Growing Stronger Together: Community Food Roundtable at the Red Brick Building 

On Wednesday 6th August, CAG Somerset brought together an inspiring mix of people dedicated to community food at the Red Brick Building in Glastonbury. The aim of the morning was simple but powerful: to create a space where those running community fridges, pantries, larders, and kitchens across Somerset could connect, share challenges, and explore practical solutions for building sustainable, resilient food projects. 

From the start, the room was buzzing with energy. Attendees came from grassroots community groups, local government, and support organisations including Somerset Council, Spark Somerset, funding advisors, and Impact consultants from Resource Futures. 

Setting the Scene 

The morning opened with a warm welcome from CAG Somerset and an introduction from Jill Loader, Somerset’s Food Resilience Officer. Participants then introduced themselves and their projects, giving a sense of the diversity of initiatives and people working towards supporting these different groups. 

One of the first sessions was led by Miranda Millan, funding consultant and chair of Love Glastonbury. Miranda spoke on the future financial sustainability of community food initiatives, sharing practical insights on how groups can strengthen their funding models and prepare for long-term resilience. 

Conversations That Matter 

The heart of the event was the themed table discussions, where participants gathered in smaller groups to dig deeper into key issues: 

• Volunteer retention – How can we support, motivate, and celebrate the volunteers who are the lifeblood of our projects? 

• Partnerships, promotion & community engagement – What opportunities exist to work more closely with others and reach new audiences? 

• Impact – How do we monitor, evaluate, and demonstrate the value of what we’re doing in ways that funders, partners, and communities understand? 

Each table had a facilitator and note-taker, ensuring that the rich conversations and ideas could be captured and shared. Attendees moved between tables across two rounds, giving everyone the chance to connect with multiple themes and perspectives. 

Building a Shared Vision 

After a short coffee break,  the whole group came back together for a roundtable discussion. This session pulled out the threads from the table conversations, highlighting recurring challenges such as funding pressures, volunteer burnout, and the need for stronger collaboration. But equally, it surfaced innovative solutions — from joint training opportunities to shared communication strategies and collective impact measurement. 

Looking Ahead 

The morning closed with a focus on next steps. CAG Somerset shared how it can continue to support collaboration across the network, including upcoming opportunities for funding, training, and peer support. A sign-up sheet and networking space allowed attendees to stay connected and keep the momentum going. 

A Stronger, More Connected Food Community 

We’re excited to see what grows from the connections made at this event and look forward to supporting this community food network going forward.