Residents, community organisations and decision-makers will come together to develop a shared vision for a healthier, more sustainable food system and strengthen community influence over local decisions. By Moussa Amine Sylla
Who should shape the future of food in Haringey? And what would it take to ensure that every resident can access healthy, affordable and culturally appropriate food, while the community organisations supporting them have the resources and influence they need?
These questions will take centre stage at the Haringey Food Assembly 2026, taking place on Friday 20 November at the Irish Centre, Pretoria Road, London N17. Convened by the Haringey Community Food Network (HCFN), the gathering will bring together residents, community organisations, food projects, growers, local businesses, schools, health professionals, councillors and public-sector partners to help define the borough’s food priorities.
At a time when rising living costs, health inequalities and environmental pressures are placing increasing demands on communities, the Assembly offers an opportunity to rethink how Haringey responds to food insecurity and, crucially, who gets to shape the solutions.
From food aid to lasting change
Over recent years, HCFN has emerged as an important connecting force within Haringey’s food landscape. Bringing together food banks, community kitchens, social supermarkets, growing projects, faith groups, schools and voluntary organisations, the network has strengthened collaboration and supported practical responses to food insecurity.
Food, however, is about more than what appears on a plate. It connects public health, household finances, education, cultural identity, environmental sustainability and the strength of neighbourhood relationships.
While community organisations demonstrate extraordinary commitment and innovation, many face financial uncertainty, limited resources and growing demand. Too often, initiatives addressing similar challenges operate separately, without the coordination and long-term investment needed to maximise their collective impact.
The challenge is to move beyond fragmented interventions towards a coordinated approach that recognises food as a shared public responsibility.
The Assembly aims to help establish that direction by bringing together those who experience, deliver and influence the local food system.
A different approach to participation
Building on HCFN’s collaboration with The Humanity Project, the Assembly reflects a community-organising approach that places residents’ experiences, collective leadership and community power at the centre of change.
Rather than treating participation as a one-off consultation exercise, this approach seeks to create meaningful opportunities for people to influence priorities, develop solutions and hold institutions accountable.
Using deliberative methodology, participants will engage in facilitated conversations, exchange perspectives and build on one another’s ideas.
Two central questions will guide the discussions: what should an ambitious Food Strategy for Haringey look like, and what support does the local authority need to provide for a thriving, connected and sustainable community food network?
Conversations will explore food justice, access to healthy and affordable food, community growing, climate action, health and wellbeing, food waste, and stronger partnerships between communities and public institutions.
The ambition is to turn these discussions into practical recommendations that can inform future policy development and establish shared priorities for action.
“At its heart, the Haringey Food Assembly is about democracy, participation and community leadership. It recognises that the people who experience the realities of the food system every day possess invaluable expertise and should play a central role in shaping its future. Says Sally Sturgeon HCFN Chair
Organisations such as The Felix Project play an important role in tackling food waste and redistributing surplus food to charities and community organisations supporting people experiencing food insecurity.
“Tackling food insecurity requires more than getting surplus food to the people who need it. We need to build stronger local partnerships and explore how a more connected, community-rooted food hub could bring together food provision, wraparound support and opportunities for local people to develop skills, access employment and build their own enterprises. By making better use of resources and connecting food with wider economic opportunities, we can strengthen communities, support local livelihoods and create a fairer, more sustainable food system for Haringey.”
— Damien Conrad, Community Manager, The Felix Project
The Assembly offers an opportunity to consider how resources, expertise and institutional support can be better coordinated, ensuring community organisations are not left carrying the responsibility for structural problems without the necessary support.
Building infrastructure for democratic decisions
The significance of the Food Assembly will ultimately depend on what happens after the discussions end.
Participants’ contributions will be captured and developed into recommendations to inform future Food Strategy discussions and help identify priorities for HCFN, its members and local partners.
There is also an opportunity to establish more sustained mechanisms for community participation, enabling residents and organisations to help set priorities, contribute to implementation, monitor progress and maintain an ongoing dialogue with decision-makers.
For the local authority, this means considering the conditions required for a thriving food network: sustainable funding, access to community spaces, support for local food growing, better coordination and clearer routes for community influence over policy.
For community organisations, it offers the prospect of shared priorities, stronger collective advocacy and a more influential voice. For residents, it is an opportunity to shape decisions affecting household budgets, health and neighbourhood wellbeing.
Haringey already possesses considerable community knowledge, commitment and experience. The challenge is to connect these strengths to the resources, relationships and democratic structures needed to create lasting change.
The Haringey Food Assembly is an invitation to begin that work together.
Date: Friday 20 November 2026
Time: 4:00pm–7:30pm
Register: https://HaringeyFoodAssembly26.eventbrite.com
Contact: [email protected]
