The food movement in Ballarat seems to be ‘unstoppable’ and grassroots community organisations are proving its importance.
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Representatives from The Hidden Orchard, Food is Free, the Ballarat Wholefoods Collective and Secondbite will come together at a forum at the Ballarat Library on Wednesday.
The Unstoppable Local Food: Sharing and Caring event is open to the public to hear how the social shift in attitudes to food will transform community and the ‘natural world’.
The forum follows the recognition of World Food Day on Tuesday, a movement that encourages communities to ensure everyone has access to nutritious food.
All of a sudden, individuals all over the globe have developed an often passionate interest in the products and processes of the food system.
- Jonathan Latham, food advocate
Smart Living Ballarat coordinator Tim Drylie said the ethical food movement in Ballarat, which focuses on choosing healthy and sustainable options, was rapidly gaining support.
“A new whole foods store has just opened Ballarat which is a sign there is great support for these sorts of movements,” he said.
“There has been a lot of interest in backyard gardening with an increasing demand for these types of workshops. There has also been increased interest in sharing food through groups like the Hidden Orchard and Food is Free and more people are seeking out options to avoid plastic wrap packaging.”
The community discussion on Wednesday will be guided by work of New York based food advocate Jonathan Latham, who presented at a similar food forum in Daylesford in August.
“...all of a sudden, individuals all over the globe have developed an often passionate interest in the products and processes of the food system,” Mr Latham writes.
Common themes link Ballarat’s grassroots food organisations.
All are based around ideas of ensuring everyone has access to fresh, nutritious food, minimising wastage, empowering individuals with knowledge to be self sufficient and supporting local growers and producers.
All are driven by passionate individuals.
Lou Ridsdale started Food is Free in the laneway beside her home with a desire to share her excess produce with those who need it.
Ballarat Community Health staff and volunteers help provide food relief to those in need by collecting and redistributing surplus fresh foods through the Secondbite program.
Ellen Burns is one of the founding members of The Hidden Orchard which harvests fruit from backyards or public areas and shares it with site owners, pickers and local charities.
Ballarat Wholefoods Collective founder Wendy Aston is passionate about helping Ballarat people source local food directly from farmers.
The forum discussion with these groups comes after the release of the 2018 Foodbank Hunger Report which revealed people living in regional and remote areas are 33 per cent more likely to go hungry than those living in capital and major cities.
The Unstoppable Local Food: Sharing and Caring forum will be held at the Ballarat Library from 12.30pm to 1.30pm. It is free and open to the public. You can book a free ticket online.
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