Interview with Natalie Pearson – Lewes District Food Partnership

By Kerry Williams

Communications Officer - Conservation

We are all part of a wider ecosystem, and what we choose to eat is inextricably linked to our natural environment. When considering how we can protect wildlife, a good place to start is with our relationship with food. I spoke to Natalie, Coordinator at Lewes District Food Partnership, to find out more about what they do.

Tell us a bit about the Lewes District Food Partnership (LDFP)

We are one of many food partnerships across the country that work collaboratively on local food-related issues. Food impacts our health, climate change and the environment, the economy, community and culture, and we can't talk about food systems without recognising hunger and food insecurity.

Our purpose is to bring together people and organisations to build better local food systems that work for everyone. This means increasing access to, and promoting the benefits of, nutritious, seasonal and responsibly produced food, while trying to tackle the underlying causes of food poverty.

The LDFP formed in the wake of Covid-19, with a focus on tackling this major shock to the food system. Now, we have different working groups on emergency food, schools and young people, and community food initiatives to build a good food culture.

What are the organisation’s long-term goals?

We want to see more sustainable and dignified models of community food support, which means finding ways to reduce the stigma experienced by people having to use food banks, while building alternative ways to support people, such as by tackling the root causes of food poverty. We also want to see healthier food offered in schools and more opportunities for young people to engage in growing, which has the bonus of nurturing their relationship with the land. A good food culture for Lewes District would embrace the values of healthy and sustainable food and have more robust local supply chains to build a thriving and resilient local community.

Who do you work with?

Local government, national food organisations, small community projects, and local not-for-profit organisations. Ouse Valley Climate Action help to plant edible gardens that support biodiversity and run our annual food and climate summit with us.

Plumpton College is one of our partners, and we are looking to set up educational initiatives that link in with agroecology. We are setting up a twinning project between local farms and schools to enrich food education while bringing more local produce into school procurement. We have also just launched a project with Seasons Wholefoods and NHS social prescribers that provides recipe kits for families facing financial and health difficulties to help them put nutritious meals on the table while gaining confidence and cooking skills.

What are the impacts for nature, and how does the organisation tackle the biodiversity crisis?

We are part of a movement that want to see more sustainable farming practices replace the highly industrialised era of agricultural production responsible for much of the global carbon emissions, environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. The current system is wasteful, inequitable and vulnerable to shocks from political instability and climate change. In its place, there is traction for organic, agroecological, permaculture and low-impact farming. LDFP can make small but meaningful changes by funding community growing projects that have sustainable principles, expanding education and skills training, and championing environmentally conscious producers.

What are the benefits of growing your own, or visiting local farms and community gardens?

It helps us to appreciate where our food comes from. This is easy to lose sight of when much of the food available in supermarkets has travelled huge distances, is highly processed, or contains artificial ingredients. Involvement in growing helps you to appreciate freshness and quality and to learn what is seasonal.

Community gardens are joyful, inclusive spaces where people from all walks of life spend time in nature, work on meaningful tasks, and reap the benefits of increased wellbeing and community connection.

Supplementing your diet with even a small amount of food from your own garden, community garden or local organic farm can help to minimise the negative environmental impact of our food choices, support health and contribute to the local economy.

How can people get involved?

Check out your local Farmers Market to see what seasonal produce is on offer.

Give growing a go! Potatoes and courgettes are surprisingly easy. If you don’t have much space, try herbs and chillies on a windowsill.