Dumfries and Galloway Sustainable Food Partnership
Dumfries & Galloway
Community Food Network
Connecting and supporting community food projects across the region
After the Local Food Gatherings taking place in October & November 2024, our next Community Food Network Events will be in January 2025
Watch this space to find out when and how to register
What is a Community Food Project?
Community food projects or initiatives have working with their local community as their primary focus.
They include community food growing and gardening, emergency food provision, food sharing, community meals, surplus food redistribution, community cafes, food education, healthy cooking and nutrition and more...
Community food projects are often run by small groups of dedicated people working at grassroots level, many of whom are volunteers.
Community food projects have played a vital role in keeping people in our communities safe and fed during the Covid 19 restrictions. They are at the forefront of providing food to those who need it, creating sustainable, ethical local food systems and building connected, just and caring communities.
Why have a network?
Research so far via our Community Food survey and local food gatherings shows that people involved in these projects would like to
- share skills, knowledge and resources
- access peer support
- share good practice and avoid duplication
- promote community food projects and attract more interest, involvement and funding
- have a collective voice to influence policy and practice at local and national level
These are the aims of the network - they may change and grow as the network develops
Online Meet Ups
'How can we?' sessions
If you have any questions that you would like others to help you with, we can have online sessions to provide a space for members of the Community Food Network to share and discuss matters of importance in the running and organising of community food projects. Examples of topics which we have explored previously include the recruitment and support of volunteers and Dignity in Food Provision. To register to join the Dumfries and Galloway Community Food Network, please complete the online form.
What does the network offer?
As the network develops we will add or change what we offer in response to our members needs. At the moment we have
- Community Food Forum Email Group for sharing news, opportunities, action and inspiration and staying in touch with Network events and activities
- Community Food Network Facebook Page
- Meet-ups and gatherings online and in person for networking, support and celebration
- Point of contact for organisations and individuals looking for information on community food projects, and to showcase projects
- Representation - giving community food projects a voice at local and national partnership meetings
- Facilitation - identifying training needs and skill sharing opportunities, and helping to making them happen
- Ongoing support/advice - including helping your project to get funding, connect with other people doing similar work, and more.
With thanks to our Funders:
