Blog
I have always believed that food has the ability to unite and transform communities; this is even more important in current times, as we face the many environmental and economic issues that relate to climate change.
The difference between communities that have food dignity and not food poverty shows with a transformation beyond the kitchen. As a leader, I work to enable people to be the change in their communities.
Chair and founding member of Slow Food Birmingham
An active, and growing, group working to bring seasonal, and locally grown food into the city. This year our food hub project has grown and will see the opening of several hubs across the city. Our Potoato Project bought 11 tonnes of surplus potatoes to help feed people in crisis during Covid 19 and recieved interest locally, nationally and internationally.
This role has also led me to becoming actively involved as a Food and Climate Activist in Birmingham; sitting on several committees, forums and part of coalition lobby groups. As Slow Food believes we have a responsibility to help repair the broken food system that feeds the growing carbon count of climate change.
Co-Director and head of the community kitchen Eat Make Play.
Eat Make Play uses food, making and social activities to improve people’s lives by developing employability, life skills, lifelong learning and wellbeing. Growing the awareness of utilising surplus; food, spaces and materials to improve the ecology of the community, all for the benfit of the residents of B16 Ladywood Birmingham.
I am an enthusiastic Social Entrepreneur believing that the creation of community bussiness is an excelent opertunity to help people realise their full potential and in doing so activily enrich their community.
We have had the interesting experiance after six months work to open and close our lovely new "shop" on March 16. As part of our lock down activity we have planted a community growing spaces at St Vincent St West and the Edgbaston Reservoir.
We are the home to Birmingham first tool and equipment library. Our handicrafts workshops and community kitchen are "on hold". We are working towards reopening and becomeing a real hub for the area.
We work closely with The Real Junk Food Project Birmingham to re-educate people about and to use surplus food.
Previous experience
Since 2008 I have actively worked to inspire others to connect through food, with their community. Whether it be introducing tourists and expats to local markets and cooking techniques; equipping teens with the skills to feed themselves and others as they prepare to leave home for the first time; bringing together expat communities ( both parents and students) to celebrate their similarities and differences through food, culture and the arts. I have writen recipes and run cooking classes for small groups or young mums, both designed to give confidence and get people into the kitchen to cook and eat together.
During my time living in London I frequently took groups to cook and eat in Euroupe and around the UK. When I lived in Hong Kong I led over 100 trips into China to introduce people to an non touritst side of Shenzen.
Prior to that I worked as a journalist/photographic stylist for many Australian and international interiors magazines. From 1994 I headed a business that promoted learning through arts and crafts. I also developed a marketing programme to build a stronger bond between magazines, advertisers and subscribers.
As a volunteer over the last 34 years I have run classes in Australia, Hong Kong and the UK that built community, explored ways to bring individuals' skills together to build community. I have arranged events ranging from small groups to 5000 plus attendees, often with food as a focus, but not always.
I have also been the volunteer leader of Slow Food in Sydney and artist in residence for two schools.