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

2. 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

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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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.

10. 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

12. 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

13. 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

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

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

16. ...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

17. 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

18. Any questions?

19. 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?