A NORTH Belfast community project has been awarded a share of £620,000 in safefood funding to transform the shopping and healthy eating habits of low-income communities across the region.
New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership plans to expand on a successful previous round of CFI programme funding that delivered 12 programmes for 157 families with a total of 1,374 family meals.
They will use the funding to set up, manage and sustain their own community food scheme aimed at positively influencing healthy eating habits of residents by developing their skills and knowledge around food, healthier shopping and cooking skills.
Speaking about their involvement in the programme, Julie Jamieson, Manager of the New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership, said: “The CFI programme 2019-21 really allowed New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership to focus on nutrition, meal planning and budgeting for vulnerable families facing food poverty and isolation, at a challenging time during Covid-19.
"The learning from this programme which delivered 12 programmes for 498 people from 157 families and delivered 1,374 family meals has strengthened and consolidated our approach and will be crucial as we begin our programme plan in conjunction with our dynamic Steering Group for the next three years.”
Welcoming the new projects, Ray Dolan, Chief Executive safefood, added: “The work of Community Food Initiatives has never been more important. We face rising food and living costs and the pressure that puts on low-income families in eating a healthy, balanced diet while meeting other essential household expenses.
“The projects joining our CFI programme today put healthy eating on the agenda in local communities and can improve family health, tackle inequality, and change people’s lives for the better. By focusing on skills and knowledge in relation to food, this can have a transformative effect on families across the island of Ireland.”
