It's been a busy month for the GFL network, with many exciting opportunities, but also challenges. ahead. You can read the full newsletter with pictures here: Good Food Lewisham Newsletter July 2022 (mailchi.mp) or read on for the updates below.
Lewisham Growing Network Summer Solstice Meeting
We had a successful meeting of Lewisham Growing Network
at the Horniman Museum and Gardens with over 40 people coming together to discuss what a growing network could achieve. The next steps are coordinating some actions in Sustain’s Urban Harvest week 11-18th September.
Good Food Lewisham Network Meeting
Our first Network meeting with Lewisham Local as a project partner w
as well attended with over 40 people coming together to discuss food justice and what we can do to support people around food as part of the cost of living crisis. Next steps include feeding in to the borough’s Food Justice Action Plan (see below) and joining the food network to work on shared tasks.
Lewisham's Food Justice Action Plan
Two workshops will be held online on Wednesday 20th and Thursday 28th July to enable people to to support the development of a draft action plan over the summer period. The first workshop will focus on gathering information and insight on the current situation relating to F
ood Justice in Lewisham and the second workshop will focus on ideas around actions and solutions.
You can reserve a place for either one or both of the workshops via the Eventbrite link below:
Workshop theme
Date and time
Link to join
Workshop 1
Gathering information and insight
Wednesday 20th July, 10:00am-12:30pm
Workshop 2
Identifying local actions and solutions
Thursday 28th July, 12:30pm- 3:00pm
If you are unable to attend these workshops, we will summarise and share the meeting outcomes and provide you with the opportunity to contribute to the action plan.
We aim to hold a further workshop in September to present and consult on the draft version of the action plan.
Forster Memorial Park Centenary Event:
Please join us to celebrate 100 years of Forster Park, with live music, dancing, teas, cake, Pimms, family nature activities, park memories, and to open the new Community Sensory Garden - with VIP guests, including gardening TV presenter Flo Headlam.
Forster Memorial Park was handed to the community by the Forster Family on 22nd July 1922, in memory of their sons who had died in the Great War.
Since then, it has been a crucial asset for the community, enjoyed by generations of park users.
Exactly 100 years later, the Friends of Forster Memorial Park will be celebrating the parks’ centenary.
Please join us in the park from 3-6pm near the sensory garden (nearest entrances Longhill Road or Bellingham Road). Speeches and official garden opening at 4pm. Donations welcome.
School Summer Holidays Lewisham Holiday Activities and Food Programme will be taking place
25 July—26 August 2022
Places will be prioritised for children eligible for Free School Meals and allocated on a first come, first served basis.
If you have any questions or need support with registration, please contact HAFProgramme@Lewisham.gov.uk
Catford Fridge
Looking for volunteers on Saturdays 12:30-3pm at the Lewisham Irish Center (2A Davenport Rd). Role includes sorting, packing and handing out food parcels.
Email: catfordfridge@hotmail.com
Grow Lewisham
CALL OUT – finance / treasurer
Grow Lewisham is a network of volunteers working together to encourage food growing across the borough. We are on a mission to support people and community groups to set up their own food growing areas on land, lawns and unused spaces wherever they live in Lewisham. We currently have a community garden and 3 new projects to manage.
As our organisation grows we need volunteers to join our steering group and help us with Grow Lewisham’s finances and social media profile. If you have these or other useful skills and feel you can commit a few hours a month of your time to support this project, please get in touch.
TREASURER/ACCOUNTS
As we support growing projects throughout the borough, we need to keep separate accounts of their income and spending. Being Treasurer, your role would include keeping accounts and approving expenditure as well as feeding back at the steering Committee bi-weekly meetings.
SOCIAL MEDIA / PR
We’ve got so much going on! New gardens, a grow mobile, an orchard project…but we’re not so good at social media and promoting ourselves. Are you interested in documenting our development? Do you have a few hours a month to spare posting about our projects or helping to build the Grow Lewisham website? If so, get in touch!
Lewisham Food Bank
Could do with a few people who could volunteer once a week to collect donations from our donation points. Petrol expenses can be covered if requested.
Pie n Mash
Wednesdays and Thursdays 12-3.30pm to pick up food deliveries, pack parcels and deliver parcels in New Cross, Deptford and Peckham.
Email: piemashfield@riseup.net
Phone: 07857024435
Bespoke Support from Lewisham Local’s new Fundraising Development Manager
Check out this flowchart and video that take you through what help is on offer and how to apply. Please fill in the Survey explained in Step 1 by Monday 18th July.
Tesco
Tesco is offering registered charities, voluntary and community organisations, schools, parish/town councils and other not-for-profit organisations opportunity to apply for grants of £500, £1,000 or £1,500 through the Tesco Community Grants programme to support local good causes that focus on helping children and families across the UK. Every three months, three local good causes/ projects are selected to be in the blue token customer vote in Tesco stores throughout the UK. Grants will be awarded depending on the number of votes their project receives. The programme will give priority to projects that provide food security and support to young people. The fund will be administered by Groundwork and applications can be made at any time. Tesco Community Grants (UK)
Kellogs
The Kellogg’s Breakfast Club Grants Programme is offering grants of up to £1,000 to schools to set up Breakfast clubs for those children in most need. A limited number of grants are available so priority will be given to schools that have either: 35% and above of children eligible for pupil premium funding and / or eligible for free school meals or Schools that are based in an area which is classified as falling in the 10% of most deprived areas according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation. Only one grant per school in each academic year is available. Schools can apply for an award at any date and will hear within one month if they have been successful.
Greggs
The Greggs Foundation supports school breakfast clubs through its grants scheme. Schools that are interested in opening a breakfast club at their school must be able to show that at least 40% of pupils qualify for free school meals and that the school serves a disadvantaged community. Schools should able to attract adult volunteers to help run the scheme and attendance at the club must be free for all pupils. The Foundation uses the money to support breakfast clubs through an initial start-up grant for equipment such as chest freezers to store food items or toys and activities for the club. Greggs Foundation also makes a payment each term towards other food items and Greggs plc donates bread from the nearest shop. Although applications can be made at any time, there is currently a waiting list for funding whilst new sponsorship partners are being identified. Greggs Foundation Breakfast Club Grants (England, Scotland & Wales)
Training for groups and volunteers with Deptford by Action for Community Development
These one day courses are delivered face to face in Deptford by Action for Community Development. They’re for leaders, staff and volunteers in community groups etc. Cost is £10 registration fee and course dates are on the attachment.
Introduction to Successful Bid Writing
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Business Plan & Cash Flow Forecast
Measuring & Reporting Your Social Impart
Setting Up Social Enterprise
Collaboration & Partnership Working
Recruiting & Managing Volunteers
First Aid @ Work
Food & Hygiene
Business Start Up
Effective Customer Service
Marketing & Communication in Charities & Social Enterprise
Leadership & Management
Due to the cost-of-living crisis, we are seeing a massive increase in the number of people struggling to pay their energy bills, heat their homes and buy food to feed their families in Lewisham.
Lewisham Local is launching a Cost-of-Living Crisis Appeal to ask those who can afford it, to donate some of your council tax energy rebate or anything else to help others who are struggling in Lewisham.
