10-Jan-2003

Conference seeks to bring 'Food for All' to Southampton

A major local conference 'Food for All' will be held at the Civic Centre in Southampton on Tuesday 14 January 2003 examining issues surrounding food in the city. Bringing together more than 80 delegates from across the city and beyond involved with food from farm to fork, the conference aims to be the catalyst for the establishment of a Southampton Food Network

Local MP Alan Whitehead, who is supporting the initiative, says,
"The conference will hopefully show that food is about more than just fuel to keep us going. The food we eat can influence our health and well-being, impact upon our environment and is determined by issues relating to access and the confidence to cook. Any Southampton Food Network will only work if a partnership is developed that represents the interests of everyone involved in the food chain from the farm to the fork."

Delegates to the conference in January will hear national speakers from Food Standards Agency, the Health Development Agency and Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming, who will all set the scene on bringing food to everyone. This will be followed by 3 workshops on food and health, food and the environment and food and the community, which will feed into a final session where an action plan for the Southampton Food Network will be agreed.

Southampton City Council, Southampton Environment Centre, Southampton Sustainability Forum, Down to Earth Farm, the Soil Association, Crisis Fareshare, SCRATCH, Southampton City Primary Care Trust and Alan Whitehead's constituency office have all supported and assisted with the planning of the conference.

Food and refreshments for the conference have been provided local food producers thanks to Hampshire Fare and The Co-op.

ENDS

Contact

Mike Collins in Alan Whitehead's office on 023 8023 1942 or 07855 328914