Food production, preparation and sharing

The Food Innovation Fund was a new grants programme offering funding for innovative, community-led proposals that build a resilient, sustainable community of resident support, based on the foundations of collaboration, mutual aid and dignity for all.

This Waltham Forest Council funding offer has been co-designed and supported by members of the ‘Food Resilience Network’ and ‘Food Growers Network’.

In 2024 11 Voluntary and Community Sector organisations were awarded funding to deliver 7 projects.

Forest Flora and Wood Street Walls 

Forest Flora are creating the Wood Street Plot to Plate Edible Garden in partnership with the Lacy Nook restaurant and Wood Street Walls. This will be a space for sustainable and climate resilient community food growing, workshops and cooking demonstrations.  

Kitchen waste will be composted on site to create compost for growing. Harvests will be sold to the Lacy Nook and with proceeds donated to a new Community Fridge.  

For more information:  

The Gleaners and Time to Grow 

The Gleaners Cafe Cooperative are partnering with the local community food growing scheme, Time To Grow, to develop a new type of community takeaway meal. 

Time To Grow is a collective of food growers in Waltham Forest helping people use their garden space to grow food for the community.  

In this project, meals will be sold on a sliding scale with an affordable price range so everyone can enjoy nutritious and delicious takeaway meals including a variety of curries, stir fries, and delicious fried and fresh foods. 

For more information:  

Leytonstone and Wanstead Synagogue  

The Leytonstone Ko-op is a Synagogue initiative offering Kosher food. The shop provides traditional Jewish dishes that are culturally resonant with the community and which cannot be sourced in the local area as the only Kosher outlet and café within Waltham Forest. 

Using the Food Innovation Fund, the Ko-op will start food production. A large section of the Synagogue garden will be converted for vegetable growing, the produce of which will become part of the Ko-op offering. 

For more information:  

Leytonstone Mutual Aid 

Leytonstone Mutual Aid will deliver a monthly food and culture session from St Andrews Church on Colworth Road in Upper Leytonstone.  

At the events, residents can learn about different cultures and food. Organised and delivered by Leytonstone Mutual Aid volunteers, each session will have a unique theme related to different places around the world. 

For more information:  

The Skills Within, Holy Trinity and Project Zero Food truck project 

In collaboration with Holy Trinity and Project Zero, the Skills Within are supporting young people through an initiative that focused on skills and training. This work is linked to a youth mentoring project funded by Waltham Forest Council and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime. 

The project will include a weekly hot meal service at Holy Trinity and St Augustine of Hippo to compliment the existing Food Share initiative for the benefit of Cathall residents during the cost of living crisis.  

In collaboration with Project Zero, the project will utilise surplus food and include both volunteers and paid opportunities for young people. 

For more information:  

St Barnabas and St James the Greater 

St Barnabas and St James the Greater will launch a new food co-op in Walthamstow.  

The new initiative will include a Community Welcome Space hosting a number of different activities each week.  

For more information:  

Westleyan Day Centre  

Westleyan Day Centre will support residents to grow their own produce in their own gardens or within their own community allotment space.  

The project will also provide low cost cooking ideas focusing on healthy and wholesome meals related to the produce grown. This will include monthly demonstrations and community meals. 

For more information: