Food Co-ops Newsletter
Issue 15 - February 2012
Project news
Sadly, Sustain's Food Co-ops project is coming to an end soon, with most of our activities
ending in March 2012, along with the other projects that are part of the Making Local
Food Work programme. We are currently looking in to ways that we can continue some or
all of the activities that have been carried our as part of the Big Lottery funded project and
for grants and other sources of income to help support this work. This could include
setting up a new Food Co-ops Network to enable food co-ops across the country to
continue to network and communicate with each other and share good practice. To help us
decide what support we should offer in the future - and also to determine whether a food
co-ops network would be feasible it would be really helpful if you could fill in this short
survey www.surveymonkey.com/s/727L8BQ
Food co-ops on the radio
The latest Radio 4 Food Programme was focussed on food co-ops and featured many of
the groups we've worked with: True Food Co-op, Dandelion Food Community, South
Birmingham Food Co-op and LOAF, as well as ourselves. You can listen again via the
following link www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01c6trp
New films
As part of the Making Local Food Work programme we've produced films about some of
the projects we have worked with, that represent different models of setting up community
food outlets. The first two films are about the Real Food Store in Exeter and Windmill
Community Allotment Project in Margate and two more about
True Food Co-op and Brighton and Sussex university food coops will be on-line soon. Other films have also been made by
Sustain's Food Supply and Distribution project. To view the
films go to
www.sustainweb.org/foodcoops/foodcoopfilms/ or
our Youtube channel www.youtube.com/foodcoops The
Food Co-ops channel also includes lots of other films made
by community food outlets across the country, such as
Ecoworks and Ipswich Ripple Food Co-op.
Latest publications
Local Action on Food has just produced two new publications,
A Growing Trade and Healthy Profit, which are targeted at
community food projects that grow their own produce. To
download the reports in PDF format see
www.sustainweb.org/publications/
New food co-ops
Not a week seems to go by without a new food co-op being launched and we are very
pleased to hear about all the projects starting up around the country, which have been
supported as part of our project. This includes Lockleaze Larder in Bristol, Cultivate in
Oxford, Healthy Living mobile grocery in Blackburn, Durham and Newcastle University
food co-ops and Oblong food co-op in Leeds. Sign up to our Facebook page to hear all the
latest news about food co-ops around the country www.facebook.com/foodcoops
Food co-op news
Last November True Food Co-op in Reading won the award for
'Best Retail Initiative' at the BBC Food & Farming awards. One of
the innovative features of their markets is their mobile crates that
can be easily transported and rolled out at different
community halls and that are already stocked up with different
products. They are interested to hear from any other food co-ops
that would be interested in purchasing these mobile crates, as this
would enable them to do a bigger order at a reduced price. If you
might be interested please e-mail foodcoops@sustainweb.org
Regional events
We've recently held networking events in Bristol and Ipswich and are trying to squeeze in
as many as possible before the end of March, along with bread making workshops,
training courses, study visits and open days. To see all our latest events visit out Facebook
page www.facebook.com/foodcoops or e-mail foodcoops@sustainweb.org
 Merseyside and Warrington food co-ops networking event - 28 February E-mail:
debbie@sustainweb.org
 Free feast in Thetford - 28 February 6.30 - 9.30pm E-mail:
gemma@sustainweb.org
 Visit Infinity Foods and find out how to set up a wholefood co-op - Brighton - 14
March E-mail: sara@sustainweb.org
 Finances and book-keeping for food co-ops - London - 27 March
sara@sustainweb.org
 East Midlands food co-ops celebration event - Nottingham - 27 March
leon@sustainweb.org
Governance training
Also don’t miss your chance to attend one of Co-operatives UK final free workshops in
the following locations:
 22 February – Simply Legal, Newcastle
 14 March – Simply Legal, Exeter
 21 March – Simply Governance, Bristol
If you’re setting up or running a community food enterprise you’ll find out all you need to
know about legal structures and the concept of governance, helping you to get your idea
off the ground and to keep your enterprise running well. You’ll also have the chance to
meet new people and to enjoy a tasty and healthy free lunch! For more details and to book
your place, please go to www.mlfw.co.uk/training
Don't forget to add your food co-ops details to our food co-ops finder map
www.sustainweb.org/foodcoops/add/