Kindling is a founder member of the innovative Manchester Veg People co-operative, who are seeing sales surge this spring as the word spreads and ever-more chefs and caters seek out their fresh and truly local organic produce. They are currently recruiting for two new worker members.
David tell us about the encouraging growth MVP's experiencing, what it’s like working as part of the co-op, and what new recruits can expect from an unusually absorbing job....
We’re on a constant mission to make locally produced, organic food available to more and more residents of Greater Manchester. Not only that, we also want to make sure that sustainable food benefits both its consumers and producers – through a farming system that respects the soil AND the people who work it.
So, in a bid to do all of these things, we’re launching Kindling's very own, unique veg box scheme, supplying weekly boxes of organic veg from Manchester Veg People co-operative direct to one of the largest workplaces in the city – the University of Manchester.
Kindling is helping develop a new urban growing hub in Stockport, bringing together inclusive community gardening with commercial organic food production. It’s an innovative partnership that has huge potential, both for local community development and for the rejuvenation of a local food system for Greater Manchester. It’s also providing Kindling with a brand new, second FarmStart site!
Kindling is a founding member and long-time partner of Manchester Veg People, a unique co-operative of local organic growers and food businesses. They are recruiting for two new co-op workers to work with them at this exciting stage of their development. Read on for the job details.....
Manchester Veg People are recruiting!
Our aim is to bring growers and buyers together to get as much fresh, seasonal food of the highest possible quality from our local fields onto plates across Greater Manchester.
We’ve had loads of interest from other groups around the UK in our FarmStart initiative, so we’re holding a day on 30th May to pass on everything we know about setting up and running a farm business incubator! It’s open to farmers and non-farmers alike who are interested in setting up a similar programme in their region.
FarmStart Abbey Leys is the UK’s first such initiative, based on inspiring and successful models in Canada and the US, and aims to make the route into organic farming easier.
The Land Army connects busy local veg growers with city dwellers who want to get their hands dirty, with regular missions to help out organic farmers close to the city.
Participant Rachel Vei shares her Land Army experiences with us…
FarmStart Abbey Leys is a one-of-a-kind initiative, offering a low-risk environment in which new organic growers can develop and test their growing skills, business plans and marketing strategies, plus access a training programme, certified organic land, packing and tool storage facilities, and peer support. It’s based at Abbey Leys organic farm, near Knutsford in Cheshire.
While many of you know Kindling through our Greater Manchester projects, you may not yet know about our aim to establish the Kindling Farm, Social Enterprise Hub, and Centre for Social Change (see Our Vision).
Stockport is part of the Sustainable Food Cities Network, and through Feeding Stockport, was one of only 6 cities/regions in the UK chosen to receive funding through the programme.