North Lancashire food strategy gets a boost during Great Big Green Week

Monday, 12 June 2023 12:20

A local sustainable food network has secured more than a quarter of a million pounds and is launching new local food projects during North Lancashire Green Week.

The scheme ‘Growing Our Food Futures’, by ‘FoodFutures North Lancashire’, has received £269,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

LESS (Lancaster District) CIC, which coordinates the project, has been successful in securing funding for the purchase of a community farm, the development of a local food hub and an allotment review. The projects are core to the ten-year community food strategy ‘Growing Our Food Futures’ facilitated by FoodFutures (North Lancashire’s sustainable food network).

The community farm and food hub will be launched at an open visioning and strategy event hosted by FoodFutures on Wednesday June 14, in Morecambe. The event will be part of North Lancashire Green Week, running 10 to 25 June as part of the national Great Big Green Week. The campaign aims to engage local communities with climate change and protecting nature through putting on a range of events across Lancaster District.

For the past two years, the UK-wide Great Big Green Week has aimed to draw attention to the climate crisis and environmental issues by engaging with local communities through events and encouraging local action. It is organised by The Climate Coalition, the UK’s largest group of people dedicated to action against climate change. During the week, local businesses and groups will demonstrate how they are responding to environmental challenges with stalls and events.

FoodFutures also hosts Lancaster’s Midsummer Market at Market Square and Market Street on June 16.

The community-centred market has live music, locally produced food, a variety of street food and drinks, crafts and fun activities for all the family. It will also be an opportunity for people to meet the Closing Loops project team to talk about the climate and nature emergency and what is happening locally to address it.

Other events during North Lancashire Green Week include a writing workshop, a nettle day at Backsbottom Farm, a wildflower walk, a lecture with Emeritus Professor of Geophysical and Climate Hazards Bill McGuire about the science behind his book ‘Hot House Earth’, a tour of Lancaster Cohousing, a celebration at Claver Hill Community Farm and more. The Morecambe-based writing group The Nib Crib also invites people to participate in a "Letters to Tomorrow" workshop on 25th June to record their hopes for someone in the future. This is a chance to document our concerns and wishes to improve the world.

Most North Lancashire Green Week events will be free to attend and are open to all, although some require prior registration. More events are still being added to the programme, and local groups, organisations and businesses are invited to sign up with an event and be part of green week. Everyone is welcome to join it, with anything from local walks and guided tours to community celebrations and workshops.

FoodFutures North Lancashire is FoodFutures is North Lancashire’s award winning Sustainable Food Place initiative. It is made up of representatives from the local farming community, local food businesses, the public sector, Lancaster City Council, NGOs, community food groups and our local academic institutions.

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North Lancashire food strategy gets a boost during Great Big Green Week

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