Dunstable Rotary gives annual Award

Sahira Ward, founder of the Dunstable Incredible Edible Beacon, said that from the very first moment she heard the incredible story as to how the idea was started, she was hooked. She has gathered a great group of friends in Dunstable committed to the same vision. To be rooted locally and connected nationally with the other Beacons, gave her a great chance to support many others to grow as she has- ‘to grow people as well as plants’

Incredible Edible Dunstable have a monthly work session called Come ‘n Grow on the third Saturday of every month from 1pm to 3pm Katherine Drive Dunstable LU5 4NP.  If you are interested in getting involved email incredibleedible395@gmail.com or call 07905 116623.

The story continues! Big Lottery Fund has awarded the Incredible Edible Network £400,000

Incredible Edible began 9 years ago through the imagination and passion of a small group of friends in Todmorden. The early days of these story tellers and activists were peppered with phrases like ‘if you eat your in’ and ‘redefining prosperity’. People took notice of the simple model, the message of the Three Plates and the enthusiastic do-ability of the model. Today over 100 groups in the UK and many more around the world call themselves Incredible Edible and organically have grown to become a network.

Proud of our volunteer- led, grass root federation, a network was established to inspire, enable, build up, connect and amplify the work of these groups throughout the UK.

In the next two years they wanted to invest in this network to learn lessons and to share that learning with existing groups and new groups who want to join the journey. They have called this project Roots and Branches. In Wakefield, Salford, Bristol, Conwy, Dunstable, and Middlesborough groups have committed to becoming Beacons to learn and share. In each place there will be a person whose role it is to gather the learning and support new groups. We will also build a new central hub on the network website for people to share the joy and the tools of their journey.

Pam Warhurst, co-founder said “I am thrilled at this development. We learn as we do – that has always been our philosophy. Never before has the need to understand local food and build confident communities been so pressing. I am delighted that the Big Lottery Fund have seen our model and chosen to support us in this work of sharing and growing’.

Chris Smith
Dunstable Rotary
11th March 2018