Look how much we’ve grown! Reflecting on 8 years of transforming Buckinghamshire’s local food economy

Over the last 8 years, we’ve worked across Buckinghamshire to improve health, wellbeing and skills within local communities through food education, skills development and collaboration. Now, with our projects coming to a close, we’re gleaning from our final harvest in the region.

From innovative partnership projects including Wellbeings (cooking and nutrition sessions for young people), Only Me (social cooking sessions for older adults) and Slo’ Plates (distributing slow cookers to those experiencing nutrition poverty), we’re proud to have shown how working with local communities, providers and producers can really make a difference to people’s lives and the local food economy.

Entering a new regional area as a national charity is not as simple as you might imagine. But being part of the food movement in Buckinghamshire emerging after COVID-19 gave us the unique platform to be a key member in progressing the local food economy and its integral link for the future opportunities of young people.

Food is central to people’s lives in a huge variety of ways, so bridging the gap between food, health and the environment has been crucial to our work. We’ve worked to embrace food as a catalyst for positive change, whether it’s for socialisation and isolation, mental health, financial insecurity or impact on the climate.

Green Futures

Our main focus has been engaging with communities and, in particular, young people. Inspiring them to be curious about the environment, the food they eat, and the world around them. Encouraging them to understand how our actions, habits and lifestyles can influence others and make a difference to the planet.

Our flagship project, Green Futures, has helped support the local green economy, empower young people through training opportunities and internships, and reconnect people to land and nature.

The Green Futures Network has been central to our ability to create lasting impact and embed change. Bringing together environmental and sustainable food organisations – focused on growing, cooking, distribution or campaigning – with education institutions and youth organisations, has helped them to share knowledge, ideas and build long-term partnerships. This has resulted in school-based interventions with cooking skills and horticulture lessons, to work experience schemes and group study visits to open young people’s eyes to potential future careers.

“The workshops were amazing, cause they expanded my horizons to things I wouldn’t have known about otherwise.” – Fiona, Intern

Many young people across Buckinghamshire face barriers to meaningful employment. Our Green Futures Internships sought to tackle this by creating opportunities for young people aged 18-24 to take part in 16-week paid internships in food and environmental organisations across the Green sector. From working in estate management and regenerative farms, to community kitchens and local cheese producers, the internships offered invaluable experience and insights into exciting new areas of work.

With a total of 14 paid placements, over 80% of the young people got into employment following their internship. The hosts also hugely benefited: receiving additional support, fresh energy and ideas, seeing what they do through a new pair of eyes, and offering new ways of sharing knowledge about their organisations with others.

Local Food Partnerships

Another aspect of our work has been being involved in local food partnerships; funding new innovative partnership projects, offering training and development opportunities, and influencing local and national strategies.

We’ve used our presence locally to embed public health schemes, provide food education and citizenship both in and outside the classroom. We’ve been able to share, influence and grow, and this is not just for us as a charity, but as part of the food community across Buckinghamshire.

So, although the projects are coming to an end, the legacy of what we have achieved will live on in those we have nurtured through our work.

Listen to reflections from our Green Futures interns:

Tyler

Fiona

Erin

Ella

Belle