Since 2023, with funding from the National Lottery Community Fund (NCLF), OASES has worked with 14 communities across Country Durham to support the development of a more sustainable local food system in which more people have greater access to affordable, healthy, and locally grown food.
In each community, OASES partnered with an established group that was already working to improve local food access. These included community centres with growing areas, community gardens and allotments, and community cafes. Each received a discretionary budget and OASES support to assist with projects ranging from constructing or renovating garden spaces to training allotment volunteers to planting community orchards to delivering gardening sessions to local children or adult clients.
OASES also partnered with one school or youth group in each of the 14 areas, running gardening clubs in 11 Durham primary schools and one secondary school and working with two NHS Growing Healthy youth groups in local allotments. Over three summers, we built new raised bed vegetable gardens at 10 schools, renovated gardens at another three schools, and planted and harvested countless mouthfuls of strawberries, peas, broccoli and potatoes as we gave local children and youth the experience of growing, preparing and cooking their own food.
They’ve tried vegetables they never would have and learned new skills along the way. This club will have a lasting impact on our students and I’m extremely grateful we’ve had this opportunity for them. Teacher – Dene Academy
In 2024, thanks to funding from the Derwent Valley Area Action Partnership, OASES extended Food Durham into two more communities, working with community allotments and schools in Burnopfield and Medomsley. NCLF funding also employed a Food Durham Co-ordinator who has worked since 2023 to support the strategic partnership, to strengthen links with community-based networks, and to provide events and networking opportunities within and across communities.
In 2025, Food Durham was awarded the Sustainable Food Places silver award in recognition of the work done to promote healthy, sustainable and local food. Leon Ballin, the Sustainable Food Places Programme Manager, wrote:
“Food Durham has shown just what can be achieved when creative and committed people work together to make healthy and sustainable food a defining characteristic of where they live. While there is still much to do and many challenges to overcome, Food Durham has helped to set a benchmark for the other 120+ members of the UK Sustainable Food Places Network to follow. They should be very proud of the work that they have been doing to transform our collective food culture and food system for the better.”
Click here to visit the dedicated Food Durham website.
