Locally, there are several food initiatives – including the Sidmouth SAVE Food Hub, the Sidmouth Food Bank and the Sidmouth Community Food Forest – which has just launched an ambitious Sid Valley-wide food forest, now endorsed by Sidmouth Town Council.
In parallel, there have been national initiatives, with a local reach – with calls for reform as MPs warn of food and crisis vulnerabilities:
South West MPs are raising alarms about the UK’s unpreparedness for crises, from pandemics to food insecurity
The cracks in Britain’s defences against national crises were laid bare by South West MPs in a Westminster Hall debate, led by Liberal Democrat MP Richard Foord.
From pandemic unpreparedness to food insecurity and hybrid warfare, the discussion revealed a sobering picture of a nation caught off guard, with calls for sweeping reforms to strengthen the UK’s resilience against future threats.
Sidmouth’s MP also writes in his weekly column on the new local initiative, Project Food, as vital in promoting healthy eating:
On Monday evening, I joined fellow MPs in a debate on the importance of a healthy diet.
I took to the debate a piece of East Devon, by informing MPs about the excellent work of Project Food. It was based on a visit that I made to a Project Food session in Axminster last October when I had the delight of sampling what a difference some rudimentary cooking lessons can make to produce a healthy meal.
With over eleven per cent of UK households experiencing food insecurity, and millions having turned to food banks or ultra-processed cheap food just to get by, charities like Project Food are more vital than ever.
And the latest press release from the District Council also looks at Project Food: “I learned to cook a meal from scratch for the first time” – council project helps to address food insecurity in East Devon:
Following the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent cost of living crisis, food insecurity has risen across the UK. According to the Devon Food Partnership, in Devon alone the number of people having difficulty accessing healthy, affordable and sustainable food options increased from 17% in spring 2021 to 29% in autumn 2022, with 16% of households experiencing significant disruptions to their eating patterns.
East Devon District Council stepped in with funding from the government’s Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF), partnering with Axminster-based charity Project Food to target vulnerable people who would most benefit from practical, localised help.
Project Food runs cooking demonstrations, hands-on sessions, one-to-one support and online classes for a range of different groups and individuals. The free support helps local people develop the skills, confidence and motivation to cook nutritious meals that match budgets and improve lifestyles.
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