Sustainable Food Cities Iain Stewart Chief Executive Edinburgh Community Food Ben Lejac Edinburgh Sustainable Food Cities Co-ordinator

ECF(I) established in 1996: developmental approach to tackling community food issues across the city collective voice to influence policy locally and nationally undertake shared health promotion and education work achieve economies of scale in the core work of providing food

“to get people into healthy food and healthy food into people.” Healthy Food – Healthy Lives – Healthy Futures

Vision: Be a leader in community food and health Promote equal health for all Teach people about healthy food Help strengthen local communities Work to ensure that everyone who needs affordable, healthy food can get it

Strategic aim 1: Support more people in low income communities to eat more healthily Increase availability of, and access to, affordable, healthy food Develop “food and mood” / links with mental health Develop people’s skills and confidence Increase people’s understanding Change attitudes and behaviour Support communities Develop and provide resources Minimise food waste Eating well for older people Linking food, healthy eating, physical activity

Strategic aim 2: Improve our sustainability and impact Develop training facilities Further develop role as a leader Increase income through social enterprise Develop and sustain partnerships Engage with strategic groups in order to influence Effectively record and report on impact

Established in Autumn 2013 A city-wide partnership that aims to inspire and motivate everyone across Edinburgh to work together to build new approaches to food. A belief that together we can make positive choices that are healthier and tastier and which bring social, economic and environmental benefits to the whole community.

Outcomes: More fresh, healthy and sustainable food eaten Fewer people living in food poverty Our natural environment and resources are protected and conserved with fewer emissions A thriving food economy with greater diversity in local food production and distribution A transformed food culture with greater awareness and skills

Key issues: Promoting healthy and sustainable food to the public Tackling food poverty, diet-related ill health and access to healthy food Building community food knowledge, skills, resources and projects Promoting a vibrant and diverse sustainable food economy Transforming catering and food procurement Reducing waste and the ecological footprint of the food system

Why is EE part of Sustainable Food Cities? Joining up knowledge and expertise from all over the UK Accessing resources and support Provides accountability and structure

Key partners in an SFC network: Local authority Community organisations NGOs Public sector (health & education) Local businesses

What is EE up to? In Edinburgh… Broughton High School food project SFC-supported Food Summit – Spring 2019 Edinburgh Food Growing Strategy

...and nationwide Food Power, to support our work on food poverty Veg Cities, as part of our health and wellbeing workstream SFC Scotland Conference in Aberdeen to link up with other sustainable food cities in Scotland

The SFC Awards – why is EE going for Bronze? Judged and awarded annually to food partnerships Provides a goal for partners to work towards Recognition for the partnership’s work Proof of achievement and progress

Any questions?

Discussion: What are your thoughts about SFC? What does it mean to be a ‘sustainable food city’? What opportunities does SFC provide for community food work? How does the work you are doing right now help your area become a sustainable food city? What are the challenges you face in reaching this goal?