I think the 'Dig In tour' ice cream van
should stop at one our your events, should i let them know?

jen x




---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: re: E-bulletin from the Federation of City Farms and Community
Gardens
From: "Ken Elkes" <ken@...>
Date: Mon, March 16, 2009 4:35 am
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

With spring on its way, there are a number of new initiatives being
launched around food growing which may be of interest to FCFCG members.
Please look out for updates and further information in your copy of
Growing Places, our printed members' newsletter, or in our FCFCG
e-newsletter or online at
www.farmgarden.org.uk<http://www.farmgarden.org.uk/>


1. Local Action on Food Network

This is a new initiative aiming to support local and regional activity
that promotes healthy and sustainable food. It aims to:
- Improve the security and sustainability of the nation's food
system
- Improve everyone's access to healthy and sustainable food for all
- Protect and promote a diverse food culture

Joining Local Action on Food is open to all, including city farms and
community gardens. However there is an annual fee of £20 for community
projects and £40 for voluntary organisations, social enterprises and
commercial bodies with a turnover of less than £100k per year.

Benefits include:

* Members' magazines and membership of email newsgroups.
* Regular funding round-ups
* Networking opportunities
* Advice on a range of issues around sustainable food, including
specific advice for food coops, and on distribution and supply issues.
* Influence on national policy making processes, through Sustain's
extensive contacts and policy development experience.
* Regular events and seminars that are focused on Local Action on Food
issues.

For more details go the Sustain Website
<http://www.sustainweb.org/page.php?id=539>


2. Dig In Campaign from the BBC

Dig In is a BBC Learning campaign to encourage the nation, in particular
first time growers and young families, to grow and cook their own
vegetables. Launching on Gardener's World and CBeebies in April 2009, Dig
In will show first timers that they can grow and cook their own food
anywhere. The campaign will provide free seed starter packs to encourage
people to have a go.

The aims of the Dig In campaign are:


* To provide information and support to enable people to successfully
grow and cook their own fruit and vegetables
* To inspire participation from a diverse audience of first time
growers by presenting growing and cooking as fun, accessible activities
for everyone
* To encourage established growers and cooks to share knowledge and
advice with first timers
* To celebrate the sense of achievement and satisfaction of growing and
cooking your own fruit and vegetables, motivating people to continue in
the future


A Dig In tour will act as an outreach arm of the Dig In campaign and will
take place from April to September 2009. A Dig In branded ice-cream van
will tour the UK, setting up at BBC Big Screen city centres and
horticultural events to encourage the audience to engage in Dig In
activities. Where possible the Dig In Tour will also harness the
relationship between the BBC Big Screens and the city councils to
encourage local sector partners to participate and extend the activities
taking place on location.

Keep an eye out for more information on the BBC Gardeners World
website<http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardenersworld/> in April. If you think the
Dig In tour should stop at one of your events, let us know.



3. Eat Seasonably

This campaign seeks to inspire and enable people to eat more locally in
season fruit and vegetables, and assist them to grow their own. It will
see a coalition of major businesses and civil society organisations launch
a period of practical, additional, collaborative activity supported by a
central Defra-funded project team at The Climate Group.

The campaign is working in partnership with the organisers of The Big
Lunch, a day (Sunday 19th July) when people will be encouraged to sit down
to lunch together, with their neighbours, in the street.

Growing fruit and vegetables will be one of its central launch messages:
the lunch day provides an achievable and inspiring aiming point for those
people giving growing a first attempt.

A website is being created which will provide more information and we'll
keep you posted about any further developments.
*




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