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The local food project is a long term initiative that we hope to achieve in small steps over the next 5 years. En-form will be in partnership with local authorities and other interested groups such as The Green Network, CPRE, FOE etc.

It will be very locally based and encompass the districts of Colchester and Tendring and parts of Maldon, Braintree and Babergh.

Some of the benefits we hope to achieve with this project are:

1. To boost local agricultural incomes and create or save jobs in the country.

2. Reduction of food miles.

3. Creation of local market places to boost economic activity both direct and indirect.

4. Facilitate fresh, healthy and local food being available to local population particularly young people through schools and those that are at a social disadvantage.

5. Achieve health benefits as identified in the ''eat 5 pieces of fruit campaign'' promoted by the NHS and cancer charities.

6. Provide support for organic farming and some of the methods used.

7. Encourage our local Farmers and producers to work together for mutual benefit by sharing best practice, joint marketing and clubbing together to buy items at cheapest cost.

8. Education - to use this initiative to help children learn about issues involved with this subject and life cycles etc. To teach about farming, gardening, cooking, health and our local natural environment.

9. To preserve a rural way of life that complements the environment.

10. To increase tourism.

11. To promote sustainable farming to local producers.

How will we do this?

The first phase of the project will be:

1. To consolidate the existing farmers markets at Colchester and Dedham and use this experience to develop further markets particularly where there is a need and no current facilities. Colchester Farmers Market was relaunched in July 2003.

2. To launch an organic box scheme in Colchester and to look at the feasability of extending the scheme to other areas or products in future years. This was launched in July 2003 and now has over 120 members.

3. To produce a local food directory based on the districts of Colchester, Tendring, Maldon, Braintree and Babergh. This was published in February 2004.

4. To set up a database of local producers which will be freely available from en-form.

5. To employ a local food co-ordinator to achieve these tasks within 2 years and develop other aspects detailed below:

The Local Food Project was launched in April 2003. The major costs are for the member of staff and production of the food directory. We raised £50,000 for this project from the following funders:

National Lottery Seed £40,000
Colchester Borough Council £6,500
Tendring Rural Activity Grant £1000
Tendring District Council £500.
Colchester and East Essex Co-op £300.
en-form provided the surplus

Further phases of the project subject to the success of phase 1 may include:

1. Extending phase 1 projects to other areas, products.

2. Setting up a local food box scheme.

3. Setting up local food fayres, taster sessions and events.

4. Set up an e-commerce facility and website.

5. Setting up a Farmers Link scheme where farmers share resources and best practice.

6. Sustainable farming where for instance beehives are sited on farmland to provide honey and sheep used to graze orchards etc. Making the most of your land.

7. Promoting environmental concerns such as recycling- returning your egg boxes, jars, composting etc.

8. Cooking - to teach the population how to cook. A skill that has been lost in recent years. Surveys suggest that 80% of the population no longer know how to cook.

9. Getting fresh local produce into schools.

10. Getting local restaurants, pubs and shops to stock local food.

11. Arranging school visits to local farms.

12. Helping to promote local farms as tourist attractions.

13. Revitalising allotments and community gardens.

14. Possible link to LETS scheme to distribute surplus food and reduce waste

15. Production of local food newsletter. Available freely through box schemes, farmers markets etc.

16. Sustainable woodlands and community forests.

17. Health and nutrition advice.

18. Appreciation of countryside farming and local rural way of life.

19. Produce an educational package covering these subject areas.

20. To produce a case study of the project and how to guide for use by other groups nationally to help them learn from our experience. En-form is very keen on learning from others and to stop keep re-inventing the wheel.

Do you have any other ideas or projects which you think should be incorperated within the scheme. The ideas above have all been suggested by members of the community. Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at info@en-form.org.uk