Food & Housing Connections: Strengthening communities through good food

Date: Thursday 22 May 

Time: 10.30-3.30 

Venue: YMa, Pontypridd CF37 4TS 

Food is integral to our wellbeing, as is access to a good home. This event will explore how social housing’s vital interventions in communities can connect with ambitious national work changing how food is produced, consumed and distributed.  

• How can the power of food help social housing providers meet their goals?  
• How can housing associations’ connections with food systems enhance residents’ wellbeing?  
• What would housing designed for community food security look like? 
• What partnerships will enable communities to enjoy food better for human and planetary health?

Housing associations are already delivering progress around food: creating spaces for growing, switching procurement pathways, improving tenants’ cooking skills. But initiatives remain piecemeal, with much focus on emergency food aid rather than intervening to prevent household hunger. Meanwhile, Wales has rich experience and ambitions around helping the nation eat better. This expertise can inspire and support housing associations to deliver change through food.  

This workshop aims to foster housing associations’ contributions to more just and resilient food systems in Wales, by bringing together three communities of experts: 

• practitioners in social housing, 
• actors shaping sustainable food places, and 
• researchers specialist in food system transformation and housing. 

Participants will exchange ideas and make connections, working towards a shared ambition for putting food at the heart of healthy social housing. They will identify opportunities for collective progress, and suggest how they can best be supported in future. 

Working language will be English.  

Travel bursaries are available for those who would otherwise not be able to attend. Please the conveners know if there are any other arrangements which would help you to participate.  

To register: https://forms.office.com/e/3Ua4QRsQDF 

This event is supported by the Learned Society of Wales Grant Scheme.  

It is organised by Food Sense Wales & School of Geography and Planning Cardiff University.