Better Food Wirral
For Wirral Council | WITH Postcode films | Team: AJO CLUA, Francesca Allen, Leonie Shanks (INNOVATION UNIT) | My role: Project Lead | 2014
Challenge
While at Innovation Unit, I led a research project aimed at supporting Wirral Council’s public health team to launch a borough-wide food strategy addressing:
Food poverty: Over 4 months in 2014, the use of Birkenhead-based food banks increased by 47% from 9000 to over 13,000.
Health inequlaities: Treating diet-related illnesses cost the NHS £2 billion per year.
An economic opportunity: Nationally, restaurant and catering grew by 13%against 4% for the rest of the economy.
Process
Community research with 25 local residents, community activists and food business owners to uncover challenges and opportunities around food poverty and access, relationships to food, and the local food economy.
Ethnographic filmmaking (with Postcode Films)
Data mapping of the local food system.
Strategy event with over 100 people and organisations from across the food system, including businesses, community projects, and public services.
Outcome
Wirral Council set up a yearly innovation fund and supported new community projects to address food poverty guided by the priorities highlighted by our research.
Research film produced by Postcode Film
Summary insights report