Tuesday 18-07-2017 - 17:11

We’ve supported some truly inspiring sustainable food enterprises through our Student Eats programme. Here’s how some participants feel about their projects’ impacts on wellbeing.

Watering down student stress

Growhampton and This Is Our Jam, University of Roehampton

“Many of the student volunteers at our Learn to Cook sessions have expressed that the project has been useful in relieving the stress and pressure of university life. One member of our team says this: ‘When This Is Our Jam started out, I didn't know anything about setting up an enterprise. But together, the team got the enterprise up and running, and I learnt a lot along the way. We are proud and happy to be a part of This Is Our Jam. Because of this, I now dare to walk into more unknown territory - I know I can handle what comes my way, I also know that the people around me will support me.’”

 

Growing skills

Branched, Kings College London

“The refugee participants have gained self-confidence and experienced improved wellbeing with the skills they have gained through our Food and Health Safety course.”

 

Seeding awareness 

Revive, University of Leeds

“Our group as a whole has been a lot more conscious of our wasted food and the look of fruit and vegetables in our shops since starting our food co-op planning. This has led an overall improved sense of observation and thoughtfulness about where our food comes from which has led to better wellbeing.”

 

Sweet business savvy

We’re Jamming, City of Liverpool College

“Members of the enterprise who have engaged in the project have gained confidence in selling, marketing and development of products. At the start, staff noticed that members were very reluctant to sell or even speak to potential customers but eventually the members were actively selling and taking customers’ details for the database.”

 

Well-rooted confidence

Penryn Produce, Falmouth and Exeter Students’ Union

“We believe we have all grown in confidence - particularly in terms of our self-belief in being able to get our co-op going! We’ve developed our networking too, which will be valuable as we continue with our project.”

 

Pollinating open minds 

Collective Nourishment, University of Portsmouth

“We feel as though the core team have really gained new insights into alternative ways of living, and this has empowered each of us. Self-belief is at a high due to the understanding we've gained from working on Collective Nourishment, and knowing we can all contribute to something greater than ourselves.”

 

Mark the 24th November in your calendar as the deadline for our last application round for start-up costs & mentoring for new food based social enterprises. Next year we will be offering seven of our 67 approved enterprises the chance to make their work even bigger - with more sustainable food traded and more students engaged - in our scale up round. 

Come along to our open category webinar 01/11/2017 12:30-13:30 or join us for the scale up webinar 01/11/2017 14:30-15:30