn-By-The-Sea TS13 4HW Tel 01287 640 809
Tel 01287 640 809
Working through self-help groups, this project
This project aims to promote healthy eating to aims to encourage a healthy lifestyle by providing
people on low incomes by demonstrating how to knowledge, skills and, where appropriate,
cook economical, healthy foods that are low in accredited qualifications. It also supports other
fat and high in fibre. It comes under the umbrella local projects, and is the umbrella organisation
of the Lifestyle Health Link project, with clubs in for Good Grub Clubs in the area, which operate
Skinningrove, Carlin How, Brotton and Loftus. from the East Cleveland villages of Skinningrove,
Carlin How, Brotton and Loftus. It also supports a
Activities Training training group, Tastie Bites, and Walkie Talkie, a
Tuck shop healthy walking group.
Nutrition/health education
User Groups Parents Activities Nutrition/health education
Families Cookery class
Women and children User Groups Women and children
Older people Older people
Single parents Single parents
•24• Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming