Rebuilding an independent, sustainable food sector
Sheffield
Friday 13th June 2025
Members, partners and allies of the Better Food Traders network will be meeting in Sheffield for a day of connection, learning, strategising and inspirationÂ
Why are we gathering?
Since 2021, Better Food Traders members have come together once a year to connect with like-minded traders, share learning and receive expert enterprise support.
This year, as well as inviting all 200+ members, we’re excited to welcome key partners including Sustainable Food Places, Organic Research Centre, Soil Association and friends of Sheffield’s sustainable food scene. The event will also be an opportunity for participants on our 2025 Regional Food Hub Support programme to get together in-person.
This summit of friends and allies will be a unique opportunity to showcase the breadth of work taking place both in the region and across the Better Food Traders membership, and to situate the vital work of traders in the broader movement for a better food system.
The purpose of the Annual Gathering is to provide productive time in person for BFT Members and partners to think about how we work together to rebuild an independent, sustainable food sector. This is a space for thought-provoking conversations, inspiration, learning and useful connections for all attendees, whilst also producing insights that will shape the work of Better Food Traders (the core team and the wider network) in the year ahead. Think of it as part-conference, part-AGM, part-facilitated learning, part-social!
Meet and reconnect with:
- BFT members to share experiences, exchange learning & collaborate
- BFT partners and people from the wider sustainable food field
- People doing similar work in your region
Learn about:
- The sustainable food scene in Sheffield
- Sector-wide policy, advocacy and research that is shaping the landscape of better food and farming
- Better Food Traders activities and direction for the year ahead
Collaborate and strategise:
- Around specific issues you face in your day-to-day work and learn what others are doing to overcome them
- Shape how we address them at a systemic level
Play your part:
- Have your say on how BFT should support you in the year ahead
- Find your place and unique role in the better food and farming movement
Why should I attend?
Why Sheffield?
This year, we’re excited to head to Sheffield, South Yorkshire, to learn about the sustainable food scene in the region and meet more members from across the UK.Â
Sheffield is not only the home of BFT members Regather Co-Operative, Beanies Wholefoods, Barra Organics and Luke Neve, our new North of England Regional Coordinator; geographically, it’s in the heart of the UK. As a national network, we are on a journey to ensure our membership represents and includes the rich diversity of enterprises, communities and individuals that make up our four countries. We have a way to go, but by meeting in Sheffield, we hope we’ll see more friends from the midlands, north of England, north Wales and Scotland joining us than ever before.Â
For our members in Northern Ireland and more distant reaches of the UK, we know the journey is still significant, so we’ll be making sure there will be ways to contribute and hear about the day from afar if you can’t make it this year.Â
When
Friday 13th June, 10am – 5pm (arrivals from 9.40am for a prompt 10am start)
Agenda
Please note this is still in development and some elements may change.
Last updated: Wednesday 30th April.
Cost
Sliding scale: Free – £30
Food
Soft drinks, snacks and lunch will be provided
Access
We are committed to making our events and activities as accessible as possible. This includes physical access, as well as access in terms of neurodiversity, language, chronic illness, gender, class, race and other ways we engage with the world. If there is any reason you feel this space may not be accessible for you, we hope that you’ll let us know and we will do our best to make the changes necessary to enable you to participate. Contact us.
In terms of physical access, the space we will be meeting in is on the First Floor and is accessible via staircase and a spacious lift. Accessible toilets are available on the Ground Floor and are accessible from our meeting room via the lift. Baby changing facilities are available in every toilet. Disabled parking bays are available across the road from the venue.
Please note there is no parking on site. We’d recommend arriving by public transport if you can. If you need to drive, paid parking can be found at:Â
- Q-Park on St. Paul’s Place, S1 2NA (4-min walk from the venue)
- Arundel Gate Car Park (4-min walk from the venue).
Spaces are limited to 72, so please register early to avoid disappointment! Â
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Please note the above links are for non-BFT Members. If you are BFT Member, please go to the Members Area of the website to register for your free ticket.