In March this year a new initiative started to support Primary Schools and Nurseries across County Durham with growing activities.

Image Credit: The School Seed Bank

We’re delighted to see the return of County Durham’s two Food Festivals (subject to coronavirus restrictions), with Seaham Food Festival taking place on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 August followed by Bishop Auckland Food Festival in October.

Image Credit: Durham County Council

Durham County Council’s Fun & Food programme of Holiday Activities with Healthy Food will receive over £3.3m of DfE funding to support activities that support families during the school holidays and help meet the need for additional food during these times. 

Image Credit: Weardale Action Partnership

Harrogate and District NHS Trust are developing more allotment projects across the county to support young people to promote the beneficial and positive impact that gardening can have on their lives.  

Image Credit: Joanne Dodds

A new group has been set up in the county to encourage more people to save seed from their plants, to share those seeds and to create a bank of seeds suitable for our delightful NE Climate.  

Image Credit: Peter Samsom

Community Food projects in the county have been coming together in the Food Durham Community Good Food Network to share experiences and to explore what ‘good food’ means in County Durham. 

Image Credit: @sandrodemaio/twitter.com 

Discovering Durham CIC, a shop in the very centre of Durham City which focuses on food and drink produced in County Durham and the immediate surroundings, aims to make it easier for people to buy a range of local produce. 

Image Credit: Discovering Durham CIC

County Durham’s first on-farm milk vending machine operation launched early in 2021 at Ox Close Farm near Shadforth, selling high quality non-homogenised milk in reusable glass bottles. 

Image Credit: Ox Close Farm