A Northumberland community initiative has brought residents together to celebrate culture, connection and inclusion through food.
Full Circle Food Project hosted a community food festival at Hirst Welfare in Ashington, welcoming around 150 people from a wide range of cultural and religious backgrounds.
The event marked the culmination of a year-long programme of community lunches, which showcased cuisines and traditions from communities including Bangladeshi, Kurdish, Polish, Ukrainian, Pakistani, Scottish and Namibian groups.
Pakistani Scottish and Namibian
Attendees enjoyed a variety of international dishes alongside entertainment, including traditional Highland dancing, as the festival highlighted the role of food in building understanding and shared experiences.
Michelle Brannigan, chief executive of Full Circle Food Project, said: "Food has a unique way of bringing people together, and this project has shown just how powerful that can be.
"We've created opportunities for people to share their culture, learn from one another and
Full Circle Food Project
build real connections within our community."
The initiative was supported by funding from the North East Combined Authority Mayor's Opportunity Fund, which aims to strengthen community cohesion.
Organisers worked to ensure the events were accessible and inclusive, overcoming barriers such as language to create a welcoming environment for all.
Authority Mayor Opportunity Fund
Following the success of the programme, plans are in place to develop a community recipe book and establish the festival as an annual event in Ashington.
Michelle added: "We are incredibly grateful to the Mayor's Opportunity Fund - this simply wouldn't have been possible without their support.
"It has enabled us to bring people together in a meaningful and lasting way.
Mayor Opportunity Fund
"This is just the beginning."We'd love to continue celebrating the rich diversity of our community and keep creating spaces where everyone feels they belong."
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We'd love to continue celebrating the rich diversity of our community and keep creating spaces where everyone feels they belong.
Reading the wider picture
Retail decisions rarely happen all at once. What looks like a sudden change of direction is usually the visible end of months of testing, costing and quiet negotiation behind the scenes.
Key takeaways
- A Northumberland community initiative has brought residents together to celebrate culture, connection and inclusion through food
- Michelle Brannigan, chief executive of Full Circle Food Project, said: "Food has a unique way of bringing people together
- The initiative was supported by funding from the North East Combined Authority Mayor's Opportunity Fund, which aims to strengthen community cohesion
- Organisers worked to ensure the events were accessible and inclusive, overcoming barriers such as language to create a welcoming environment for all
- Following the success of the programme, plans are in place to develop a community recipe book and establish the festival as an annual event in Ashington
The questions it raises
What should you know about Circle Food Project?
Full Circle Food Project hosted a community food festival at Hirst Welfare in Ashington, welcoming around 150 people from a wide range of cultural and religious backgrounds.
What happens next?
The initiative was supported by funding from the North East Combined Authority Mayor's Opportunity Fund, which aims to strengthen community cohesion.
The bottom line
None of this settles the wider question. It does make one thing harder to ignore: the pressure in the food industry has shifted, and others will have to respond to it.