Luke Neve, North of England Regional Coordinator for Better Food Traders, reflects on the North West England Field Trip
Last week, I had the brilliant experience of gathering a group of Better Food Trader members on our first field trip in the North of England to Liverpool.
Originally, I wanted to bring people together to get some time away from screens and shop floors for an opportunity for skills exchange and development. As the day progressed, we went much deeper than maximising profits and stocking issues; we connected on a personal level, built relationships and felt first hand how important a community of peers is for the people who are running Better Food Trader enterprises.Â
We started our morning in Toxteth at Squash, an award-winning social enterprise that is a beacon for how food can drive social change. Squash is unique; it’s a cafe, shop, shared space, and community garden rolled into one. Over tea, coffee and their cold-pressed turmeric juice, we spent time learning about their decade-long journey in community engagement and commercial success in a residential area of Liverpool.Â
From the urban landscape to the rural, we headed out to learn more about the ambitious work of Kindling Farm, a new 77 acre farm between Liverpool and Manchester run by the Kindling trust aiming to be a farming blue-print for the future.
We heard from Helen Woodcock co-founder and coordinator at Kindling Trust and Kindling Farm who told us how they managed to buy the farm through a mix of community shares and social investment and the many steps they’ve taken to create a pioneering, community-owned farm that bridges the gap between small-scale market gardening and the wider regional food economy.
The conversations here were particularly energised with discussions around the complexities of land access, the need for agroecological farming at scale, and how we can create more reliable routes to market for Northern Growers. It was inspiring to see a project that is, like Squash, so deeply and successfully rooted in the involvement of local people and communities.Â
Beyond the site visits, the real magic of the day was the networking. We had a diverse group of traders and growers, and the journey between sites allowed for those invaluable in-between conversations to happen naturally. We shared stories of the challenges currently facing independent retailers and where we could, shared solutions. On the drive home I felt very excited by the opportunities and mutual exchange between the communities that build around sustainable food retailers and producers – our communities need help but we can also lean on them to help us too.Â
These field trips are a vital part of how we as an organisation and members grow. They allow us to build the trust and knowledge needed for successful sustainable businesses and lives across the region. If you’re an independent food retailer based in the North of England I’d love to hear from you. Drop me an email (Luke@betterfoodtraders.org), or if you’re not already a member, sign up to become a Better Food Trader today.
Finally, I’m already looking forward to keeping this momentum going at our annual gathering later this year on Wednesday 10th June, which will be a fantastic opportunity for our whole community to come together, share more stories, and continue shaping the future of our food system. If you’re a trader or supporting agroecological producers with routes to markets and short supply chains, come along!