Food for Thought: Inspiring Action for a Fairer Food Future
More than 90 attendees joined Plumpton College’s Agrifood Centre for the second Food for Thought conference, bringing together voices from government, education, food, farming and community organisations to explore the connected challenges of food education and food inequality.
Part of Plumpton College’s growing programme of industry and thought leadership events, the conference provided a platform for discussion, collaboration and the sharing of ideas around building a fairer, healthier and more sustainable food system.
The event featured a range of expert speakers, including Dominic Watters, researcher and founder of Food is Care CIC, who explored the impact of food inequality, healthy food access and the environments that shape people’s relationship with food.
Representing the Grounds for Growing project, Katie Eberstein, who leads Brighton & Hove’s award-winning Our City Our World programme, shared insights into how school growing spaces can help young people connect with food, nature and sustainability. Katie was joined by Anne Gibbs, Headteacher of Goldstone Primary School. Ruth Chalker’s contribution to the project and the positive impact of her work were recognised throughout the discussion.
The conference also welcomed Dr Charlie Taverner, Farming Lead at the Food, Farming & Countryside Commission, who examined the growing disconnect between people and agriculture, and the importance of strengthening relationships between communities and the farms that feed them.
Food touches every part of our lives. Our health, our environment, our economy and our communities. Yet the systems that bring it to our tables are under real pressure, from rising costs and climate change to deep inequality in who can access good, real food. No single organisation can fix that alone. That’s why events like Food For Thought matter. They bring together people who don’t always share a room, including farmers and growers, educators, policymakers, researchers and community leaders, to share ideas, challenge each other and find practical ways forward. As a college, we’re proud to create that space, and we’re committed to helping build a food system that is fairer, healthier and more resilient for everyone.
Dan Karlsson, Director of Business Services & Strategic Partnerships, Plumpton College
The afternoon concluded with networking and discussion, allowing attendees to connect with speakers, share perspectives and explore practical solutions to some of the challenges facing today’s food system.
As a free-to-attend event, Food for Thought also supported Plumpton College’s charity partner, Dig for Schools’ Grounds for Growing project, which helps schools across Brighton & Hove create food-growing spaces that enhance learning, wellbeing and community engagement. Find out more about the ‘Our City, Our World’ project here.
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