Accessibility Workshop Healthy Food for All , National Conference 20th November 2013

Niche Community Health Project

Using a community develop approach Niche works to promote a social model of health and health equality to improve the quality of life for people living in the Knocknaheeny/Hollyhill area of Corks Northside. 1.Family Health2.Well-being and Lifestyle3.Food & Environment4. Access to Health Information & Services5. Influencing Policy

www.nicheonline.ie and

Food Poverty: Local Evidence

Proximity & choice of

shops

Limited access to

f&v source

New estates:

amenities

skills

Income

Family Life

Accessibility

Community and Interagency strategic action plan to:•respond to risk & instances of food poverty •improve community food experience

Food Focus Implementation

• Partners• Niche• HSE Community Dietician/Health

Promotion • Cork City Partnership• Le Cheile SCP• Dept. Geog.UCC• Knocknaheeny Community Cafe• HSE / HAZ, Community Work Dept)• RAPID• Local Community

Supported by Healthy Food for All & Demonstration Programme of CFI’s

• Funders

Food Focus Action• Steering Group• Garden Committee• Staff recruitment • Community Food Resource Audit• Community Food Charter• Food Club (training)• Grow your own• Community Garden• Community Fruit Tree Planting• Food Events• Competitions• Co-ordination role• Fundraising• Regional/national linkages• Influencing policy

What has happened?

Raised beds; Water harvesting; Cob Oven & barbeque; Wormery; Composting area; Polytunnel; Forest trail; Herb Spiral; Tools shed; training area & community kitchen; native Irish hedging; orchard;

Sustainable Community Garden RecruitmentCommunity GardenersFTAC Horticulture trainingWork ExperienceOpen Access Tues/wed/ThursSupply to Comm. CafeVeg box scheme to residentsSeasonal Community Events (harvest/halloween)Seasonal Workshops (foraging, preserving, etc.)Food Club: Social EnterpriseRecycling/reusing/up-cyclingSite Extension/Allotment Management

(partnership with CouncilWinter Garden Art Project Food Policy Council

Accessibility and other outcomes• Affordable fruit and veg available locally• Cooking• Collective action for healthy food• Community buy in• Volunteerism• Growing as a healthy activity• Training and education• Social Enterprise• Development of waste land/local pride • Environmental

improvements/biodiversity • Awards and acknowledgements• Local people regarded as partners to

work with• Shared learning across city

Cork Food Policy Council: addressing accessibility in local communities

• towards the achievement of a fairer, healthier, sustainable and resilient food system across the Cork region and to this end, seeks to promote socially inclusive engagement in supporting best practice in the production, retail and consumption of food.

• CFPC is food system – not sectoral – approach

• Food systems can be improved

Food Policy & Planning

Addressing food consumption practices

Maintaining diversity of food retail

Maintaining diversity of food retail

Support local food enterprise

Increase urban food production & supplySafeguard

land for food production

Increase marketing opportunities for local producers

Redistribute, recycle & compost food waste

Protect infrastructure for local food supply

Cork Food Policy Council

• Steering group Membership (Local retail, charity, community, primary food producers, education, Council –planning, environment & waste, health, business etc.

• Terms of reference• Task groups• Values and principles• Outreach/engagement strategy• Evidence base• Policy submissions• Food Charter

Thank you