If you hear the phrase “fast food”, you’re probably picturing a processed chain meal eaten in a rush. At ShefFood, Sheffield’s food partnership, we are taking that phrase back. For us, Fast Food is about quick, powerful stories that showcase how fast, nourishing, accessible, and community-centred local food can truly be.
Joining Up Sheffield’s Good Food Movement
One of the greatest things about Sheffield is the sheer volume of grassroots activity happening across our neighbourhoods every single day. From community gardens and food halls to emergency food providers and mutual aid kitchens, our city is packed with people feeding their neighbours, sharing skills, and creating welcoming spaces around food.
However, because everyone is working hard in their own corner of the city, all this brilliant work can sometimes feel a bit fractured. Practical action is the main ingredient for us this year, and our goal is to connect the dots so everyone can access good food and local groups can easily support one another.
Five Minutes to Inspire
To get the ball rolling, we invited representatives from local food organisations to step onto the stage at our recent Good Food Movement re-launch event at The Circle. Each speaker had just five minutes to share their mission, explain how they work with food in Sheffield, and get their message out to the wider community. Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing these 5-minute showcases on our website and social channels, alongside articles highlighting their work.
Meet Our Summer Showcase Organisations
To kick off our series, here is a taste of the inspiring organisations featured in our first showcase.
First up is Luke Martin from the Community Roots Collective (CRC CIC). Luke and his team specialise in education, vocational training, agriculture, and homeless outreach. They use growing and food skills to bring young people together, building valuable life skills that open up employment opportunities and foster real community pride. You can follow their work on Instagram (@dutchpotinternational), TikTok (@dutch.pot.interna), and YouTube (@Dutchpotinternational).
Next, we heard from Ananya at RadMash (Sheffield Radical Mutual Aid). Operating on the core principle of “solidarity, not charity”, RadMash works to build community resilience across Sheffield. Alongside providing meals for local justice movements, they host a free public meal on the last Saturday of every month, creating a warm, welcoming space where anyone can sit down and share a hot meal with their neighbours. Connect with them on Instagram (@sheff_radical_mutual_aid).
Drawing on years of experience in food sustainability and local culture, Gabriela Socol founded Hope 4 Sheffield to bring people together through heritage, education, and shared meals. They are opening a brand-new Social Community Café on 1st September, designed as an inclusive space for local residents alongside cultural workshops and training sessions. Keep up with their launch and upcoming events on Facebook via the Hope 4 Sheffield Page.
Based in Burngreave, Jenny Tibbles represented Green City Action, an initiative that brings residents together through community growing, eco-projects, and practical outdoor learning to foster genuine collective pride in local spaces. You can find them on Facebook and Instagram (@greencityaction).
We also have a special feature coming up with Angela Hiley, Gardening Lead at Arbourthorne School, who will be showing us how school gardens are helping nourish young minds and teaching sustainability to Sheffield’s next generation.
Get Involved with the Series
Sheffield is a national example of how community food action can thrive, and we want to shout about it both locally and nationally.
If you run a local food project and would like your organisation featured in our next cohort of Fast Food showcases, we would love to hear from you. Get in touch at [email protected].
To watch the 5-minute showcase videos, read their full stories, and stay up to date with the latest news across the city, make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @sheffoodsocial and sign up for our newsletter on the ShefFood website. Together, let’s join up our city’s food movement and make good food accessible to everyone.