Author: Zoe Parker

Nominate People involved in Leeds Food Growing

By Zoe Parker

Published 22nd December 2025

Do you know local heroes or projects in your community that deserve recognition?

We want to celebrate the people and projects who are putting local food growing at the heart of what they do in Leeds. Maybe you know a cool local growing project, an enthusiastic young person doing great things in a community garden, or a local enterprise really making a difference? You can nominate them for the Feed Leeds Food Growing Awards 2026 you can nominate in 5 categories and as many people or projects as you like. Know someone who fits the bill?

We invite you to nominate inspiring people and projects in the following five categories!

1. Most Enthusiastic Young or School Gardener (up to the age of 25) – Tell us about the young people in Leeds making a difference. Do you know a young gardener who inspires you?

2. Outstanding Community Champion  –  Who is your local community champion? Tag them and let us know why they deserve recognition!

3. Best Community Food Growing Enterprise or Initiative – Feed Leeds wants to showcase food growing projects that are helping communities become more sustainable and resilient. It could be a project that teaches people to grow their own food, a community orchard, one that supplies fresh produce to local food banks and community kitchens, or one that teaches people to make their own compost at home. Nominate a project that has helped others. What impact has this initiative had on your / their community?

4. Best Local Business Supporting Local Food Growing Enterprises – Local retailers and restaurants play an integral role in supporting local food growing enterprises, helping them to be financially viable. We want to discover the retail businesses, caterers, cafes, and restaurants supporting local food growing enterprises so we can celebrate their vision and commitment to supporting the Leeds local food network. Who do you think should be nominated for their exceptional support?

5. Best Community Composting Group – Composting food scraps is a great way to reduce carbon emissions and return nutrients back to the soil. Community composting is on the rise and Feed Leeds is keen to celebrate who is leading the way. Composting groups can be within a school, in a community gardening project, or amongst friends and neighbors. Do you know a group that is doing amazing work in composting?

Winners will be announced at the Feed Leeds AGM Celebration on Monday 9 February 2026 5:30-8:30pm* at Meanwood Valley Urban Farm.

*Doors open 5:30pm, awards at 6pm, shared meal from 7:15pm followed by networking. 

If you know inspirational people or groups involved in food growing in Leeds, we’d love you to nominate them!
know inspiring local people and projects involved in leeds food growing
Nominations are open until Sunday 1 February 2026.

Ready to nominate local people and projects?

Click Now

Statement on FoodWise Leeds

By Zoe Parker

Published 10th December 2025

Statement on FoodWise Leeds, 10 December 2025

In July 2025, Zest announced an intention to cease operations on 31st December 2025. Zest currently hosts Foodwise Leeds (FWL) and is contracted by Leeds City Council (LCC) to oversee the development of the Leeds Food Partnership. In addition to co-ordinating the partnership, FoodWise Leeds generates additional funding to address challenges and progress opportunities identified through the Leeds Food Strategy, and wider work, to support its aims and delivery.  As a result of the closure of the host organisation, LCC is currently reprocuring the service and is aiming to award a contract for a new host organisation for the FoodWise team in the new year.

A message from Juli Thompson, Chair of FoodWise Leeds Advisory Board.

This transition marks a significant moment, we remain optimistic about the future. We are hopeful that a new host organisation will come forward in the new year to continue this vital work, ensuring that the momentum behind the Leeds Food Strategy and our shared commitment to a healthier, fairer, and more sustainable food system for Leeds is maintained. We look forward to working closely with partners across the city to support a smooth transition for the FoodWise team and the wider Leeds Food Partnership.

Mapping Leeds’ Community Food Growing

By Zoe Parker

Published 4th December 2025

Complete the Community Food Growing Survey

We have teamed up with  Fruit Works Co-op to develop the Leeds Food Growing Network (LFGN). This is a citywide initiative to connect the many people and places involved in community growing food across Leeds and to amplfy their voices. While growers often focus on their own patch, there’s huge value in sharing knowledge, spotting gaps, and celebrating what’s working well.

To kick things off, we’re running a Community Food Growing Survey.

This survey will help us build a better understanding of the community food growing scene across Leeds. The project is funded by Y-PIP’s Communities Innovating Yorkshire Fund (CIYF), which backs place-based projects around inclusive economy, creativity, and climate action. More about the LFGN and this initiative here.

