Small local food enterprises have a little time left to apply for funding and support from Urban Food Routes, a partnership that aims to support them in thriving and benefiting their local communities.

Social enterprises or privately-run businesses in the borough, whether they are just starting out or have been running for a number of years, can apply for support.  Enterprises can choose the type of support they need including business advice, mentoring, funding up to £8,000 and loan provision.

Funded by the Mayor of London’s London Food Board and Seeds of Change®, and led by the Plunkett Foundation, the partnership also includes food-network London Food Link and social enterprise Growing Communities.

Find out more and apply at www.urbanfoodroutes.org.uk. The closing date for applications is 5pm, Thursday April 17. 

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “The Urban Food Routes scheme has been set up to help support a resurgence of interest in local food providers with the aim of sustaining what is an increasingly vibrant sector. I want the Urban Food Routes programme to help these enterprises to successfully provide fresh healthy food for local people, while simultaneously supporting jobs and training opportunities for Londoners.”

Gary Youren from Seeds of Change® , said: “We were inspired by the fantastic results we saw from the 2013 Urban Food Routes pilot. As an organic food brand we commit a proportion of our sales to supporting biodiversity and sustainable organic practices and we felt this was a perfect fit for Seeds of Change to support in 2014. We’re excited by the opportunity to see the positive impact this project and the enterprises involved can make on the local food culture in London.”

Peter Couchman, Chief Executive of the Plunkett Foundation, said: “Plunkett is very pleased to support Urban Food Routes by providing business advice to smaller enterprises that work in all aspects of food; from those that grow and produce it, to those that sell it. This initiative is great news for London’s smaller food enterprises.”

 
April 7, 2014