Launch guests a-mingling
Our local food book was launched in October of last year at the Hub in Kings Cross, in a colourful celebration of local food and the people that make it happen. We listened to speakers from local food projects, (Julie Brown from Growing Communities, Zoe Leventhal from Transition Town Brixton’s food group, permaculture artists Holly Gregson and Richard Houguez) as well as myself, co-author (and Transition movement co-founder) Rob Hopkins, and Claire Milne (who has been working on the Transition Network’s food strategy). Yes, the audience was bombarded with a feast of edible words, a quiz, slides, visions, a participative activity and the work of art that was Holly and Richard’s local food cart.
(From left to right) Richard and Holly by their magnificent, abundant cart, as Natasha decides what to take home.
I must add more about this amazing cart. Throughout the day, (shoeless!) Holly and Richard walked through the streets of London, pulling their hand-made cart behind them and visiting various local food projects within the city. At each project they asked for donations of fruit, flowers, veg or herbs, and handed out leaflets about the book. By the time they arrived at the Hub, the cart was covered in much beautiful produce – brightening up the room and filling the space with the smell of freshly picked herbs. Guests at the launch were asked to help themselves to cart produce in exchange for a story, poem, or a few words that Holly and Richard recorded in a book. Linking the launch with the city’s local food initiatives, their harvests, and all the people that interacted with the project throughout the day – from the local growers to the launch guests – was a feat of imaginative brilliance and a demonstration of everything the book is about: good food, creativity, community and fun.
Soup and bread provided by local food restaurant Konstam
And the launch itself also felt like much fun. There seemed to me to be a joyful buzz in the air, an excitement about the opportunity we are all being presented with: to create safe, delicious, nutritious food systems that will keep us fed for many years to come. I was reminded how important it is to meet and celebrate with fellow transitioners, green-fingered conspirators, food-lovers – whatever our collective term might be. Everything feels possible, doable and enjoyable at these meetings – we are recharged, reinvigorated and ready.
My friend Sam Stonehill recorded the event on camera and you can watch his film here
