November blog from the Chair

Hilary Hamer, Chair of Hull Food Partnership considers food production and environmental impact:

“Recently speaking at the Waterline Summit in Hull, I was happy to showcase the urban farm Rooted in Hull that offers a space and uses small scale practical ideas that provide solutions for all of us to consider how we might adapt to the changing climate – specifically water, air and food production.

It is possible to work on an old industrial ‘meanwhile’ site – unprepossessing and stark – to make good things happen. It needs people that believe it what they are doing. There are fresh vegetables and fruit growing all the year round. Direct rainwater collecting and storing from the next door industrial-sized shaped roof. The process of purifying the water used to clean and wash up in the café using plants, the building of a system and adherence to principles of dealing effectively with human waste that doesn’t need extra expensive processed water but is still safe and hygienic. The sharing of open space in an unexpected area of the city for people to come and feel welcomed and safe and the acceptance of the changing nature of how we live.

The new Agriculture Act has just entered our statute book. What does that mean for all of us? How will it affect our food supplies? What of the coming agreement with the European union? These are massive once in a lifetime questions.

But strip it back to what we can do as a community and Rooted in Hull is a living, growing example of things to make us smile.”