Stockport is amongst the latest to achieve membership of the Sustainable Food Places network, which supports its efforts to make local, healthy, and sustainable food available to all in its area. Food plays a central part in some of the biggest social, economic and environmental issues we face, from the number of families living in food poverty, to the increasing impact of obesity on people’s health, to the amount of food that is wasted.

The Stockport Food Partnership, a cross-sector steering group including Stockport Council, community and charitable organisations, and industry, has been developing since late 2022. They have hosted numerous workshops with people from all over the Stockport food system to develop structure and priorities, creating the Stockport Food Plan. This plan is designed to adapt to changing needs but has at its heart three core priorities for the coming year:

• Reduce food poverty in Stockport
• Improve community food education
• Reduce food waste from businesses

Leon Ballin, Sustainable Food Places Programme Manager, added: “In over 100 places across the UK, individuals and organisations have been coming together to develop a joint vision of the kind of food culture and food system they would like to see, and they are working together to make that vision a reality. Stockport has shown a real ambition to transform things for the better and we are delighted to be able to support them in achieving their goals further.”

The food partnership comprises many members, including Re:dish, a charity focused on re-distributing good food around the community of Reddish. Their projects focus on tackling food poverty and improving the wellbeing of local people. They have recently opened the Good Stuff social supermarket in partnership with Greater Together Manchester. It offers low cost, healthy food to members. The community have responded positively, with one new member saying: “I can’t believe that something like this is available for me, no one has ever done anything like this for people like me before.”

Another member of the partnership, The Cultural Food Bank, the first of its kind in Stockport, offers community members access to familiar and traditional foods integral to their cultural identity and wellbeing. It also supports people in budgeting and offers cooking and wellness-focused classes. Since May 2020, it has provided a reliable source of nourishment, particularly for vulnerable populations facing food insecurity.

Stockport Food Partnership are currently exploring funding opportunities to employ a dedicated Food Partnership Coordinator to expand the programme further.

For more information and updates visit the Sustainable Food Places website