This survey is designed to be completed by anyone growing food with others in a community space within the Leeds City Council boundary. It is not intended for private home gardens and allotments.

As a thank you, everyone will be entered in a prize draw for a chance to win a £50 voucher from Beardsworths who are a large, local wholesale nursery growing hardy trees, shrubs, perennials and hedging, conveniently located by Junction 26 of the M62.

We’ve tested this survey and it takes less than 10 minutes.
The deadline for submission is Sunday 18 January 2026 (midnight).

Please share the link with others who may not be on social media.

If you’re involved in community food growing in Leeds, we’d love to hear from you — your insights will shape what comes next.

Can you spare 10 minutes to tell us about your community food growing

Complete the Survey

And be in with a chance of winning £50 voucher!

Find out More

Space to Grow

By Zoe Parker

Published 30th November 2025

Realising the potential of the community gardening movement in the UK.

In early 2025, the RHS set out to understand the scale, impact and needs of the UK’s diverse community gardening groups by launching the National Community Gardening Survey – the largest of its kind. The results have now been published and the numbers speak volumes. Over 2.5 million adults have taken part in community gardening in the past three years, and 14.7 million more say they’d love to get involved. Read their full article

Who are RHS?

RHS (the Royal Horticultural Society) are UK’s gardening charity, helping people and plants to grow.

Their mission is to be there on people’s lifelong journey with gardening – to bring happiness, health, stronger communities and a thriving natural world.

With 220 years of experience, they support gardeners of all ages with expert advice, community and schools projects, scientific research, professional qualifications, our five RHS Gardens, and events including the iconic RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Community gardens do more than grow plants – they grow pride, purpose and connection.

Community gardening groups empower people with new skills, and serve as a space for cultural exchange, intergenerational learning and friendship.25 They offer a welcoming environment for people to begin their gardening journey, or simply to belong.

Call to Action from RHS two people digging in a flower bed

Useful Links & Resources

Space to grow cover of pdf two people of different ethnicities gardening
statistics of aduts community gardening
Download the Report

Bang in Some UK Beans

By Zoe Parker

Published 26th November 2025

As part of the Food Foundations’s campaign to get the UK doubling their bean consumption, we are spilling the beans on UK grown and produced beans and pulses.

The Food Foundation want to see a UK where everyone – regardless of income – is empowered to cook and eat beans.They want to see more beans available and in more delicious ways: on supermarket shelves, in schools, and on menus when eating out and about. All of which makes them much easier to access and more appealing for you! With food prices rising again, beans and pulses offer an affordable, healthy and sustainable solution. More than that you can buy locally grown and produced bean and other pulses right here in the UK.

Why are we banging on about beans?

Because beans are a win-win-win for climate, health and your wallet.

collections of packets of beans lentils and peas

If you are wondering where to buy your UK pulses, Hodmedod’s is the place to start. They specialise in a wide range of British Grown Pulses many of which are less common. From Fava (broad) beans to Carlin Peas, from Flamingo Peas to Olive Green Lentils, you can buy these British grown pulses canned, dried or roasted. Some of their varieties are “forgotten” or less widely grown — like fava beans (broad beans), and a variety of carlin peas (the original northern mushy peas). Places you can buy these beans and pulses include Hodmedod’s own website,  Ethical Superstore, Suma, Leeds Veg Box, Greens Grocers, Natural Food Store Headingley, Holland and Barrett, the Bold Bean Co use their beans for many  of their products. Bold Beans Co are stocked in Leeds by Waitrose, Tesco, Morrison and Sainsbury’s.

beans in a pan
“Beyond health, beans and pulses’ nitrogen-fixing properties boost soil health, reduce reliance on fertilisers, and help meet biodiversity and climate goals—all with a low carbon footprint.”

HENRY Gets a Makeover

By Zoe Parker

Published 21st November 2025

New Leeds HENRY website makes it even easier to find sessions that Support whole-family wellness

HENRY Healthy Families Growing Up programmes, now including 5-12’s, explore key themes such as; well-being, whole family lifestyle habits, mealtimes, TV, sleep, food, behaviour, setting boundaries, parenting and physical activity. Programmes are delivered across Leeds and online and there is no cost to attend.

