1. Creating a Sustainable Food System in Brighton and Hove Clare Devereux, Food Matters Vic Borrill, B & H Food Partnership

2. Brighton and Hove Sustainable Cities, Oct 2011 Falls in the 25% most deprived LAs Health generally worse than the national average A quarter of all children live in low income households Population is more likely than average to experience mental health problems Wage level below the national average 8 million visitors a year 400 cafes and restaurants Positioned between the sea and the downs City Council owns 11,000 acres of farmland

3. Putting food on the agenda Sustainable Cities, Oct 2011 History of community food work In 2003 mapping exercise to see what was happening – food shed First ‘spade to spoon’ conference Vision, aims and establishment of food partnership Spade to spoon strategy Service level agreement with the PCT Harvest B & H Strategic policy work

4. Ingredients for success Sustainable Cities, Oct 2011 PCT that recognised the wider determinants of health – supported development of FP/Strategy ‘champions’ within local authority – elected member and officer(s) Rooted in the community – residents and groups Secure funding base from service level agreement NGO organisation to offer expertise, support and facilitation Lobbying for policy change to support food work – being a ‘thorn in the side’ Isn’t enough to just deliver – need more root and branch policy

5. The Brighton & Hove model of a Food Partnership Sustainable Cities, Oct 2011 BHFP not for profit / politically neutral. Company limited by guarantee Remit – healthy and sustainable food Driving forward delivery of the city’s food strategy Combined role of influencing / lobbying, capacity building, supporting networking and service delivery Broad membership base – 740 individuals and organisations Board of directors elected from the membership / by the membership. Plus appointed members from key statutory services and Food Matters. Funded via grants from NHS Brighton & Hove & BHCC, Big Lottery Local Food and various trusts.

6. Delivering high quality services Sustainable Cities, Oct 2011 Community Nutrition Service / Healthy Weight referral service Community Cookery Project Harvest Brighton & Hove Love Food: Hate Waste Community outreach programme Information - website, City Food News, events, stalls Service delivery keeps us connected with residents and grounded in the issues of the city Provides funding Complexity can be challenging but reflects the reality of food work

7. Linking themes and agendas Sustainable Cities, Oct 2011

8. Supporting partnership working Sustainable Cities, Oct 2011 Provide networking opportunities Knowledge hub Targeting services Replicating what works Seek funding for partnership work eg Harvest Brighton & Hove Size of Brighton & Hove makes this possible Getting harder as services get squeezed

9. Keeping food on the agenda locally Sustainable Cities, Oct 2011 City wide partnerships Responding to consultations Political lobbying – Ask Your Candidate exercise prior to local elections Championing community food projects Fostering ‘champions’ within other organisations Independent but work hard at productive relationships with partners Work with all political parties Careful balance between campaigning and sources of funding Takes time Willingness to be opportunistic

10. Key issues Sustainable Cities, Oct 2011 Need for strategic framework for food work locally Can’t do it alone – need Government to also have strategic framework Research agenda to support sustainable food work

11. Next steps – getting serious Sustainable Cities, Oct 2011 Need to move into next phase – more focused action to achieve maximum gain How to feed a city Increase amount of sustainable food produced in the city Opportunities ‘green administration’ City owned farms Public procurement

12. www.bhfood.org.uk www.foodmatters.org Thank you Sustainable Cities, Oct 2011