Project to create food link in region’s west
A resilience project by the South Coast Environment Society is hard at work to connect local communities by providing a link to food and produce.
Committee members Robyn Guyton and Anna Robertson have been trying to make Longwood Loop a reality.
The concept of Longwood Loop is to help local producers of food connect easily without having to travel more than 10 kilometres.
Guyton spoke of the bygone times when people used to personally know who they bought their groceries from – from the local beekeeper for honey to the local tomato grower and so on.
The Longwood Loop would be like an online farmers market. People will be able to see the people behind the food they were buying. It would also help during natural disasters when supermarkets would be out of stock, Guyton said.
The Longwood Loop would help local growers connect with local buyers, without having outsiders take a big cut of the money, she said.
The society hopes to buy an electric van as it will be a key item to make the project a reality.
Members would travel in the area in a hope to provide food for 7000 people, Guyton said.
It had applied twice to the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority for funding of the van but had been denied each time.
Community Trust South believed in the project, so it had donated $36,000, Guyton said.
The group needs another $16,000 to buy the van and have crowdfunded $1055 through PledgeMe.
‘‘It’s up to us to build that community and supply each other and see who can provide what.’’
They have had a few trials with a car but found it not sustainable for long-term plans, she said.
‘‘It’s up to us to build that community and supply each other and see who can provide what.’’ Robyn Guyton