These free courses are a fantastic opportunity for families to embrace healthier habits and create positive changes together. The Healthy Families Growing Up Programme is suitable for any parent or carer with at least one child aged 5-12 years. We have programmes available at various locations across Leeds, as well as an online option that parents can join from the comfort of their homes. Find out more from School Wellbeing website here

Why it Matters
  • HENRY family support works – 97% of families who join a HENRY family programme are leading a healthier lifestyle by the programme’s end.
  • Independent evaluation has shown that families make long term lifestyle changes, and parents themselves often describe our support as ‘life-changing’.
“I got lots of ideas about how to help my family and make healthier choices for us all.”

Useful Links & Resources

Healthy Healthy start brighter future pdf
Download 5-12 delivery leaflet
kids of different genders and ethnicities smiling and laughing
Download Families Growing Up Information
map
Click for HENRY Map - Leeds Locations
kids happy healthy illustrations diverse in ethnicity hair styles genders

More useful links, recipes, nationwide Henry support near you and healthy eating resources.

Go to HENRY Homepage

Opportunities,Jobs & Funding

By Zoe Parker

Published 9th November 2025

Explore Exciting Opportunities in the Good Food Movement

Discover courses, meet-ups, funding support, and career opportunities in the Leeds good food movement.

Looking for more? Browse even more jobs, events, and funding opportunities over on Doing Good Leeds here or find national sustainable food jobs on Roots to Work here.

Fusion Cafe are Hiring!

Fusion Cafe at  Reginald Centre are urgently looking for a Cafe Manager (and cook) to join their team. 16hrs per week Mon- Fri 10-2 pm each day. To find out more contact Tashi (pronouced tash-eye)

Telephone:  0113 3070300

Email: admin@blackhealthinitiative.org

Leeds Veg Box are Hiring!

Veg Box Manager

Amount: 12.60 per hour

More info : here

Application deadline: 23/11/2025

Hyde Park Source

Looking for a new Office & Operations Co-ordinator to join the team.

Amount: up to £28,538

Website: https://www.hydeparksource.org/join-the-team.html

Application deadline: 11/12/2025

Eat Your Greens – Kitchen Crew

We’re hiring! Head Chef Ben is on the lookout for a couple of full-time chefs to join us at Eat Your Greens.
All levels welcome, from Commis to Sous Chef. If you love great food and want to work in a creative, friendly kitchen, send us a short intro and your CV.

email: kitchen@eatyourgreensleeds.co.uk

Community Garden Grants

The funding of up to £5000 is for the creation of a garden or a similar project  for the benefit of the local community.

Application deadline: 20/10/2025

Find Out More

How the Environment Shapes our Health

Join us for this online course if you are curious about how the environment shapes our health. Open to people working or interested in Public health.

13 October 12.00 (Midday) online

Find Out More

Community Gardening Meet-Up

The RHS is organising a programme of free Community Gardening Meet-Up event to support community gardeners bring benefits of gardening to more local people.

Thursday 9 October 2025 at Thackray Museum

Find Out More

World Health Day

Join Global Food and Environment Institute (GFEI) for this online event for World health day about Women’s Everyday experiences in Malawi agriculture and social relations.

Find Out More

Good food, Fair Future

By Zoe Parker

Published 31st October 2025

Sustainable Food Partnerships Unite at Parliament to Drive a Good Food Future

Sonja Woodock, the Sustainable Food Places (SFP) coordinator for the Leeds Food Partnership will heading down to Parliament on 5 November for the SFP Day of Celebration and Action 2025

The Sustainable Food Places Day of Celebration and Action took place on Wednesday November 5 2025. This was an occasion to convene in Parliament to showcase and celebrate the important work of our network, strengthen our relationships with our MPs and step into our roles as experts on issues that matter the most to their constituents. The focus this year is Food Partnerships enable healthy, sustainable, and affordable food in your constituency. This year is a key moment in food and farming, including the development of a national Food Strategy that recognises the role of vibrant local food cultures

The UK-wide Sustainable Food Places network convenes 123 food partnerships who link up local authorities, community organisations, farmers, businesses and residents to roll out innovative projects improving access to healthy, sustainable food, strengthening supply chains and celebrating local food identity.

