Mims Davies MP meets with Helen Graham from Wealden Food Partnership in Uckfield.
Mims was pleased to meet with Helen Graham of the Wealden Food Partnership at the Hartfield Café in Uckfield to learn about her work which is currently funded by Public Health.
Helen's overarching aim is to connect people and facilitate equitable, green and accessible food pathways in areas ranging from:
- The challenges faced by farmers - of which there are over 1,000 farms in the Wealden area alone.
- Local planning working for the rural economy (approx. 70% jobs not in towns/villages) not just housing including local cattle markets and abattoirs without which farms will close, animals will travel long distances causing stress /food miles/food security issues
- Access to markets – bringing together buyers and suppliers. Competition form supermarket pricing
- Education – farming and countryside apprenticeships and fit for faming curriculum input. School twinning programme with farms as part of Healthy Schools agenda. Community cooking programmes, mini farmer and school farm programmes. Cooking in schools
- Food Poverty – need to map out what’s going on in our area in with community fridges and food bank usage: Need for deliveries in our rural area. Working to understand best practice and models from around the country to apply to our area.
- Community growth and garden networks – supporting and connecting small local groups for people who need food
- Procurement – getting local produce into public body/school food contracts
- Raising awareness and supporting farmers who are working on – biodiversity, soil health, environmental, organic, regenerative farming
Mims Davies MP said:
"It was great to meet with Helen from Wealden Food Partnership at the Hartfield Cafe in Uckfield discussing her work.
I look forward to visiting more local farms over the next few months to listen to their concerns and plans directly.
As well as meet others who are winning awards for their community outreach work with children and older people through farming and food, attend meetings with buyers and suppliers, join discussions regarding food poverty and help further connect the Wealden Food Partnership to support its aims and growth."
