Feasts of Hope Workshop - It's All About Food

Feasters gathering - Wednesday 24 March 6pm-8.30pm - It's all about food

Following our fantastic January and February workshops, we are responding to what you've identified you'd like us to help with on the path to your creating community feasts in September 2021.

Our workshop, hosted by Festival Director Jude Kelly, will introduce you to three groups working around 'Alternative Food Networks'.  These are ways that communities can access good quality food in their area.  There is a huge effort across Manchester to build a local sustainable food network - this includes grassroots groups working around self-growing to large charities working on reducing waste.  The Feast is a great opportunity for Feasters to access the Alternative Food Network to source food for the Festival.

We're going to hear from

Mary-Ellen McTague @ Eat Well MCR

Eat Well MCR are a collective of top-end chefs, which has provided more than 24,000 chef made meals for people facing challenging circumstances since April 2020.

Jon @ Sow the City

Jon works on a range of projects from the Men’s Shed to Sow the City - all about hands on engagement with food and skills.  Jon is going to give an overview of the work he does with urban growers across Greater Manchesater and ways you can access it.

Dan @ Gaskell Garden Project

Gaskell Garden Project is a grassroots group that works around surplus food and growing.  They run the allotment in Platt Fields Garden as well as regular pay as you feel meals at The Old Abbey Taphouse.  Over COVID they have come into their own, delivering tons of surplus food (perfectly good food destined for landfill) they have rescued through activities such as pick up and gleaning.

Note that April and May are great times to sow for a September harvest...

We'll follow our March gathering all about food with monthly gatherings around the different themes you've identified for support and with the feasting toolkit, which will grow each month as we develop the conversations and resources together.

We look forward to seeing you there and please do invite others, as all are welcome.  It's not too late to join the Feasters!

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The Ripples of Hope Festival will take place in Greater Manchester on the 15-19 September 2021 and will explore how our everyday choices, experiences and attitudes impact on human rights.  The Festival is going to explore and celebrate how we can all take actions to build societies for all people - to make human rights a reality in our community and across the world.

As we have worked with people across Greater Manchester  - a recurring theme in our conversations has been the desire to come together around food and connect in meaningful ways. And so we’re inviting Greater Manchester’s communities to host their own community feasts with support from local organisations, with us convening these collaborative workshops to support you on that journey.