Greater Manchester Council of Voluntary Organisations (GMCVO) are taking part in MERCi's Sustaining Change audit and programme. As one of the programmes trail blazer organisations they will support other voluntary and community groups to become more sustainable, showing what's possible and how to overcome obstacles they have faced. Kindling is supporting GMCVO in looking at changes they can make in relation to food.
As a voluntary sector conference venue and resource centre there are various opportunities to make the St Thomas Centre a more sustainable venue and working environment, and GMCVO have been getting straight down to business. The next day after their first meeting with Matt and Helen from Kindling, the switched their daily milk delivery to local organic milk in reusable glass bottles. In an attempt to increase the sustainability of their conference facility menu GMCVO are also trying out some different caterers. By using Good Mood Food (a caterer with social aims), increasing the amount of local seasonal food on offer, and dramatically decreasing the wastage of food by focusing on good quality food (rather than quantity), GMCVO are starting to address a number of sustainable food issues.
Tanya Coutts, Operations manager said of the recent changes:
“Before numerous members of staff would take home left overs from events, and there would still be food left over. You'd feel disgusted with the amount of food you'd throw away, reducing it like this is absolutely brilliant”.
Kindling will continue meeting with the new GMCVO green group and look at other ways to support them to make the changes to a lower carbon and more sustainable organisation.
This work was commissioned and funded by MERCi's Sustaining Change programme.