Working Group

A working group has been set up to look at food issues.

The contact for the Group is:
Margaret Campbell
0151 625 0608
ttwk.food@gmail.com .

2011-12 Food Group Projects

Active projects in 2011-12 include:
• a buying group for bulk storecupboard goods (eg flour),
• a box scheme or buying group for local fresh organic produce,
• a regular West Kirby farmers' market,
• sharing skills (breadmaking, preserving, foraging etc),
• exchange of surplus veg etc from gardens or allotments,
• offers to pick fruit/dig veg for those who can't manage,
• basic grow your own vegetables course, etc

We would like to encourage more people to come along and get involved in whatever way they can. We would also like to know which projects people would like to see up and running in West Kirby.
To give feedback, please click here to fill in a very short questionnaire.

Previous Food Group Projects

• West Kirby Garden Orchard
Our vision is for a fruit tree in every garden in West Kirby.
We have bought fruit and nut trees in autumn at a discounted price and have a network of people to help plant, care for and harvest from these trees.

• Free fruit trees for schools
We've offered fruit trees to all schools in West Kirby (taken up by four schools). There has been planting, pruning and harvesting activities with pupils.

• Transition Takeaway
Takeaway Vegetable Garden packs at stalls at events. Seed potatoes, onion sets and broad bean seeds, with full growing instructions, for a cost price of only 30p. Many of the packs were bought for children to have a go at GYO.

• Vegetable planters in town
We had a plan which had to be put off as we faced an unexpected bill from Wirral council of Ł2,400 for them to make six planters available in the town. For inspiration see Incredible Edible Todmorden

• Fruit tree mapping
We are currently looking at the technical aspects of mapping those fruit trees in the community which remain unpicked. We hope to set up project which aims to harvest surplus or unwanted fruit and distribute it to local groups and communities who need it.
To view details of a similar established project, see Abundance Manchester

• Planting Community Orchard
We are continuing to plant in association with Friends of Grange Park, with funding from Wirral Partnership Homes. So far there are apples, plums, damsons, cherries, medlars, mulberries, crab apples, figs, walnuts and cob nuts. As well as an opportunity for people to learn about planting and pruning trees, this will be a source of local fruit and a focal point for community activities eg harvest days.

• New allotment sites
We have been pressing the council for more allotments on Wirral, and getting involved in helping sites to become established as a community resource.

• Promote local food
We have made contact with local producers to develop a working relationship.

• Local Food Guide
We have started work on a Wirral Food Guide to promote local producers and retailers.

Food prices

Prices have been rising because of
• the rising middle classes throughout the world have been switching from cereals and eating a greater proportion of meat and dairy products - these are an inefficient way of producing food calories because of the amount of grain used
• the switch to biofuels (this is mainly converting food crops into fuel)
• recent poor harvests through climate change - droughts and floods

We feel that local sources of food should be identified and supported, and we are helping in the local campaigns for better provision of allotments

Organic food

Organic producers in the UK must be accredited with one of a number of certification bodies, of which the best known is the Soil Association. For more details on the certification bodies, see www.aboutorganics.co.uk/organic_information/organic_accreditation.htm.

(Organic standards for chickens and eggs go further than the requirements for 'free-range' chickens - see www.soilassociation.org/chickens)

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