Here's a copy of a draft Hackney Sustainable Food Charter, prepared by the new Hackney Food Partnership. Comments and support are welcome now but please also come along to the launch event on 2nd March, at The Russet, Hackney Downs Studios, from 3 to 4.30pm (food market outside from 12 noon to 5pm).  

Through the Hackney Food Charter, we will be focusing on issues such as improving school and care meals,helping good food enterprises to flourish, providing residents with useful tools to shop, cook and eat healthily, and pushing for more food growing spaces.

Signatories to the Food Charter - which we hope will include public, private and community partners - will commit to promoting the pleasure and importance of good food to help create a vibrant, diverse, healthy and sustainable food culture.

At the event you will be invited to:

- Give your thoughts and ideas on how to improve food in the borough;
- Hear from other food partnerships around the UK on what can be achieved; and
- Visit food stalls, at the Village Green Market, showing some of the diversity of food available in Hackney

We would love you to join us on the day as well as become involved in the Hackney Food Partnership as it develops:

- Come to the event; join the discussion on the draft charter.
- Promote your organisation at the event with a stall or flyers.
- Join the Partnership - we're looking for active participants to join and help us grow.
- Sign up to the Food Charter

Free, all welcome.
Contact: hackneyfood@sustainablehackney.org.uk  

Hackney Sustainable Food Charter (draft)

Good food is vital to the quality of peoples’ lives in Hackney. By promoting healthy and sustainable food as part of a thriving food economy, the Hackney Sustainable Food Charter aims to improve health and wellbeing for all and to create a more connected, resilient and sustainable borough.

Signatories to the Charter – which we hope will include public, private and community partners – will commit to promoting the pleasure and importance of good food to help create a vibrant and diverse food culture. We will work together to increase both the demand and supply of delicious and affordable, fresh, seasonal, local and organic food throughout Hackney, contributing to a thriving local economy.

All organisations and individuals are welcome to sign up – if you want to add your support please contact the Hackney Food Partnership at hackneyfood@sustainablehackney.org.uk

A thriving local economy

• Encouraging a greater number and diversity of food enterprises and jobs, making the most of Hackney’s variety of culinary traditions and strength in community growing.
• Sourcing healthy, ethical and sustainable food from local producers and supplies, keeping value within the local economy.

Health and wellbeing for all

• Raising awareness of the importance of a nutritious, balanced diet and improving the availability of affordable and accessible healthy food.
• Providing a wide range of community growing and other food-related activities to improve physical and mental health for people for all ages.

Resilient, close-knit communities

• Promoting and celebrating culinary traditions of all cultures through a variety of public events.
• Supporting local and London wide food initiatives that bring communities together and help them to improve their neighbourhoods.

Life long learning and skills

• Giving everyone the opportunity to learn about good food - how to grow it, how to cook it, how to eat it and how to enjoy it.
• Inspiring and enabling organisations such as schools, hospitals, businesses and other caterers to transform their food culture.

A reduced eco-foot print

• Supporting food production which protects wildlife and nature: reducing food miles packaging and waste; and increasing composting and recycling.
• Enhancing growing space in Hackney to produce food for local people.