Publication
Community food initiatives in Scotland: activities and issues
| Contents: | 1. Introduction 2. Research methods 3. Small group discussions 4. Telephone interview 5. Conclusions 6. References Summary |
Summary
1. Introduction
Achieving dietary change in the Scottish population presents a major health challenge and particularly so in low income communities where food choices reflect an interaction between economic circumstances, limited access to reasonably priced foods and cultural norms. To overcome some of these barriers a range of locally based food initiatives have emerged many of which are described within The Health Education Board for Scotland database on community food initiatives. However, since The Scottish Community Diet Project came into being in 1996 several new projects have appeared and it is timely to review current work in the area.
2. Aims
The aims of the current study are to update the existing community food database, explore pertinent issues and themes with those involved in running various categories of projects and to make recommendations for policy and practice.
3. Community based food initiatives
The focus of study was community based projects which primarily aim to address local issues of food access, food skills and food and health education.
4. Methods
The project used three approaches to collecting data:
i A survey to locate community food initiatives and update the relevant database
ii A series of Group Discussions (on Food co-ops, Mobile initiatives, Breakfast Bars, Cooking skills and Rural Food projects)
iii Telephone interviews (on growing initiatives) to identify relevant themes which act as barriers and opportunities to the maintenance and development of work within these main project categories.
5. Update of community food initiatives database - survey results
In overview, it is clear that community food initiatives are continuing to grow and flourish throughout Scotland. A total of 103 Community Food Initiatives were identified as currently operating in Scotland (compared to 77 in 1996). The aims of projects remain diverse but more than half reported health/nutrition education (particularly in a practical sense) as an aim of their project. Food co-ops (36), cooking skills projects (35) and community cafes (28) were the most common activities and 23 delivery services and 9 growing initiatives were also active.
Geographically, the most concentrated areas of action appear to be Strathclyde, followed by Lothian and Dumfries and Galloway. Most projects are sited in community centres, community flats, workplaces and schools. Others are based in village and church halls, mobile resources, community shops and allotments.
Whilst most initiatives get their food supplies from wholesalers, supermarkets were used by 34 projects. Most projects are targeted at the whole community, but there is a significant number that focus on children, family approaches, elderly and young adults (age16-25).
A wide range of training work were reported including food hygiene, business skills and marketing. The most usual providers of training were local authorities but Health boards and Local Enterprise Trusts had also contributed. Finance for maintenance and support remains a crucial issue in the development of all projects. Over half had received support from local authorities whilst health boards and trusts had also provide financial resources. Other funding included urban aid, charitable Trusts and Lottery monies. Only 3 listed European support.
6. Issues raised in group discussions - Common themes
It is apparent is that problems related to funding (initial, continuing and development) remain a major barrier to further development of projects within all categories of work. Issues such as staffing, venues and marketing appear universal challenges throughout all project categories. Some work on training appears to have developed and some contact with retailers (e.g. in mobile resources and cookery skills classes) looks useful for further developments.
7. Issues raised in group discussions : implications for practice and policy
Food Co-ops (including traditional co-operative approaches and bulk buying schemes) are widespread throughout Scotland and vary between voluntary activities and community based enterprises. Food co-ops face many challenges including start up costs, premises, food supply sources, volunteer turnover, training and ongoing maintenance and development. Many are linked with other health and community related organisations.
The main policy and practice issues include
- drawing together relevant information and guidelines to produce a “tool kit” for communities wishing to initiate a co-operative approach to food purchase
- identifying ways of generating good local shopping facilities that are not perceived as second rate but offer good service provision, local involvement and employment opportunities.
- identifying routes to working closer with the retailing sector
- a comprehensive review of local food provision should inform the development of local food policy and form the basis of one indicator of a healthy community.
- access to food and local shopping facilities should inform the planning process
Mobile initiatives are aimed at dealing with the increasing cost of weekly shopping and the inconvenience of obtaining it (especially in the elderly, housebound and rural dwellers).
The main policy and practice issues include
- opportunities to work with retailers
- clearer links with social services
- research into sustainability and economic viability of mobile shopping & delivery schemes.
Breakfast bars for children have developed fairly widely throughout the country in the last 3-4 years. Much of the current work is of a pilot nature and aims to assess process issues of provision development and usage.
The main policy and practice issues include
- drawing together relevant information and guidelines to produce a “tool kit” for communities wishing to initiate a breakfast bar
- evaluating the potential for schools to deliver breakfast provision.
- Such work may benefit from an integrated whole school-whole day approach to identifying an agreed agenda that meets the needs of individual communities.
- accessing centralised catering supplies through local councils would greatly facilitate food supplies and costs
- the nutritional value of foods and drinks provided should be an important consideration and inform menu design
Cooking skills initiatives have become extremely popular within the adult population but vary enormously in approach and style. Most are small scale with limited funding and face challenges in terms of finding premises and stimulating interest and uptake from target groups
The main policy and practice issues include
- drawing together relevant information and guidelines to produce a “tool kit” for communities wishing to start new classes
- Potential to link cookery skills with training initiatives for the benefits of domestic and employment opportunities
- identifying funding opportunities including retailers
Rural areas face particular problems of food access related to high prices for basic commodities, poor transport, poor job opportunities and limited consumer choices. In Dumfries and Galloway a recently established Food Initiatives Network provides an opportunity for information exchange and communication between community food projects and has identified specific links needed to progress work in this area include local authorities, local business links, local enterprise companies, other parts of the food chain (including retailers).
8. Issues raised in Telephone Interviews and implications for Policy and Practice
Growing initiatives originate from a diverse set of aims and objectives (including organic production, land use and work experience) and seem to have grown recently due to increasing concern about health concerns of food production. Projects range from small scale allotments to 20 acres but all enable locally grown vegetables to be accesses within local communities.
The main Policy and Practice issues include
- bringing workers from growing project together to address common themes and to help network growing and retailing/catering initiatives.
- providing a manual (tool kit) on basic information for starting growing projects in Scotland.
- links with local economic development organisations to improve access to and the availability of locally produced food
9. Conclusions
Community food Initiatives are continuing to grow and flourish in Scotland and it likely that the work of these projects help some of the most disadvantaged people in our communities attain healthier food choices although direct evidence of this is lacking. Health is more than just physical health and the benefits of these projects extend into psychological, social and community benefits, often addressing fundamental environmental issues of ill-health. In addition to increasing development of projects and networking of production and consumption links, the need to relate to other players in the food chain is vital if major changes in diet in low income communities is to be achieved.