Who We Are
The Community Food Initiative is a citywide project whose overall aim is to improve access to healthy, affordable food especially for disadvantaged groups in the city. The Newcastle Community Food Initiative has been promoting access to affordable healthy food in disadvantaged areas for the last 7 years. The Community Food Initiative supports the set up and development of food projects in Newcastle.
The Newcastle Community Food Initiative was originally set up to address food issues by supporting community groups and organisations with the set up or development of projects known as community food initiatives. Recently there has been a greater need for us to work at a more strategic level. We have been able to represent the issues affecting local community groups to statutory agencies and policy makers.
The Community Food Initiative provides:
- community food network meetings
- a co-ordinated approach to community food partnerships
- exploration and understanding of national and regional policies
- small grants to start up new projects
- a bi-annual newsletter
- gives information, advice and encouragement to groups who wish to set up or develop a food project
- events to share good practice and opportunities to work together.
CFI supports food projects across the city through well-established Food Networks (East, West and North West) offering support, advice and facilitating network opportunities. These food networks developed by CFI are an infrastructure of community groups with an interest in food issues. Local networks provide opportunities for regular, practical support tailored to local issues and needs. The networks facilitate reconciling agendas, funding, community involvement, professional support, credibility, shared ownership, responsiveness and motivate. Volunteers, paid workers and professionals all initiate, maintain and value these connections. Networks are also used for raising awareness, training and to contact other projects.
We have an active role in the North East Community Food Initiative (NECFIN) which aims to provide a forum to debate food issues in the region and to share best practice and promote partnership working in the field of food and health.
The Community Food Initiative provides common ground for local people and professionals to work together in innovative ways. It is well established and is recognised by both food projects that are integrated into the community, as well as organisations and agencies with the ability to make strategic or policy level decisions.
