Over the last 6 months, Lewes District Food Partnership have awarded grants to local groups fighting food insecurity by building community capacity. In this guest blog, Jim from Lunch Positive tells us about how the funding has helped create Positive Times with the Seahaven HIV Hub. Read on to discover how links with other local network members has created fertile ground for Positive Times.
In May we put on an Art Workshop in collaboration with Hospitable Environment at the Hillcrest Centre, ‘The Positive Times Wellbeing Event Creative Workshop’.
Our colleagues at Hospitable Environment provided a creative workshop in sign-making, for Lunch Positive members and volunteers. Starting with a healthy lunch provided by Lunch Positive, we then started the workshop, including a warm-up activity, creative play, and then designing and finalising final artworks. The theme was ‘Have your say, make a sign that means something to you or one that might inspire others.’ The artworks will be part of an exhibition at the Marine Workshops, Newhaven, in September 2024 to which workshop participants have been invited.
Participants came from across the District and were from diverse communities.
“After we’d had lunch, I really liked the creative aspect of making my own protest poster, looks like a fab piece of street art now!” J.S.
“Nice eating together and then a fun afternoon. My poster is something close to my heart. Thank you Lunch Positive.” K.M.
We had a special ‘Positive Times’ day retreat at Lovebrook Farm in Kingston
including a farm tour when we walked the land and heard about their project. We
also had the opportunity of foraging and producing herbal remedies, and a
mindfulness circle with breathing, movement and intentional conversation. A
fantastic meal produced for the group by the farm went down well. We ate
together on a big trestle table and the community vibe created with this event
was tangible. With many fresh ingredients direct from the farm, it was so tasty.
Some of us picked and ate fresh blackberries and we learnt about the value,
uses and the identification of a variety of medicinal herbs and wild plants.
We finished our day with a gentle walk to the standing stone, with great views of
the surrounding countryside.
“The day we spent at the Kingston smallholding was really relaxing. Just to get away from the humdrum of town life was brilliant. I just went on the stroll around the farm and spent the rest of the day chatting with friends. Lovely freshly made food too, which we ate together in the sunshine. More trips like this would be greatly appreciated.” D.W.
With the end of the summer our next planned event is a ‘back to basics of nutrition’ cookery workshop which we are holding in October at the Seahaven Wellbeing Hub. Laura Peerless, a local nutritionist, trainer and keen cook will be leading this event for us. A further cookery workshop is planned, covering seasonal foods. Our monthly Wellbeing hub is a welcoming and inclusive safe space, provided for and by people living with HIV. With delicious afternoon tea, friendship and peer support. Community food table and food outreach deliveries. Advice, information and specialist support. Including specialist energy adviser from Ovesco Energy, and hand massage from ‘A Touch of Gentleness’.
Contribution by Jim Stanford, Lunch Positive Project Coordinator.
Lunch Positive is a local charity supporting people living with HIV through facilitated peer support, friendship and wraparound support. To find out more about Lunch Positive, visit: Homepage – Lunch Positive
Lovebrook Farm are a regenerative community project based across 33acres in Kingston. To find out more about all they offer, visit: https://www.lovebrook.org/
Hospitable Environment CIC is a socially engaged arts & wellbeing organisation based in Newhaven East Sussex. Find out more about their work here: Hospitable Environment | community arts | Hillcrest Community Centre, Bay Vue Road, Newhaven, UK (hospitable-environment.com)
Lewes District Food Partnership Grow Cook Eat network brings together community-building food projects. See the full directory here: Grow Cook Eat Network – Lewes District Food Partnership