Incredible Edible Conference

See below for details of the 14th November conference

See also: We need to make food local and sustainable, article by Pam Warhurst, co-founder, Incredible Edible

Update: Wednesday, 4 November 2009

Health Secretary, Andy Burnham MP
“very impressed” with Incredible Edible

The Health Secretary, Andy Burnham MP, has publicly praised Incredible Edible after seeing the work carried out by the Todmorden-based local food campaigners during a visit to Calder Valley last Friday.

Invited by Chris McCafferty MP to meet staff at the Todmorden Health Centre and discuss how the centre had made an impact on local communities a year on from its launch, the Health Secretary was pleasantly surprised to see local food being grown in the grounds of the £10million new health centre.

“He saw carrots growing on the roundabout just opposite the centre, fruit trees in the car park and gooseberry bushes, soft fruit and herbs in the centre,” explained the centre’s lead GP Jane Keighley.

Remarking that “I wish we were this healthy on our side of the Pennines”, the MP for Leigh said: “It looks like we’re lagging behind in Lancashire! I’m very impressed with what I’ve seen of Incredible Edible. Introducing children to healthy eating at a young age is vital. And in the process they’re creating sustainable communities, looking after each other and doing things that are healthy and fun.”

He added that Todmorden Health Centre represented the “best of the modern NHS – lots of services under one roof providing brilliant care for local people who don’t have to travel like they once did.” Over the next decade he said he wanted to see the NHS become “more preventive, more people centred and more efficient”.

Commenting on the Secretary of State’s visit afterwards, the Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Calder Valley, Steph Booth, said she was pleased that innovative local campaigns were being recognised at the heart of Government.

“It was the great that Andy could see what a difference our fantastic £10million state-of-the-art health centre was making to the lives of local people, and also see what local people are doing to improve the health and wellbeing of their own community,” she said.

“There is a life expectancy difference of six years between people living in Hebden Bridge and Todmorden, and I believe that a combination of cutting edge, community based NHS facilities with innovative public health campaigns will make a big difference in improving health outcomes for local people.”

Incredible Edible Conference
to spread the word

Wednesday, 7 October 2009

Incredible Edible have taken to planting and growing vegetables and trees around their town. They’ve planted two orchards and there are more to come, and they’re working with public bodies round town to use their land – like the fire station, the railway station, canal path – or to work with them on their own Incredible ideas – like social landlord Pennine Housing. Every school in the town is now involved.

Incredible Edible Todmorden has decided it's time to spread the word, or more appropriately the actions, way beyond their town boundary.

Pam Warhurst of Incredible Edible says, "What started as a dream around a kitchen table has become a movement of thousands of people across all ages, incomes and cultures. What unites us all is the determination to have a say in our own future , to put local food right at the heart of a better life for ourselves, our children and our planet."

On 14th November, we are invited to share their journey, and start one of our own. "Its hard work but its fun and its immensely rewarding," says Pam.

Above; potatoes growing in Todmorden Station
Photo: Incredible Edible website

The programme of the days events on 14th November are:

9.30am, optional tour of IET growing sites by Nick Green and Helena Cook

10.30am, registration.

11am,  Patrick Ottley-O'Connor, Headteacher.  Welcome,

11.05am,  Pam Warhurst and Mary Clear. The story so far in Tod,

11.30am,  Val Morris, Tenant Involvement Manager Pennine Housing,
How to get to the parts others cannot reach

11.50am, Chris Shearlock. Co-operatives UK what's in it for business

12.15am, Questions from floor.

12.30pm. Local food lunch.

1.15pm, Workshops.  What are the real challenges?
 Community, Mary Clear

Private sector, James Darbyshire, MRICS STACE llp

Public Sector. Charles Clutterbuck, Nick  Green,

Social Housing. Val Morris, Tenant Involvement Manager Pennine
Housing

2pm, break.

2.15pm, workshops continue

3pm, tea break.

3.15pm, Myles Bremner, CEO Garden Organic

3.40pm, So what now!
4pm close.

4.30pm  optional tour of IET growing sites by Nick Green  and Helena Cook

More info: Incredible Edible website