GROWING OUR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM
A COMMUNITY CONVENTION
A community gathering organised by Bath Area Growers, on Sunday 6th October at St Mark’s Community Centre, Widcombe. A day of visioning what a re-localised, nature-regenerating, inclusive food growing culture could look and feel like in Bath. Come to explore, share, discuss, and plan next steps to take forward the vision. We’ll be spotlighting some amazing local work and exploring different themes that can together support local growing and food access, taking care of people and planet. The invitation is to come and get involved. There will be speakers, workshops, reflection, song, creativity and delicious food!
All welcome: community growers, allotmenteers, farmers, affordable food volunteers and customers, policy makers, activists, community organisers and anyone who buys, cooks or eats food!
BOOKING
Entry will be by ticket, offered on a donation basis. A proportion of tickets will be reserved for members of local growing projects and affordable food projects until 16th September.
VENUE
St Marks is a lovely hall with a wooden floor in a converted church. There are two additional breakout rooms we have use of for the day, a kitchen, and the use of the gardens.
GETTING THERE
St Marks is 5 minutes walk from Bath Spa railway station and main bus station. On foot from the bus/railway station, cross the river by the footbridge behind the railway station, cross the A36 dual carriageway, take Lyncombe Hill and immediately turn right onto St Mark’s Road. The community centre is at the far end of this road.
There is no parking at the venue. Nearest car parks are Avon Street or Southgate 5 minutes walk away. However we suggest walking, cycling or using public transport as the stations are so near by.
~ Timetable ~
9.30am: DOORS OPEN. Teas and coffees will be available.
10.00am – 10.20am : WELCOME Led by space holders for the day Sarah (A Word From Nature / Strode Waterfall Land and Story Project) and Rosie (Psychology for Ecology / Waterleaze Growers / BAGs), a welcome to ground everyone and reflect on the intentions for the day.
10.20 – 10.45 THE POWER OF NETWORKS AND COMMUNITY
A whistle-stop tour of the community growing and affordable food networks in and around Bath. Understanding the power of networks to create change, and an invitation to participate in network mapping exercises.
BAGs was originally founded in 2014 when representatives from many of the local growing projects came together to share their experiences and create ways to continue connecting. In the past year, aided by an RHS grant, Bath Area Growers has been weaving the network, connecting with affordable food projects, and promoting local growing through events, outreach, and online media.
10.45 – 11.30 REFLECTIVE SESSION ON OUR LOCAL GROWING AND FOOD SYSTEM
A guided process to reflect individually and together:
What is going well?
What are the challenges?
What is our vision of how we’d like food, land and ecological systems in and around Bath to look?
11.30 – 11.50 Break
11.50 – 12:30 PANEL SESSION
Five speakers from across different aspects of the local food and growing community will share their joys, challenges and needs, followed by a Q and A. We will hear from people working or volunteering in market gardening, therapeutic horticulture, Bath Allotment Assocation, affordable food projects and community gardening.
12.30 – 1.30pm : LUNCH
A delicious lunch on a pay-what-you-feel basis.
1.30 – 2.30pm : WORKSHOPS:
A choice of workshops to offer frameworks, insights and tools to expand our thinking in service of growing a local regenerative food system. Speakers/facilitators to be confirmed soon!
2:30 – 2:50pm: BREAK
2.50 – 3.40 pm: GROUP SESSIONS AND OPEN SPACE
Choose from a range of sessions on specific topics of interest with the purpose to dig into the detail and think about next steps for Bath and its bioregion.
This is also an open space for anyone to propose and lead a discussion, workshop, activity or exploration. Expect reflection, emergent ideas, collaboration, games etc. Some sessions already proposed are:
- Developing community seed saving and swapping
- Towards a BANES planning policy that allows regenerative growers to live on the land
- BAGs banner making
- Founding an organisation in Bath to promote local food?
- Funding to grow organic affordable food locally?
3.40 – 4.00pm: OPEN SPACE FEEDBACK
An opportunity to feedback from the group sessions and share emerging threads with the wider community. We will collate ideas and opportunities so there is a plan for ongoing collaboration where there is energy for it.
4.00pm – 4.30pm: CLOSING
A community closing led by Sarah, Rosie and others and a closing song!
BOOKING AND DONATIONS
As capacity is limited, please book a ticket. Booking is free, however the event will be largely funded through donations, so would you be willing to make a donation at booking or on the day, relative to your financial circumstances? Suggested donation amounts are £0-5 for those with low financial means, £10-£20 moderate financial means, £20-£50 comfortable to abundant financial means. Thank you!
HELP ON THE DAY
if you’d enjoy helping out on the day, for example with setting up the room, on the door, washing-up, or helping make a creative space, please get in touch, we’d love you to be part of the crew!