From Food Poverty to Flourishing Communities: How do we get there?

Flemington House, 110 Flemington St, Glasgow G21 4TD, UK

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As part of our programme of events for Scottish Interfaith Week, which this year has the theme of "community", we are building on the work of the Interfaith Food Justice Network to host this dialogue event exploring how we can move from food poverty to flourishing communities. 

Whether you are someone involved in delivering a food initiative, or simply someone concerned about these issues - this event is for you!

It has often been said that "no one in a rich nation should have to access food banks" and this is just what the Interfaith Food Justice Declaration stated when launched in 2016. Signatories from a wide range of food initiatives, community groups and faith communities committed to work together for change. 

But with the impacts of COVID and the Cost of Living crisis we now see an even greater reliance on food banks and other emergency food provision in Scotland. We also know that many food initiatives do a lot more than simply provide people with food. 

So how can we create the flourishing communities we want to see?

What is already working and what do we need to see more of?

We will hear from three engaging speakers from different backgrounds on the role of community in responding to food poverty; the values and beliefs that inform the work they do; and how involving people can make food projects more just and our communities better places to live.

We'll also hear about the broader attempts to tackle food poverty, including the Glasgow Food Plan and the Scottish Government's Cash First approach.

Having heard from our speakers and had a chance to ask questions, there will be time for group discussion and reflection.

You will receive a zoom link via email once you register for a place.

About our speakers: 

Aneel Singh Bhopal, Deputy CEO, WSREC and former volunteer at SEVA Scotland

Aneel has been involved in the third sector for over a decade supporting various causes in both paid and voluntary roles, leading on projects responding to environmental and equalities issues and supporting refugees, asylum seekers and new migrants. Aneel’s current role, as Deputy CEO of the West of Scotland Regional Equality Council (WSREC), involves management of the organisation, engagement with key partners and a specific oversight of 2 heritage projects supporting minority ethnic communities in Scotland. He is a regular contributor to BBC Scotland’s ‘Thought for the Day’. Aneel joined the Interfaith Food Justice Network when he worked as a volunteer with SEVA Scotland - a project that provides food for the homeless, bringing the Sikh concept of 'Langer' - a free communal meal - to the streets of Glasgow. 

 

Luke Devlin, Executive Director at the Centre for Human Ecology and co-editor of LESS magazine by Enough Scotland.

Luke Devlin is Executive Director of the Centre for Human Ecology, a member of the Catholic Worker Movement, and a member of the Enough Scotland Collective. A researcher, commentator and broadcaster on religious and social affairs, he is a contributor to BBC Radio Scotland's Thought for the Day and Sunday Morning, and Radio 4's Daily Service. This work includes communicating principles of liberation theology and how this applies to ecological and social justice - heeding 'the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor'. He has a long standing interest in food justice, sustainable food systems and agroecology, having been involved as a community development practitioner in the 'Beyond Food Banks' conference, in establishing and supporting food growing projects and community shops in priority areas, and in drafting the Interfaith Food Justice Declaration.
 
 

Zarina Ahmad, Climate Change Communicator and PhD Researcher at University of Manchester

One of the mighty women on Woman’s Hour’s 2020 Our Planet Power List, Zarina has dedicated herself to creating pathways for under-represented groups to work in environmental organisations. In response to the lack of specific data about ethnic minority groups and environmentalism, Zarina is now researching sustainable behaviours within BAME communities in the UK for a PhD at the University of Manchester. She is also a researcher on Food Justice project JustFACT, in London. Zarina has created spaces for marginalised women’s voices to be heard about climate issues, such as the Climate Sisters who exhibit their creative work at various venues such as the Glasgow Science Centre, and the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. A founding member of the Interfaith Food Justice Network's Development Group, Zarina was a driving force behind the creation of One Big Picnic - a huge, annual, free community meal on Glasgow's George Square.

 

 

 

This event will be facilitated by Project Leader at Interfaith Glasgow, Thalia Groucott. When Thalia isn't coordinating the Interfaith Food Justice Network, they work on communications and events at Glasgow Food Policy Partnership, who are implementing the Glasgow City Food Plan. They also run a food-focused craft group with the aim of generating conversations about our relationships with food and the food system, and are on the board of Dig In Community Greengrocers. Thalia will be offering an introduction to the topic and grounding our discussion within food policy work in Glasgow and across Scotland for this event.