Cost of Living and local action by food partnerships

The webinar provided an opportunity to hear from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and food partnerships, giving a national overview of the cost of living crisis, and some practical and innovative examples from across the network about how they are bridging local and national action. 

After a national overview by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the webinar moves on to look at practical and innovative examples from across the network and how they are bridging local and national action. Brighton & Hove Food Partnership cover the Council tax rebate donation scheme and cost of living crisis appeal whose funds will go directly to supporting the most vulnerable households in the area, as well as their lobbying of government.

Cambridge Sustainable Food then covers their Cost of Food and Living Campaign city-wide appeal to raise funds to help frontline workers in 13 existing community food schemes to provide ingredients directly to vulnerable households, as well as slow cookers. To meet shortages in surplus food and improve quality and sustainability of emergency food, they are looking at initiatives such as ‘Grow a Row’.

The webinar then hears from Blaenau Gwent Food Partnership, hosted by Tai Calon Housing Association, in one of the poorest local authority areas in Wales, experiencing huge inequalities (15 years life expectancy difference between areas). This partnership is playing a pivotal role in the response, helping administer the various local and national funds available to support food groups, building the capacity of the aid network as well as working with frontline housing association staff. In addition, the Minister for Social Justice in Wales has announced £3 million of funding in July to support the development of food partnerships and help strengthen those that already exist.

As the pressures from the cost of living crisis mount, this webinar is a useful resource for food partnerhsips, providing understanding of the wider picture - what is going on, and examples of how communities can be supported and assisted by local food partnerhsips, through what is set to be a tough winter.

The webinar was a huge success, received positive feedback, and was used to check in on the food partnership message for government and policy makers which we can work to raise on your behalf.

A menti meter survey was also used during the webinar, providing views on what role food partnerhsips can play in the cost of living crisis.

If you were unable to attend the webinar or want to refer back since attending, the recording is below along with the presentation slides and the results from the menti meter survey that was completed during the webinar.

View the presentation slides here

View the Menti Meter results here

As with all webinars, the recordings will be posted in the 'webinar recordings' tab on the sidebar of the events page.