The idea
As our grassroots sustainable community has grown, we have seen first-hand the barriers to the growth of sustainable food start-ups. One of the greatest barriers we have faced is the lack of provision in London for our community’s unique requirement of affordable hygienic space and kitchens.
We have secured a new affordable space called Sustainable Bankside, however to fit it out we need additional funding. The space created will enable more sustainable food start-ups to work alongside each other, empowering each other to grow their idea faster, making London more prosperous and sustainable.
Our community members have huge experience in engaging, educating and inspiring local communities about sustainable food. The space is unique in that it has a large yard / warehouse for events, whilst being in a great place for all Londoners to access. Grow-Up Community Farms amongst other community members, are co-designing our innovation demonstrators, events, and educational programs.
What we'll deliver
- Hold over 20 events per annum dedicated to sustainable food
- Invite over 10,000 visitors per annum to the space engaging with sustainable food innovation
- Develop sustainable food growing demonstrators in the outside yard space
- Cultivate food growing approaches within the warehouse
- Curate waste reduction demonstrators in all aspects of the space
- Fit a containerised community kitchen within the warehouse
- Co-design and construct a food lab with our community
- Develop an indoor / outdoor, community events space
Why it's a great idea
- There is a bonafide need. The wave of emerging sustainable food start-ups in London is growing but the availability of affordable / appropriate space is a barrier to their growth.
- Our community members empower each other through learning together how to scale, our space enables more start-ups to co-locate, increasing learning.
- The collective strength we cultivate translates into the greater empowerment of the broader local public who engage with our members products and services.
- As our community members grow they are educating Londoners through workshops, events and free training / knowledge sharing.
- Our community members foster prosperity, the jobs they create are often local, uniquely offering both entry level and high GVA, creating pathways for Londoners to upskill.
- Empowering sustainable food innovation reduces food / packaging waste, and positively impacts our local environment.
Steps to get it done
- Finalise detailed M&E designs and architectural designs with partners
- Schedule contractors and offsite pre-fab manufacturing
- Schedule detailed events / workshop series for community growth
- Plan high level launch event with Mayor of London for Autumn
- Installation of plant and utilities (e.g HVAC system)
- Installation of pre-fabricated building elements i.e kitchens / meeting rooms
- Installation of decoration and external signage
- Installation of plants and growing demonstrations with community
- Running of events series generating 10,000 visitors per annum
- Community members reach 50 start-ups creating over 250 jobs
- Community members growth hits £3.3m revenues / £5m funding raised per annum
- Our community has been embedded in Southwark for 6 years, and there is limited affordable space now left in our local area.
- Our leadership team have successfully delivered workspace projects with significant impact, the space we propose is only possible, and affordable due to our generous partners.
- The project is ready to launch in August, and most aspects are in place for the space to be a success. However, without the success of this crowdfunding round, the sustainable start-ups in our community will still struggle to find appropriate food facilities.
- With the funding, outputs from the project will be highly leveraged through the expedited growth of our community members.
- Corresponding with our raison d'etre, the fit-out of the space has been designed under circular principles; the containerised design will enable the investment to be moved, increasing its lifetime impact.
