Somerset Land and Food

It is a response by concerned citizens of Somerset to the issues of food security that are raised by the effects of climate change and peak oil. The funding will be used to: * Co-ordinate volunteers in mapping land currently in production and to identify land holders willing to make more land available for food production, particularly where this is close to potential customers in order to reduce food miles. * Negotiate access to more land for growing food with identified land holders, and match the land with local groups and producers wanting to grow more local food. * Support local food groups and producers to develop appropriate financial packages enabling them to lease or buy land through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and community farm land trusts. (The funds will not be used to pay for land directly) * Develop an effective skills sharing network covering food growing, distribution and storage, cooking skills and healthy eating. This will be supported by a time banking model, and by holding twice yearly food conferences open to all. This skills sharing will focus on including people on low incomes across Somerset. * Creating and supporting a network of relevant organisations to advance the aims of the project and help make it sustainable * Develop a training programme, interactive website and a Somerset Tool Bank to support the whole programme.