Click on the link to find out more.

Why it Matters
  • It gives national visibility to local food action, elevating grassroots solutions into parliamentary and policy discussions.
  • It builds stronger collaboration between local partners and MPs, which can influence policy and secure funding or legislative support.
  • It reinforces the idea that transforming food systems is not just an agricultural/farming matter but spans public health, community development, environment and local economy.
Together, we can make Leeds a healthier, more sustainable and more equitable place to live.
MP Alex Sobel and Sonja Wood cock

SFP day of Celebration

Read More

Find out More
day of celebration and caction image of people

🌱 Join the Movement

 

Want to help shape Leeds’ food future? Here’s how you can get involved:

✅ Join 850+ Leeds Citizens and Take Action as an Individual, Food Business or Organisation

✅ Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates

✅ Sign the Leeds Food Charter and commit your organisation to the city’s good food movement

over 120 food partnerships 40 mps 3 main asks
recognise and mandate food partnerships in every local authority
introduce statutoru food poverty action plans and auto enrolment for Healthy Start and Free school Meals in England

Inside Leeds Recycling Hub

By Zoe Parker

Published 30th October 2025

What happens to your  recycling after it leaves your green bin?

Sonja Woodcock, our Sustainable Food Partnership Coordinator recently visited the Leeds Materials Recycling Facility (MRF)— which is the place where all our green bins get sorted. The visit was organised by community composting champion Annie Whitehead, and it offered a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how our city manages its recycling. It was also pause to reflect on how much waste we produce and why reducing and reusing are more important than ever. Hear about the visit form Sonja’s perspective.

recycling in leeds

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Recycling

When our mixed recycling arrives at the MRF, it first passes through a giant trommel, a huge rotating drum that separates out larger pieces of plastic and glass. From there, the materials travel across a series of conveyor belts, where teams of skilled workers sort through them by hand. Across three shifts, around 30 pickers per shift carefully separate aluminium from tin, plastic films from bottles, and cardboard from other packaging. Once sorted, these materials are baled and sent to specialist facilities for recycling — most of them right here in the UK.

The Bigger Picture: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

While the MRF’s work is incredibly impressive, one message stood out clearly: we can’t recycle our way out of overconsumption. The facility is doing an amazing job managing our waste, but the volume itself is unsustainable. Much of what’s recycled is packaging from processed food and drink — items we could often reduce or avoid entirely. If we focus more on the first two steps of the waste hierarchy — Reduce and Reuse — we’ll not only ease pressure on recycling facilities but also benefit our own health and wellbeing.

“Watching this process in action was fascinating. However, the sheer volume of recyclable material is staggering — a sobering reminder of just how much waste our city produces.”

Leeds’ Long History of Recycling

We were also treated to a short talk from Henry Irving, who shared the history of recycling in Leeds dating back to World War II. It turns out Leeds has long been ahead of the curve when it comes to recycling and resource recovery — something I hadn’t really thought about before. You can read more about this in this article: The Secret Library

person in white hard hat recycling rubbish

Top Tips from the MRF Team

If you’re wondering how to recycle more effectively at home, here are a few simple but important tips from the experts at the MRF:

  • Rinse your plastics to avoid contamination — this really matters.
  • Flatten plastic bottles and put the lid back on — it saves space and helps the sorting machines.
  • No batteries in the green bin — they’re a major fire hazard.
  • Only put recyclable materials in your green bin — when in doubt, check before you chuck it.
“It’s incredible to see the hard work that goes into sorting and recycling what we so casually toss into our bins — and it’s a powerful reminder that the best way to manage waste is to create less of it in the first place.”
recycling funnel
Leeds RMF

The Rural Racism Project

By Zoe Parker

Published 27th October 2025

Black Food Matters: from markets to makers, books to reports, here is the first of the many great projects and campaigns to be aware of, beyond Black History Month.
black woman on a bench on a beach holding a red telephone looking out to sea

Produced by Feel Good Films, this short film follows the lives of three minoritised ethnic people living in rural England and features the testimonies of participants who generously shared their stories. The film brings to life key findings from The Rural Racism Project: Towards an Inclusive Countryside, exploring themes of racism, belonging and identity in rural spaces.

