#ChooseLocal food campaign
By Andrew Brown
Food Partner, Greater Lincolnshire Food Partnership
Food is such an important part of our lives. Nourishing our bodies, bringing us together, creating beautiful memories.
Every mouthful connects us to the world around us; a statement of what we support, what we enjoy and how we look after ourselves.
Or does it feel more like just shovelling down fuel? Finding the quickest option? Fearing the rising prices?
Lincolnshire produces 30% of the vegetables grown in the UK, so it shouldn’t be difficult for us to all access fresh, healthy seasonal meals. Right?
And yet, for a wide range of reasons, nutritious local food just doesn’t make it onto so many of our plates.
Last year Climate Hope Lincoln listened to local residents and organisations, to determine what campaign they could get behind and what focuses could have the most impact for people and our environment. From this #ChooseLocal has been born, using Food as a tool for social and climate justice.
“We have heard you,” said Helen Fisher from We Are Carbon. “Over the next few months we’ll be taking the first steps in a series of exciting experiments that begin to explore a radical approach to climate action. Driven by connection, positivity and recognising the breadth of knowledge that’s held throughout our communities.
Through the lens of food, #ChooseLocal wants to explore new ways of working together and build on the amazing work that is already taking place across Lincoln (and Lincolnshire). There’ll be plenty of opportunities to participate as we weave together what we hope to be a truly collective and collaborative campaign; one that will have a long-term positive impact for us all.
If you ever feel at a loss at the scale of the problems that surround us then you’ll know why we need to try something a bit different and to start discovering the steps forward together.
Through listening and sharing, we not only aspire to make it easier to find the best
local produce here in the city, and to bring a wealth of ideas for delicious seasonal recipes, but to also use food as a way to explore new opportunities that support local connection, community health and climate action.
As we get going you might realise that you have plenty of ideas that you could contribute, too. Maybe a recipe, maybe a cooking or shopping tip. Maybe pass on a cooking pot which you don’t use any more, or an inspirational story for building community through food. #ChooseLocal encourages us to share what we know - and perhaps also to share some stuff which we might not be using.
Keep an eye out for opportunities for getting involved and follow along as we start to uncover the story of #ChooseLocal Food in Lincoln. We’ll keep you updated online and at a range of community hubs throughout the city.
For more information: www.climatehopelincoln.org, or Instagram @ClimateHopeLincoln.
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