Full events detail

9:30 - 16:30

Community gardening and community food growing has recently seen a real surge in popularity and a subsequent rise in expectations and demand from communities on local authorities to support this process. With the GLA setting the target of 2,012 new food growing spaces by 2012 through the Capital Growth programme the challenge has been set for communities and Council's alike. At the same time the Government is developing policies to encourage communities to take on the management of public assets, which includes land as well as buildings. This conference aims to explore some of the opportunities and challenges that all this presents and to look at how communities and Councils can form effective partnerships to deliver these challenges and achieve a sustainable green legacy and community green infrastructure for the Capital.

Objectives

-To explore different approaches and mechanisms to deliver community gardening and food growing on public land.
-To explore the issues around communities managing their local open spaces.
-To demonstrate joint working and effective partnerships between local authority, private and voluntary sector.
-To share best practice and learn lessons & provide opportunities for networking between local authorities, voluntary sector and community groups.

Topics and Speakers

-Capital growth - the role and importance of community food growing - Rosie Boycott (London Food Board - Capital Growth).
-Urban food as a means of public engagement and as inspiration for design and management of public green spaces.
-The Community Land Bank - a proposed solution to the lack of land - Catherine Miller (Federation of City Farms & Community Gardens).
-Transfer of public assets to communities - the benefits, the challenges and the role of the ATU - Stephen Rolfe (Asset Transfer Unit).
-Edible Islington - investing in community.
-Community Management of Open Spaces.
-Afternoon Site Visits in Islington.