It’s not always easy to get a new project started or to keep an existing project going. We understand the many challenges that projects face – for example finding funding and recruiting and retaining volunteers – and we’re here to help.

The Food Partnership and Harvest project offers support to community and school food projects across Brighton &

Hove such as food growing projects, community composting, bulk buying groups, groups involved with sharing and cooking food, healthy eating activities, and new and existing groups that want to develop food into their area. Whether you’re thinking of starting a new project, or if you’re already involved in a project, we can help. Although we can’t always provide funds for your project and we don’t have the capacity to start or run them ourselves, we can offer your group the tools you need to run a thriving project. Here are some of the ways we can help:

General support for groups

Funding: the Food Partnership runs an annual small grants scheme for healthy eating, cooking and growing projects. We accept applications between November and February each year. The funding is awarded in March and the maximum grant size is £1000. We also offer advice on other funders for food projects.

Advice and information: we can provide advice about funding, information about insurance & legal structures, resources and tips about growing fruit & vegetables. Just give us a call for a chat or arrange a more in-depth one-to-one session. Or have a look at someresources for groups online.

Networking: Harvest organises events and meetings for food projects to bring people together to share information, tips and experiences. The next networking event is on 22 May, more info.

Access to volunteers: need more pairs of hands? Harvest can advertise your project on our website and in our newsletters to help you recruit new volunteers to help out and get involved.

Linking up: we’re in touch with lots of food projects around the city so if you’re looking to get involved with something in your area or on a particular topic please contact us.

Food growing

Food growing workshops: If you can provide a venue and sufficient numbers, we can offer a short talk or practical workshop with an experienced grower on a range of gardening topics such as but not limited to: planning your plot, container gardening, seasonal tasks, making good compost, building raised beds and other DIY jobs in the garden or cooking with seasonal gluts.

Advice about land: have you got great ideas & a team of willing gardeners but no land for growing? Harvest can work with groups to secure a suitable piece of land for a project so get in touch if you’ve spotted a piece of land near you.

Garden shares: We run the Grow Your Neighbours Own garden share scheme which enables individuals to share their unused gardens or allotments with a neighbour who’s seeking space for growing.

Support for growing projects: we can provide advice about funding, information about insurance & legal structures, resources and tips about growing fruit & vegetables. Just give us a call for a chat or arrange a more in-depth one-to-one session. Harvest also works with lots of experienced growers who can share their skills and experience to help you make the most of your gardening project. School and community growing projects can apply to receive between 6 and 20 hours of practical gardening sessions.

Cooking, buying and sharing food

Food swaps and seasonal recipes: The Food Partnership’s community cookery team can also offer training, recipes and other advice on cookery groups and seasonal eating. Or why not organise a food swap or shared meal to bring your community together?

Buying groups and co-ops: Food buying groups (or ‘co-ops’) are an exciting way for communities to make good food more affordable by buying in bulk. There are a range of models but we can offer advice if your neighbourhood or community group would like to look at setting one up.

Recipes, workshops and cookery demonstrations: through our Love Food Hate Waste project we can offer tips and advice to help you make the most of your food.

Information about healthy eating: our community nutrition team can offer advice or workshops on healthy eating and activity, all with an explanation of the ‘eatwell plate’ which should be used as the basis of a healthy and balanced diet. They can also loan or signpost you to useful healthy eating resources.

Composting

Community composting: Many people living in the city don’t have access to a garden and can’t compost at home. That’s why we’re developing a network of points across the city where communities can compost and turn their waste into a useful resource. Community composting can take place at a community centre, library, allotment site, or a disused space in your neighbourhood. We can offer a range of support on securing a space, getting your bins and making compost successfully.

To find out more contact Ann Baldridge, Harvest Development Officer, on 01273 431718 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Download this information in a document (pdf, 131kb).