Hello Sheffield. If my name looks familiar, it might be because I used to write these columns before taking nearly a year off on maternity leave. To returning readers, I hope you’re pleased to see me back in your local paper or blog feed; to anyone new, a warm welcome! As the Communications Coordinator for ShefFood, Sheffield’s food partnership, I’m stepping back into a role, and a local food movement, that has undergone some exciting shifts while I’ve been away.
A New Home and a Renewed Spark
If you haven’t caught up with our news recently, ShefFood has officially found a new home with Voluntary Action Sheffield (VAS), supported by Public Health at Sheffield City Council.
For those unfamiliar with the partnership, ShefFood is the home of Sheffield’s Good Food Movement. It is a collective of people from across Sheffield – including growers, community food providers, businesses, public sector workers and researchers – who want to see a more just and sustainable food system in our city and region. When a food system works properly for both people and the planet, it brings communities together, boosts local economies, and keeps us all healthier.
What We’ve Been Up To: June and July Debrief
Over June and July, we got straight down to business with a series of reconnection workshops across our working groups. We wanted to take stock of what’s happening in our neighbourhoods and listen to what local projects need to grow.
Here is a quick snapshot of the practical ideas sparked across our summer sessions:
With the Community Food group, we explored ways to support emergency and local food providers. Standout ideas included looking into a collective delivery van to share food distribution, establishing a central community kitchen in the city centre, and ensuring food support includes culturally appropriate options for our diverse communities.
At the Growing and Composting meeting, discussions focused on opening up access to land, especially getting more growing plots started in the North of Sheffield. Ideas ranged from running community composting training to advocating for smaller, more accessible allotment allocations.
In the Good Food Economy session, we looked at how local anchor institutions buy their food. Key topics included encouraging local schools to procure produce locally, supporting campaigns for business rate relief for good food traders, and advocating for automatic free school meal registration for families receiving benefit support.
We topped all of this off with our Good Food Movement Re-launch Event at The Circle on 8 July. It was a fantastic evening bringing together the people who make our local food system tick. With stalls, short talks, interactive games, and delicious local catering from RadMash, the event was a brilliant opportunity to showcase the sheer volume of grassroots effort already happening across Sheffield.
The Year Ahead: Working in Seasons
Looking ahead, we want to build on that summer momentum. Rather than getting bogged down in heavy policy documents, real action is the main ingredient for ShefFood this year.
To keep our work focused and accessible, we are shifting to a seasonal model. Each season will feature a specific theme, giving our partners, local businesses, and residents a clear, shared goal to rally around together.
First on the Menu: Our ‘Fast Food’ Campaign
To kick off this seasonal approach, we are launching our brand-new Fast Food campaign.
We are taking that phrase back to showcase quick, impactful stories of community projects feeding people across Sheffield. At our relaunch event, we invited representatives from local food organisations to give a five-minute showcase of their work. Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing video clips of these talks, alongside articles and social spotlights celebrating these local food heroes.
How to Get Involved
There is plenty more on the horizon, including more working group events to get involved in and upcoming opportunities to join our expanded Steering Group.
To stay in the loop with all our latest news, events, and future campaign call-outs, make sure to sign up for our newsletter on the ShefFood website. You can also follow our journey, watch the campaign videos, and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram at @sheffoodsocial.
It is good to be back at the table. Here’s to a fresh season of good food, practical action, and strong community connections in Sheffield!