THE Bendigo Regional Food Alliance was officially launched on Saturday.
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It was launched among a bustling Bendigo Community Farmer’s Market, which was fitting given the message it plans to promote.
Grow, source, cook and share are the four words driving the Bendigo Regional Food Alliance.
Alliance chair Jennifer Alden said the launch and incorporation of the Bendigo Regional Food Alliance had been a long time coming.
“It has come out of the work of Bendigo council on the Healthy Together project,” she said.
“We are made up of community members, organisations and people involved in food system.
“Anyone with an interest in our theme of ‘grow, share, cook, source’ can join. We want to connect people with opportunities to share their experiences.”
As part of it’s launch Bendigo Regional Food Alliance held a food swap at the farmer’s market, which MS Alden hopes will become a regular thing.
“It’s a good way of distributing the surplus,” she said.
“We can also apply for funding now that we're incorporated, so want to hear about projects for people interested in activities, whether it is setting up a community garden or a community kitchen.”
The Alliance has also developed a website that will contain links to resources, events and an interactive map to that shows community gardens, community kitchens and meals, emergency food relief agencies, healthy cooking classes and local producers.
“It’ is a good community source, people will be able to enter events into the calendar or use Google maps to find the nearest community garden or kitchen,” Ms Alden said.
“Beyond that we are looking forward to making healthy food available to everyone in Bendigo.
“It came out out this week that Loddon Mallee and Murray areas have highest obesity rate in Australia, so we have got some way to go to make healthy eating an easy option that is accessible for people.”
Mayor Cr Rod Fyffe said the Alliance would help connect Bendigo residents to ideas and opportunities to source and consume healthy local produce.
“We know that Greater Bendigo has a high level of obesity and the key to tackling obesity is to create better access to healthy, fresh and affordable food,” Cr Fyffe said.
“There are lots of great local producers, community gardens and programs happening around Bendigo and the Alliance will help coordinate these efforts and support new initiatives.”
For more details visit www.brfa.org.au