Exhibition showcases young people’s vision for food of the future
1 June 2022
Young people's vision of the future of food in Southwark was celebrated at an event at the Paper Garden in Canada Water, 31 May. Hosted by the Climate Studio, a partnership between Southwark Council and Service Futures Lab at London College of Communication (LCC). The interactive event featured discussions which will support the council's work to become a carbon neutral borough by 2030.
Southwark Council and the LCC have been working together on this project, through the Climate Studio, since November 2021, supported by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and The Design Museum. The project has featured a series of public facing workshops with more than one hundred children and young adults, which encouraged residents to think about their ‘preferred future’ for Southwark and sustainable food.
The work will now feed into the development of the council’s sustainable food strategy, this is expected to be published later in the year. The strategy, co-developed with Southwark Food Action Alliance, will look at how to best improve access to healthy, affordable and sustainable food for all. It will set out sustainable practises such as local food growing, reducing food waste and minimising emissions from the food growing and delivery process.
Cllr Evelyn Akoto, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “It’s inspiring to see how working collaboratively with Southwark’s young people and the Climate Studio is helping to develop our vision for healthier, sustainable and more affordable Southwark. Our sustainable food strategy will build on this work to show how we will make the vision a reality.”
Cllr Dennis, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency and Sustainable Development, said: “As part of our ambition to make the borough carbon neutral by 2030, we know that making the way we grow, eat and deliver food more sustainable is important. It’s exciting to see how doing that in collaboration with our residents can help us move towards solutions for those challenges.”
Dr Lara Salinas, co-director of Service Futures Lab at LCC, said: “Climate Studio aims to support place-based climate action. We are piloting three approaches across London seeking to develop stronger networks of local actors and increasing innovation capabilities.
In the South Cluster we are looking at involving residents and local organisations in co-delivering the Climate Emergency Action Plan. We have engaged with 100 local residents to envision preferable food systems that would lead to a more sustainable and equitable society.”
Page last updated: 06 June 2022
