Devon County Council are currently consulting parents and carers on proposals for how to use former Children’s Centre buildings in a new network of Family Hubs across Devon.

Family Hubs are different and broader in scope than previous Children’s Centres, supporting a wider age range of children and young people, and linking-in with the many existing local groups to offer a wider range of family support, including potentially support for households facing food insecurity.

The consultation seeks the views of parents, young people, and partners about the intended changes. These will help to inform the design and implementation of the new approach to delivering family support. The consultation is running until midnight on Wednesday 3 July.

Find out more and share your views on the Family Hubs proposals

The Alliance for Dignified Food Support is a coalition of community food organisers, local food partnerships, academics, and activists committed to integrating dignity into food support provision. Their aims are to raise awareness of the ethical contradictions of community food support, and to support community food support projects to embed dignity within their provision.

Founding members of the alliance, including SCDA, Feeding Britain and Sustainable Food Places, held a series of national workshops and discussions over the last year to develop a proposal for four core Principles of Dignified Food Support, each illustrated by a range of practical and evidence based recommendations for how these might be implemented. Along with partners the Alliance also developed a dignity charter in consultation with users of community food support.

The Alliance For Dignified Food Support is now working on a Dignity Toolkit to support community food organisations to audit their own practice, develop an action plan to further embed dignity, and to reflect on any changes and their impact.

Read more about the Alliance for Dignified Food Support and sign up to receive a copy of the Dignity Toolkit

The Government has announced a suite of changes to the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). From July, the 5 hectare threshold for SFI applicants will be removed, enabling smaller farms and market gardens to apply. Applicants will also no longer be required to have been previously in receipt of BPS (Basic Payment Scheme), opening up the scheme to new entrants. The full list of changes is available on the Government website.

The SFI is part of the Government’s Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS), which aims to support farmers to deliver public and environmental goods, replacing BPS. Fully funded support to help farmers navigate this transition is available to farmers across the Great South West through the Future Farming Resilience programme, delivered by Business Information Point including one-to-one advice and specialist workshops.

Explore the free support offered to farmers under the Future Farming Resilience programme

The Agroecology Learning Collective (TALC) is a community-driven hub for agroecological learning and collaboration. The collective, composed of trainers, mentors, advisors, and centres of learning, is dedicated to shaping a regenerative future for the UK’s food and land-use systems.

The website is a gateway to practical training, a thriving network, and the latest in the world of agroecology. Whether you’re new to farming, have an established career, or are involved with sharing your knowledge with others, TALC will be your platform to learn, connect, and shape an agroecological future.

Visit the Agroecology Learning Collective website

Rock n Roll up your sleeves at Disco Soup on Sunday 30th June with The Crafty Cook CIC & Love Food CIC to make soup from sustainably sourced veg with sounds from the Tip of the Pops wheelbarrow disco. This might be a once in a lifetime opportunity so not to be missed! All ages welcome.

Disco Soup is part of the Green Phoenix Festival - find out more on the Exeter Phoenix website.

Better Food Traders & Landworkers Alliance have teamed up to bring you this inspiring, informative and social event taking place on Friday 5th July at the incredible Shillingford Organics, Exeter.

Expect a wonderful afternoon of learning and networking with other like-minded folk to include a farm tour of Shillingford Organics; workshops delivered by BFT and LWA; and an optional tour of Shillingford's city centre shop and café. This event is open to anyone working in the agroecological food sector in the SW including growers, traders, policy/research workers, partners and allies.

Book your tickets to the LWA and BFT South West Meet-Up

Join us at the first event held at South Devon Food Hub, a collaboration between the Devon Agri-Tech Alliance, Devon Food Partnership, and the South Devon Food Hub, supported by South Hams District Council.

Nestled in the beautiful Longcombe Valley near the River Dart, the hub is dedicated to helping small food and drink producers grow and thrive, with a strong focus on sustainability and community. All Devon farmers and producers are welcome and the day will focus on celebrating successes; looking ahead and addressing future challenges; and embracing future opportunities.

Register your place at the Pasture to Plate event

Farmers in West Devon are invited to a Biodiversity and Regenerative Practices workshop at Ashridge Court Farm.

Carolyn Richards is a long standing Farm Wilder farmer, and one of the first to be certified by RSPB Fair to Nature. Carolyn farms Belted Galloway cattle and is passionate about restoring habitats such as Culm Grassland. They have recently planted hundreds more trees to expand this habitat as part of a silvopasture trial in collaboration with Rothamsted Research, The Woodland Trust and other partners as part of a trial looking at soil carbon and biodiversity in silvopasture sites. More details about the event to follow soon.

Stay up to date by following the Devon Agri-Tech Alliance on Eventbrite