We stand against hate and racist violence in our communities.

Sustainable Food Places works with communities all over the UK who inspire us every day by bringing people of all backgrounds together to work in partnership, hear each other, share good food, and so much more. The violent, racist riots and behaviours of the last few weeks go against everything that our Network stands for. We stand by all the communities affected by the hatred, violence and racism that we have seen over the last few weeks. We join them in offering positive support, empathy, love, and solidarity. 

We’ve also seen communities coming together to protect their neighbours against racism and Islamophobia and support them in the riots' aftermath. This is the Britain we see every day in our work: people willing to listen to each other, to hear different perspectives, celebrating our diverse backgrounds, religions, ethnicity and cultures, finding common ground, and working together for our common future.

The Sustainable Food Places Network strives to bring communities together. The power of food to connect, to heal, and to bridge divides is a well documented phenomenon. While it may not be the solution to what we have seen on our streets recently, it can certainly be part of the answer. Something as simple as a shared meal may not guarantee agreement, but it can help to build stronger connections and deeper understanding. Sustainable Food Places connects communities in over 100 localities across the UK by tackling food poverty, ensuring food justice, teaching cooking and growing, supporting local food businesses, and simply sharing good food together. Food can connect where racism, economic injustice, misinformation, and hopelessness seek to divide. For more about the work of our network see the impact of the Sustainable Food Places Network.