The reliance on emergency food banks in Oldham has increased over the last 15 years, especially during the recent pandemic and the current cost of living crisis. CommunityFed: Oldham was an inspiring training programme for Oldham’s voluntary, faith, community and social enterprise sectors to support them to create and deliver alternative solutions to access more local, affordable, healthy and sustainable food.
The three-month programme offered workshops, webinars, study visits, and specialist support, ranging from developing community-led food enterprises to alternative business models, community partnerships to building new markets for local food initiatives. If you’re based in the Oldham area and committed to transforming the food system, join our programme below and be part of a local movement.
Attending the CommunityFed: Oldham events was also very useful for those looking to apply for our Food Security Challenge Prize (deadline 29 November 2022).
The Food Security Challenge Prize in Oldham offered start-up and scale-up grants and mentoring for new or scaling food enterprises that are developing the most effective responses to local food insecurity and focus on long-term change, social impact, and increasing employment in the local food sector. £50,000 was awarded across six grants in two categories, decided by public vote at a live participatory funding event in February 2023. The most votes took home the biggest grant in each category. More info here
An introduction to alternative governance models for local food enterprises
What do we need to build community food resilience in Oldham?
How to set up a successful, local, and affordable vegetable bag scheme
A visit to Open Kitchen MCR & their community cafe, a thriving social and community food enterprise
Create or expand your idea for a food enterprise or project
How to establish a flourishing community food and growing space
Do you want to set up a small market garden from scratch, and earn a living from it?
Do you want to fully utilise community kitchens to help more people to cook/source affordable meals?
Co-operatives UK Simply series is a suite of guides covering co-operative governance, legals, finance, membership and more,
‘Power Up the Flavour’: a guide to low cost and healthy cooking using less energy from The Greater Manchester's Cracking Good Food.
Building Community Food Resilience by the Food Ethics Council
A guide to unpick and understand what a path to building community resilience in the UK could look like, focusing on the role of community food organisations.
