Closing Loops is a collaborative project created to stimulate a thriving local economy in North Lancashire.
The Closing Loops project is cultivating a regenerative food economy by building a composting academy, gleaning network, citizen journalist movement and co-creating North Lancashire recipes.
Closing Loops aims to create and cultivate an ecosystem of people from all walks of life taking responsibility and working together to reconnect people, place, community and nature. By linking up existing initiatives and co-developing new solutions we can move from sustainable to regenerative and…
- Create inspiring new visions of the world we’d like to live in;
- Enable everyone in our region to have access to food that is of good quality, locally sourced, seasonal, sustainably produced and sustainably packaged food,
- Use resources wisely and transform waste into a valuable local resource;
- Support people in developing and sharing the skills we need for a new regenerative economy;
- And scale out beyond our district by building a model for a regional REconomy that works and nourishes people. Download a brief introduction to what we mean by REconomy.
Share the Harvest
In September 2023, Share the Harvest invited everyone in North Lancashire to join in and help prevent fruit waste from local trees such as apples and pears.
In September 2023, Share the Harvest invited everyone in North Lancashire to join in and help prevent fruit waste from local trees such as apples and pears.The month-long festival of gleans, events and workshops will be happening again in autumn 2024 all over Lancaster District.
Could you, your organisation, business or community group organise an event to help rescue surplus fruit and fight food waste? Join in with a local gleaning event, a workshop on juicing, cooking and preserving fruit or by hosting a glean in your garden, orchard or farm. Support for events is available for local community groups.
Pots of Possibility fund
The Pots of Possibility fund was created to enable local projects to generate positive outcomes for people and the environment by reducing waste and building community resilience.
The Pots of Possibility fund was created to enable local projects to generate positive outcomes for people and the environment by reducing waste and building community resilience.Thanks to National Lottery players, the Closing Loops project is supporting community-led action and local initiatives to transform waste into a valuable resource, aiming to stimulate a zero-waste, circular and regenerative local economy.
As part of this, £300,000 in small grants will be available through the Pots of Possibility fund to enable charitable organisations, social enterprises, community groups and others in north Lancashire to develop creative ideas to help communities and the environment to flourish.
Composting
Are you interested in community composting in your neighbourhood? Would like to learn more about composting or have composting skills and experience you would like to share?
Cooking
Would you like to share your cooking skills with your local community? Closing Loops can support you in hosting a cooking course or workshop, or teaching cooking skills at local events. Please contact Food and Chefs Network Coordinator Silvia to have a chat about all things cooking.
Gleaning
Do you grow food in North Lancashire and are not able to harvest everything this season? If you would like to host a glean on your land, or join the network of gleaning volunteers, please contact Gleaning Coordinator Jay.
Markets
Would you like to set up shop at one of four popular seasonal markets in Lancaster? Celebrate the seasons with local produce, street food, music, arts and crafts, community stalls and fun activities for all the family.
REconomy
Do you have ideas for a social enterprise or a project that helps local communities and the environment to flourish? Would you like to get involved in building the new regenerative economy? Find out more about Pots of Possibility or contact Closing Loops REconomy Coordinator Jo.
MEET THE TEAM
You can find out more about the members of the Closing Loops project team and view their contact details on the FoodFutures team page.
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
We need your help closing loops in North Lancashire. Together we can stop wasting food and other resources and create a thriving local food economy. There are lots of different ways to get involved:
- Take part in events on cooking, composting, gleaning or making and upcycling – look out for Closing Loops events on the FoodFutures calendar.
- Share your knowledge and skills- education, catering, retail, growers, business, community organisations, local residents – we need your ideas and creativity.
- Join the FoodFutures Healthy Food and Environment Group and drop in on working group meetings. Contact Rachel, the Closing Loops Project Coordinator, for more information.
NEWS FROM THE CLOSING LOOPS PROJECT
FUNDING AND PARTNERS
Closing Loops is a FoodFutures project launched in 2022 and funded by the National Lottery Climate Action Fund. It brings together six key local organisations (LESS, Lancaster District CVS, Eggcup, Global Link, Shared Future and Scientists For Global Responsibility) in order to take forward big chunks of ‘Our Food Futures: a community food strategy for North Lancashire’.
