Food conference at Aston University

Mar 25 2009 by Anna Blackaby, Birmingham Post

Representatives from communities up and down the country will meet at Birmingham’s Aston University on Monday for the first Making Local Food Work conference.

The event, which sold out within days, will focus on how communities can take back control of where their food comes from.

About 150 delegates will hear Patrick Holden, director of the Soil Association, talk about the future of food in the UK, as well as learning from the experts about the different ways in which they can reengage with how and where their food is produced.

Far from being a passive audience, the delegates will discuss whether or not food systems can be changed by grass roots movements and whether the current economic climate will be harmful or beneficial to local food production.

The role of social enterprise in putting people in charge of their own food will also be explored, along with a discussion of what steps need to be taken to make definite and lasting change.

The Making Local Food Work initiative is funded by the Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme, which aims to help communities enjoy and improve their local environments.

Other speakers, including Professor Liz Dowler, of Warwick University, and Rob Hopkins, founder of the Transition Towns movement, will give the benefit of their experience in a panel debate and a range of workshops. Delegates will decide in groups what actions they should take to address specific issues and Holden will throw these down as a challenge at the end of the day.

Organiser Jan Trefusis said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for people to learn how to bring their communities closer to the food they buy and eat.

“The overwhelming interest in the event just goes to show that people feel strongly about this issue and we’re looking forward to a day of passionate debate.”