Get Growing
From the OASES team, Josh, Tori, Rachel, Dyfan and Helen are delivering practical growing support with 16 schools and youth groups and 16 partnered community garden and allotments across County Durham. Over 300 volunteers, staff, children and young people have been supported to build raised beds, restore overgrown growing sites back into use and grow, taste and use the produce.
Dynamic Food Procurement
Food Durham is a member of the North East Sustainable Food Alliance (NESFA). An alliance of the food partnerships across the North East and Tees Valley. NESFA worked on a Dynamic Food Procurement (DFP) project, funded by the Dixon Foundation, to raise the profile of and promote and engage anchor institutions (larger public sector organisations) across the region with the concept. DFP is a procurement system that uses innovative technology to create an open digital marketplace that enables shorter, more transparent food supply chains which will deliver significant social, economic and environmental benefits. The work in the northeast is brought together anchor institutions and procurement organisations to promote the value of DFP.
It was hoped that as part of the research, a regional food hub could be established, during the pilot. Unfortunately, that did not happen, but NESFA and Food Durham are still keen to explore options to reduce food supply chains and use technology to maximise the benefits. If you are interested in finding our more, please visit https://www.dynamicfood.org/ to learn more about the organisations involved and opportunities available