Season Well CIC

Season Well has 4 broad aims and we measure all our activities and outcomes against them. They are: 1. People are more knowledgeable about sustainable food 2. People are taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint for food 3. People are taking positive steps towards growing their own food and cooking seasonally 4. People have improved their wellbeing Most of our work covers all 4 outcomes to varying degrees. Examples of these are illustrated below. In 2024/5 we worked with: 24 community organisations - 19 in areas of urban deprivation 517 beneficiaries in total 250 children 27 older people 131 BAME 37 with learning or physical disabilities 57 with mental health difficulties We received 3 funding grants and a number of individual sales contracts to enable us to carry out our work, which in 2024/5 included: Ongoing Growing Projects 100 sessions with over 50 people, some with learning disabilities and mental ill-health, working on organisations’ allotments or vegetable gardens, teaching service users how to look after the garden and produce a harvest. (All outcomes met plus community cohesion - fostering a stronger sense of belonging, with service users and volunteers working together without barriers.) Food Growing and Cooking Project for Mental Wellbeing 26 adults with complex mental health difficulties were supported to grow food and to cook with local seasonal produce in 3 locations across Leeds. (Outcomes 1, 3 and 4 met, plus community cohesion - building welcoming communities where everyone feels part of something bigger when working, cooking, and sharing together.) "The group has had a significant impact on my mental wellbeing. I have felt more independent.... I have met some wonderful people and learnt loads about eating healthy food and trying recipes that I would never have thought of” - participant S. Seasonal Cooking Three programmes with community organisations, teaching adults how to cook with produce grown in the organisations’ gardens and allotments. Two of these were created specifically around the needs of refugees and asylum seekers. (All outcomes met plus community cohesion as meals shared amongst the communities.) Cooking demonstrations Seven stand-alone sessions for wider audiences, highlighting seasonal produce and showing how to cook dishes with it. (Outcomes 1, 3 and 4 met, plus knowledge shared amongst communities.) Participants loved the innovative ways to use everyday ingredients and later shared photos of their versions with us. Climate Awareness Project People were shown how to take positive action towards reducing their carbon footprint for food. 40 people attended 7 sessions on food growing, composting and preserving fresh produce. (Outcomes 1, 2 and 3 met with many new growers thrilled with their new skills: “I’ve picked up so many tips in the last hour” - participant K.) Additionally, 10 households and 2 local businesses joined our community composting scheme, using caddies we provided to collect food waste for weekly drop-off at our own Food Garden in Guiseley. This diverted around 750-800kg of food-waste away from landfill and led to reductions from households in feelings of climate anxiety. (Outcome 2 met.) ‘Healthy Holidays’ Programmes Over 200 children enjoyed learning about seasonal food and hands-on food growing and cooking sessions with us over 7 sites in Leeds as part of this scheme for children on free school meals. (Outcomes 1, 2 and 3 met. One parent commented “You get my kids trying vegetables that they wouldn’t try at home with mum nagging them. They are so engaged with the cooking that they want to eat healthy food”) Network Facilitation 21 people from 9 organisations took part in regular skills sharing sessions around food growing and running urban community food growing projects. (Outcomes 1, 2 and 3 met plus community cohesion and improving access to food in areas of deprivation) The creation of this network was nominated for a ‘Feed Leeds’ award with one member saying “I have benefitted from the expertise and knowledge of the people who come each time. Season Well have been inspirational in showing us food and drink that we can enjoy that is seasonally appropriate and therefore often free and very easy to access.” Foraging session 8 members of the local Seacroft community learned how to safely pick and use free food growing wild in their local environment. (Outcomes 1,2 and 4 met) From feedback from our facilitators, comments from organisations and participants themselves, we can evidence that these projects have benefitted the communities, and will continue to do so in the following ways: Increased food knowledge and confidence People learning lost skills in growing, cooking, and preserving food, leading to greater independence and resilience in their day-to-day lives. Children exposed to healthy food habits early are more likely to continue them into adulthood. Sustainable eating habits - Participants continuing to lower their carbon footprint by cooking seasonally and growing their own produce - Reducing or composting food waste - compost scheme members reported increased confidence to make sustainable lifestyle changes Improved mental health and general wellbeing - People with mental ill-health benefitting from being outside, physical activity through gardening, confidence in cooking and social connection. - Eating better for wellbeing, particularly amongst vulnerable groups like Learning Disability or people with mental health needs Community cohesion - Building stronger links and tolerance between disparate groups - Local organisations and individuals collaborating on food projects, creating sustainable networks that continue beyond our involvement. Access to food Improved availability of fresh produce for vulnerable groups who may not be able to buy for themselves due to lack of access or resources “Little Veg Libraries” made available for network members to share food growing with wider communities. Skills to find food for free!