New food partnership aims to help struggling Oldham families

Demand in Oldham for emergency provision like food banks is only likely to rise

As a growing cost of living crisis bites further into personal budgets, demand in Oldham for emergency provision like food banks is only likely to rise.

It’s a deeply rooted systemic problem that will not be easily solved.

But a new partnership between economic development co-operative Stir to Action and Oldham Council aims to provide local people and communities with the resources to test new alternatives, backing inspiring food enterprises to help create a food system that better serves local people.

Applications are open for the new Food Security Challenge Prize in Oldham, offering more than £50,000 in start-up and scale-up grants, and mentoring for new or growing food enterprises that are developing the most effective responses to local food insecurity, and which focus on long-term change, social impact, and increasing employment in the local food sector. 

Recognising the importance of food as an economic, public health, and cultural issue, ideas are sought that use community-led business models to increase local food through enterprises, such as:

Food co-operatives

Community growing spaces

Community cafes

Community food kitchens

People in Oldham are invited to apply for start-up or scale-up grants from now to November 29.

Shortlisted applicants will be guaranteed a grant and will be invited to pitch for the highest amount of funding available at an event in Oldham in February, 2023.

For more information about the Food Security Challenge Prize, click here or for help with applying, contact Nicola Scott at: challengeprize@stirtoaction.com

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