Good Food Lewisham's Spring newsletter
Spring is in the air, the birds are singing, the sun is shining and this years seeds are starting to be sown.
This month we mark Food Waste Action Week 17-23rd of March. Food waste was a key action area in the Lewisham Good Food plan so we have worked hard on incorporating food waste into our events, training and and put together a recipe book for inspiration. There are lots of changes a foot including the new regulations with business food waste that have been announced. Business food waste
March is the perfect time to plant Onions sets (Small onion bulbs) and shallots. Also to plant your early potatoes, broad beans, carrots, parsnips, beetroot, onions, lettuces, radish, peas, spinach, summer cabbage, and salad leaves. When preparing the soil. Please keep dandelions for the hungry bees.
Lewisham is lucky to be hosting Capital Growths bumble bee ID training workshop Sat 15th March at Sydenham Gardens.
Grow together in Lewisham
Lewisham is one of the greenest boroughs in London.
If you are looking to start a new hobby, make friends, or get fit, how about connecting and joining a Lewisham Community Garden, via our Lewisham Local Directory?
If you need garden and growing guidance, we have developed a list of growing resources available on our website. Established community gardens are always great sources of knowledge to learn alongside and build up your confidence. Check out the Lewisham Local directory of gardens.
Food Waste Action Week 2025
This year, the UK’s biggest annual food waste reduction campaign will run from 17 –23 March 2025.
Food waste and business facts
Only 7% of the total food surplus in the UK retail and manufacturing sectors is currently being redistributed.
Food waste in the UK generates approximately 25 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, contributing to climate change.
On average, each person in the UK wastes around 70 kg of food per year, which is equivalent to 140 meals
According to ReLondon’s own analysis of London’s food footprint, over 500,000 tonnes of food is wasted from processing and manufacturing wholesale, retail and food service businesses in London every year.
New food waste legislation for Lewisham businesses
From Monday 31 March, a nationwide change to legislation will mean all commercial businesses and educational institutions (with 10+ employees) will be required to separate food waste for recycling. To make sure you’re compliant, please speak with your current waste carrier and or you can sign up for the Council's own commercial waste service, which includes separate food waste and recycling collection at competitive rates. Find out more about the Council’s commercial waste services.
Good Food Lewisham Network meeting roundup on food waste- February
We held a jam-packed network meeting on the subject of food waste at Good Food Lewisham's new home at Parkside Community Centre.
Lewisham Council's waste management team spoke about Lewisham’s waste management. They talked about composting and how to help your garden and reduce your what you throw away to make great soil for planting.
Good Food Local businesses Petit Village and Pristine Eats spoke about how they help their local communities by reducing, reusing and tips, tricks and events.
To become a Good Food Business please check out the Good Food Business Charter
The London Nutritionist, helped us compile some food waste recipes of the top wasted ingredients to help residents reduce food waste by using up common surplus food in innovative ways. Please find the the recipes in this link. Food Waste Recipes
Thank you Jo for writing and Min for compiling and illustrating.
If you have more recipes to add please email us at goodfood@lewishamlocal.com
Ways to Help save money and food
Love food Hate Waste A great website with a food portion calculator, recipe ideas type in the excess ingredient for recipes. Plus tips and tricks for recipe food planning and shopping, and preserving.
Too Good to go A mobile app and marketplace that connects consumers with local restaurants, cafes, and stores to buy surplus food at a discounted price helping to reduce food waste.
Olio A free app that connects neighbours and volunteers with local businesses to share surplus food and household items. Great for reducing food waste and foster communities.
New to the living wage movement? This event is for you
Join the Living Wage Foundation for an engaging and informative online session from 4pm on Thursday 20 March to welcome newly accredited employers to the network. It's a great opportunity to connect with our team and other accredited employers, and to discover how to make the most of your Living Wage accreditation.
Lewisham's fabulous Natasha Orumbie
Aka Vegan Patty Lady meets and spoken about by Sadiq the Mayor of London
Launch of the new INI Wellbeing Centre in Downham
Opened by Levi Roots (Reggae Reggae sauce)
Stella Headley - The Founder of RMUK and Levi Roots at the opening of the new INI Food and Wellbeing centre in Downham. A vibrant community space, designed to tackle food insecurity and social isolation. Includes a social supermarket, community kitchen, mini food hub, and safe community space for events, wellbeing and community building activities.
Read Action Against hungers write up of their partnership and the opening of the new Health and Wellbeing Hub article
For those interested in being part of this fabulous new food and wellbeing centre please contact https://www.rmukwellbeing.com/contact
To be connected to any other projects near to you in Lewisham
contact emma@lewishamlocal.com
Upcoming Events
Telegraph Hill Festival
March 29th - April 13th, 2025, this year’s Telegraph Hill festival is jam packed with events, workshops, and activities with something for everyone. Some fabulous food and gardening workshops that we wanted to highlight. pickling, kids cookery, batch cooking, composting, Indian bread and vegan samosa making. Compost making, how to boost soil, rainwater capture, how to create a mini pocket allotment.
Lewisham Warm Welcomes
Looking for a hot bowl of soup and a Warm Welcome? We have some fantastic community spaces listed in this years warm welcome map, many of which are providing food.
Training
Healthy Start Training Level 2 Lewisham & Southwark
Monday, March 31 · 9:30 - 11am
Citizens Advice, in collaboration with Food Roots partners, is offering a Healthy Start Plus training. This comprehensive training is designed to empower front-line staff and volunteers in various organisations with the skills and knowledge necessary to identify and support eligible individuals in applying for Healthy Start benefits.
This training is ideal for local authority teams, public health professionals, family support workers, and any front-line staff or volunteers who regularly engage with vulnerable communities in London.
Key Focus Areas:
Identifying Broader Issues: Learn to recognize and address wider issues affecting individuals and families, directing them to the appropriate advice services.
Active Listening & Referrals: Improve your active listening skills, understand how to effectively signpost to advice services, and gather essential information to make effective referrals to additional support services.
Comprehensive Support: Enhance your ability to provide thorough and informed support by connecting individuals to the most relevant resources and information available.
Save the date - Lewisham Food Justice Alliance Meeting
Wednesday 30th April AM
Please save the date for our next in-person event marking two years since the Food Justice Action Plan was launched. Come to reflect on what's been achieved and what is still to do. An invitation will be sent later with further details.- please email FoodJusticeActionPlan@lewisham.gov.uk to sign up to the Food Justice Alliance Mailing list to receive upcoming invites and news.
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