We led the Food for Thought project from October 2023 to October 2024.
Food for Thought enaged with young people in Bideford and Barnstaple, to explore with them their understanding of food and food production, and start conversations between young people and producers, farmers and local suppliers. The project involved cookery sessions and regular visits to farms, food producers and food suppliers in the area.
The young people learned about local food systems and developed their confidence around food and cooking. They were also supported to experiment with local ingredients, and to develop potential new food products.
Devon Community Foundation managed Food for Thought, working in partnership with Space Youth Services, Barnstaple Town Council and Encompass Southwest. The project was funded by UKRI’s Community Knowledge Fund. administered by the Young Foundation.
It was a continuation of work funded by Phase One of the Community Knowledge Fund. We used this initial grant to set up conversations between food producers and people facing food insecurity, including young people.
Our work on the Community Knowledge Fund has allowed us to collaborate with the University of Exeter on a series of knowledge transfer events. These events seek to communicate the insights gained from the work in North Devon to a series of wider stakeholders, including food organisations, regional and national policymakers, and locally focused funders.
