Sustainable Food Cities: Edinburgh
How do you put sustainable food at the heart of your local area? Representatives from more than 20 UK locations got together in Edinburgh on 6 November to discuss that question at the Food for Life Scotland Sustainable Food Cities networking event.
The special event, organised by Soil Association Scotland as part of its Food for Life Scotland programme, gave people the chance to meet others who are doing sustainable food work in their town or city, providing an opportunity to learn about the great food work that is happening at both a national and local level in Scotland and around the UK.
A range of inspirational speakers shared their experiences with an enthusiastic audience. There was a wealth of hands-on advice about how to get started in adopting the Sustainable Food Cities approach and how to deal with challenges along the way.
“Sustainable Food Cities need partnership and action plans. Not dry strategy that sits on a shelf."
- Clare Devereux, Food Matters
Workshops formed a major part of the event and attendees shared some great tips and advice on creating and sustaining effective food city partnerships.
"Partnership is not about patting backs. It's about challenging, critical analysis and questioning."
Bill Gray, Community Food & Health Scotland
The Sustainable Food Cities event gave leaders from local public agencies, businesses and third sector organisations the chance to learn more about taking a strategic approach to positive food change in their area.
Frank Strang, Deputy Director, Food, Drink & Rural Communities at the Scottish Government summed up the mood, saying: "If we want to make change we have to make choices. We've nailed our colours to the mast - we're choosing to commit to make this happen, this good food nation. It's great to see that so many people from the sustainable food cities movement are with us on this journey.”
Huge thanks go to all of the speakers and delegates who made it such a memorable event.
To see the presentations and a Storify from the day, please visit: http://sustainablefoodcities.org/about/fflscotlandsfcevent