Swindon people will learn how they can play their part in a campaign to tackle climate change by buying locally produced food, called Local Harvest.  The Midcounties Co-operative, which runs a scheme to source and sell locally produced food, has awarded a £1000 Co-operative Community Dividend grant to Swindon Climate Action Network, a local group that has launched the Swindon Local Food Campaign.

Swindon Climate Change Network is using the grant to produce display boards and 10,000 leaflets to raise awareness of the Swindon Local Food Campaign.  This will list retailers who source local food such as farmers' markets, box schemes and the Co-op's Local Harvest and highlight the many benefits.   

The local food campaign is one theme which Swindon Climate Action Network will be promoting at community events throughout the year.  At Easter they had a stand at the Spring into Action exhibition, organised by Swindon Borough Council and the local health authority, which encouraged people to leave their cars at home and get more active.  The boards and leaflets will be used at other events including the Old Town Festival, Swindon Forest Festival, at farmers' markets and Co-op stores.  Leaflets will be widely distributed through local outlets, libraries and on the group's website.

“I shop in the Old Town Co-op and had seen the Local Harvest campaign which is very much in line with our aims,” says Andy Parsons of Swindon Climate Action Network.  “We hope that more retailers will follow the Co-op's example and adopt similar schemes.

“Our local food campaign will benefit local producers, the local economy, people's health and the global climate.  We want to get the message out and about as widely as possible so that everyone can play their part.”

Sarah Buy of The Midcounties Co-operative said: “Our research has shown that there is a strong feeling that people would like to buy local produce wherever possible and the Co-op has responded to this with the Local Harvest scheme.  We were delighted to support the Swindon Local Food Campaign which will let people know where they can find food from local producers.  As a co-operative retailer we were keen to work with this group to achieve a common goal.”

The aim of the Co-op's Local Harvest and Swindon Local Food campaign is to raise awareness of the benefits of local food and encourage people in Swindon to buy local.  From the Swindon Climate Action Network's perspective this will result in reducing carbon dioxide emissions.   According to the organisation Sustain, the average Sunday lunch could easily have travelled as much as 25,000 miles to reach your plate.  Buying local food is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce personal carbon emissions.

In addition to the global environmental benefits the campaign will also result in many local benefits to local people including supporting local producers, small businesses and the local economy.  It will also improve health through people eating fresh, unprocessed produce.  The scheme promotes co-operation, participation and communication between local urban and rural communities in Swindon. It will reduce packaging and waste to landfill.