Celebrating Community Connections in Eastbourne Food Partnership

1. Welcome • Eastbourne Community Network • CELEBRATING CONNECTING • COMMUNITIES

2. Background to the networks Locality Networks were set up in response to feedback from the Public Health Building Stronger Communities Engagement process in the autumn of 2016 Participants suggested that one of the ways this could be achieved was by providing more opportunities to network and build relationships, share information, resources and good practice and also provide opportunities for mutual support and learning This feedback led to the creation of eight Locality Networks across East Sussex in April 2017, each delivering four network meetings a year.

3. Locality Network Review In August 2018 a review of the networks was undertaken, comprising of an online survey and data review of the 43 networks which had taken place. Recommendations: 1. Continue to create time and space to enable discrete networking 2. Continue to prioritise attracting a wide range of participants from across all sectors 3. Value and support volunteers 4. Improve communications 5. Expand the purpose of the networks to include ‘being action focused’ and explore options to improve links to informing strategy and decision making 6. Develop digital communications

4. WIDE REMIT:Identifying community assetsMaking connectionsMulti-agencySUCCESSFUL CONNECTIONS HAVE LED TO:The Food NetworkThree seed funded projects in Langney and ShinewaterJoint Children & Young Peoples’ Event with Eastbourne Borough CouncilCOMMON THREAD:The exchange of information leading to,InspirationIdeasCollaboration 2018 to 2019

5. Welcome! Eastbourne Food Partnership

6. Vision ‘A healthy, sustainable, environmentally responsible, and fairer food production and supply for Eastbourne’

7. Priorities/Mission The group agreed the following Mission/priorities Making our vision a reality will involve addressing the following priorities: • Increase the number of people eating healthily. • Reduce the number of people living in food poverty • Strengthen communities by engaging people in communal activities around food • Reduce the amount of waste we produce and make waste a resource where practicable • Strengthen opportunities for biodiversity and respecting the limits of our natural resources. • Ensure that food is at the heart of our planning and policy work • Encourage and support Eastbourne becoming economically resilient and develop skills in a vibrant and sustainable food economy • Strengthen community and personal resilience.

8. Aims The following aims were agreed: The meeting discussed and agreed the following aims. The aims are long term. They are what we will focus on to achieve our Vision and Mission. The next step will be to agree an action plan to begin to achieve our aims and address the priorities. Aim 1. People in Eastbourne eat a healthier and more sustainable diet Aim 2. Increased opportunities for more residents to have better access to nutritious, affordable, sustainable food. Aim 3. The Town will have a vibrant, sustainable food economy of thriving local community groups and businesses and local products Aim 4. a) Public organisations have healthy, ethical and environmentally responsible food procurement policies and practices .b) Local policy and planning decisions take into account food issues, and the town is engaged in relevant national campaigns Aim 5. a) More food consumed in the town is grown, produced and processed locally using methods that protect biodiversity and respect environmental limits b) Local and sustainable food is promoted and celebrated by residents and visitors Aim 6. Waste generated by the food system is reduced, reused and recycled. Aim 7. High quality information, support, education and training on sustainable food and nutrition issues is readily included and available, and there are networking opportunities to encourage links between sectors.

9. Legal Structure • Development the partnership as an independent community organisation with a simple form of Constitution (and, probably as a member of the Sustainable Cities network).

10. Eastbourne Food Partnership What a local food system might look like

11. What is a Food Partnership? • A local food system is a collaborative network that integrates sustainable food production, processing, distribution, consumption and waste management in order to enhance the environmental, economic and social health of an area • A broad cross sector partnership involving Key Public Bodies, NGO’s, Education, Business and Communities willing to work together for positive change • Takes a systems based, holistic approach to food issues that covers a full range of social, health, economic and environmental aspects • Develops and delivers an achievable food strategy and action plan through which partners can successfully tackle key food challenges in a collaborative way • Incorporates healthy and sustainable food into local policy, strategy and planning to drive and embed longer term systematic and behavioural change

12. Sustainable Food Cities Award • Bronze, Silver, Gold awards • Designed to recognise & celebrate the successes of those places taking a joined up holistic approach • Established cross sector partnership implementing an action plan on healthy, sustainable food • Demonstrating a sustained improvement and consistently delivering on outcomes and activities • Achieving significant positive change on a range of key food issues

13. Pot Luck Food Sharing events Edible Eastbourne Pot Luck celebration evening and Fruitful project launch

14. Community growing spaces A raised planter for the local Home Educators group to use. All children should have access to food growing in an educational setting A fruit tree guild project in Gildredge park planting, fruit, berries, herbs and pollinators for the community to harvest and share for free

15. Growing and Cooking food Cooking and food preparation skill sharing Herb planters in public spaces Fruit trees in local parks

16. Food Network Being part of a larger network of communities working to build food sustainability in their towns Regional Incredible Edible meet up, Incredible Edible Todmorden and local organic farm

17. Community supported agriculture, community food projects, wholesalers, food producers, box schemes, organic farms, community growing spaces, edible landscapes, food swaps, seed swaps, seed banks, school gardens, food education, hospital gardens, allotments, gleaning,foraging,markets, farm shops, sustainable food business, food co-ops, food assemblies,local farms, fishing,dairy and meat, eggs, honey,fruit, orchards, cider, vineyards, wine, locally brewed beer, hop farm, baking, cooking, sharing skills, plot to plate, food celebrations, food festivals, harvest celebrations, wassails, healthy eating campaigns, pop up street food, pop up cooking, free food, foodbanks, preventing food deserts, food poverty, healthy options, wellbeing, food tourism. Hospitality, food hubs, catering, composting, Circular economy, redistribute excess, divert waste food, waste food café, community owned resources

18. Resilience in the Community Sector The only failure is giving up!

19. You are a Special Agent for your cause!

20. Have you done the Legwork? 4. Back it up 3. Create a solution 2. Know your market 1. Know the problem

21. Get ready to go!

22. Testing, Testing…………. Gather data Evaluate Launch! Run Don’t Panic

23. To take time to succeed is not to fail!

24. Keep the faith!