This is a two-year study and represents one of the most comprehensive investigations to date into the lived experiences of racially minoritised communities in rural and semi-rural areas of the UK. Drawing directly from participant testimonies and co-produced insights, the research offers a platform for more inclusive narratives to support change across multiple sectors and to reshape national conversations about race and inclusion in rural England. To increase public understanding and institutional engagement, the project incudes many outputs, including two poems by Leeds-based award-winning author, Black Girls hike leader and academic Emily Zobel Marshall.

Watch the film here

The project highlights the key barriers to racial inclusion in rural spaces and outlines evidence-based recommendations for improving access, representation, and safety. You download the report and recommendations here.

Food at the Heart of Rotary Clubs

By Zoe Parker

Published 3rd October 2025

The FoodSavers Network have been working at a local and global level to place food at the heart of community action.

Through partnerships with Rotary Clubs worldwide, Inn’s Churches and the Foodsavers’ Network have been advocating for food to be recognised as central to each of the Rotary Foundation’s core areas of focus:

  1. Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution – supporting peacebuilding and mediation, reducing conflict.

  2. Disease Prevention and Treatment – improving health care access, fighting diseases like polio, HIV/AIDS, malaria.

  3. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) – providing clean water, sanitation facilities, and hygiene education.

  4. Maternal and Child Health – reducing mortality rates, providing essential medical services for mothers and children.

  5. Basic Education and Literacy – supporting schools, teacher training, and literacy programs.

  6. Community Economic Development – helping communities become self-sustainable through job creation, entrepreneurship, and local economic growth.

Building on the expertise of Gemma and Effie from Leeds University, and FoodWise Leeds, who  have carried out valuable research into food hubs and their role in strengthening communities, the FoodSavers Network has been able to expand its knowledge base and create practical solutions for addressing food insecurity.

Read FoodSavers Network Impact Report here and the magic of rotary research  here.

With the support of Research Retold, this work was presented directly to the International President of Rotary, Stephanie Urchick, and the President of Rotary in England and Wales, Eve Conway, demonstrating how food-focused initiatives can create sustainable change across multiple areas of Rotary’s mission.

At the same time, the FoodSavers Network’s impact reached an international stage when their work was included in the Soroptimists’ Intersecting Crisis Report, which was presented at the United Nations.

You can read more about this work in the links and call to actions.

text based image of downloadable pdf click image

FoodSavers Impact Report

Download the report on tackling food insecurity and building financial resilience.

Download the Impact Report

Food in Rotary

Download Food in Rotary – the missing ingredient

Download the report

Read about Rotary Food

Rotary Food Champions PDF written and produced with Research Retold

Download Research Retold PDF

National Bean Challenge

By Zoe Parker

Published 18th September 2025

Fresh Campaign to double bean consumption for health and planet.

The Food Foundation and Veg Power, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, today announced the November launch of a new UK-wide campaign with a simple mission: to get people eating more beans and pulses.

Strategic and creative agency ARK—founded by Mat Goff, former Adam & Eve CEO, and Mike Wilton, former Anomaly MD—has been appointed to deliver the ambitious digital campaign.

This new initiative builds on the proven success of Eat Them To Defeat Them and Peas Please, which have reached 36 million people since 2019 and driven over 1.1 billion extra portions of veg sales across the UK.

With food prices rising again, beans and pulses offer an affordable, healthy and sustainable solution. They are high in fibre, rich in protein, and provide key nutrients including potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc—all while counting towards 5-a-day. Yet only 4% of Brits get enough fibre and just 17% hit their daily fruit and veg target.

key facts in colourful boxes

Beyond health, beans and pulses also support the planet. Their nitrogen-fixing properties boost soil health, reduce reliance on fertilisers, and help meet biodiversity and climate goals—all with a low carbon footprint.

The Food Foundation and Veg Power are  calling on chefs, retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers, food service companies, youth organisations, community groups and caterers to join the “bean revolution” by serving, selling, and promoting beans like never before.

 
Will you join the campaign?

Beans aren’t just good for you—they’re good for nature, good for the planet, and good for your wallet.

 

Up for the Challenge?

Can you eat double the amount of beans and pulses?

From lentils, to broad beans to  peas, there are so many varieties to choose from. Help your own health and the health of the planet with just one more portion of beans every day this autumn.

Find Out More