Food in the City - Learning from Leeds

Cities and urban areas are complex and provide a home to 72% of Europe’s population. If we want a regenerative food system we need to make city food systems work for people and planet.

In this session, we looked at a case study of how permaculture is used in the city of Leeds. In the north of England, Leeds has around 800,000 residents with many food initiatives working to tackle social, environmental and health challenges. 

Watch Andy, Sonja, Pete and Luke to find out how permaculture is making change at the local level and how this is starting to influence the city’s strategy for a better food future. Learn about their successes and challenges and the different initiatives that are part of the wider process of change.

Meet the Speakers

Andy Goldring

Andy moved to Leeds in 1989, and since learning about permaculture in 1992, has been involved in a range of local projects and initiatives, and in running annual design courses. He was a member of the Feed Leeds initiative and since 2020, has been involved in delivering the Climate Action Leeds project, which is an ambitious £2.5 Million project aiming for a ‘Zero Carbon, Nature Friendly, Socially Just Leeds’ by the 2030’s. This project is bringing together many different stakeholders and sustainability strands and giving fresh energy to food and nature initiatives across the city. Andy is also Chief Executive of the Permaculture Association (Britain).

Luke Justice

Luke grew up in one of the UK’s pioneering ecological housing projects - the Hockerton Project - and has had a longstanding passion for sustainable living and action. He has been leading the development of a new Community Supported Agriculture/urban farming scheme at Meanwood Valley Urban Farm on the edge of the city centre in Leeds. Luke also works with Andy on the Leeds Permaculture Course.

Sonja Woodcock

Sonja’s passion is food and its health, social, economic and environmental benefits. She is interested in how we as individuals and, as a society, are influenced by the food system. Sonja has an MSc in Food Policy and has been actively working towards developing a sustainable food strategy for Leeds. Her current post is funded by Sustainable Food Cities and the University of Leeds N8 Agrifood group and hosted by Zest Leeds. Sonja is heavily involved in a number of important and interesting food-based activities in Leeds, in particular, the Leeds Food Partnership, Sonja and Foodwise are the Food partner lead for the Climate Action Leeds project.

Pete Tatham

Pete did a permaculture course in 2010 and joined Hyde Park Source in 2013 where they are improving health and wellbeing through improving the environment through community gardening, design and build and outdoor education. Pete keeps a million plates spinning and is still as cool as a cucumber! He leads on developing new projects and finding suitable funding, developing the Hyde Park Source strategy and supporting the staff team. Pete is also the Nature partner lead for the Climate Action Leeds project and a brilliant DJ!

Related Links

Climate Action Leeds 

Foodwise Leeds

Hyde Park Source 

More Details

Cities and urban areas are complex and provide a home to 72% of Europe’s population. If we want a regenerative food system we need to make city food systems work for people and planet.

In this session, we looked at a case study of how permaculture is used in the city of Leeds. In the north of England, Leeds has around 800,000 residents with many food initiatives working to tackle social, environmental and health challenges.

Watch Andy, Sonja, Pete and Luke to find out how permaculture is making change at the local level and how this is starting to influence the city’s strategy for a better food future. Learn about their successes and challenges and the different initiatives that are part of the wider process of change.

Meet the Speakers

Andy Goldring

Andy moved to Leeds in 1989, and since learning about permaculture in 1992, has been involved in a range of local projects and initiatives, and in running annual design courses. He was a member of the Feed Leeds initiative and since 2020, has been involved in delivering the Climate Action Leeds project, which is an ambitious £2.5 Million project aiming for a ‘Zero Carbon, Nature Friendly, Socially Just Leeds’ by the 2030’s. This project is bringing together many different stakeholders and sustainability strands and giving fresh energy to food and nature initiatives across the city. Andy is also Chief Executive of the Permaculture Association (Britain).

Luke Justice

Luke grew up in one of the UK’s pioneering ecological housing projects - the Hockerton Project - and has had a longstanding passion for sustainable living and action. He has been leading the development of a new Community Supported Agriculture/urban farming scheme at Meanwood Valley Urban Farm on the edge of the city centre in Leeds. Luke also works with Andy on the Leeds Permaculture Course.

Sonja Woodcock

Sonja’s passion is food and its health, social, economic and environmental benefits. She is interested in how we as individuals and, as a society, are influenced by the food system. Sonja has an MSc in Food Policy and has been actively working towards developing a sustainable food strategy for Leeds. Her current post is funded by Sustainable Food Cities and the University of Leeds N8 Agrifood group and hosted by Zest Leeds. Sonja is heavily involved in a number of important and interesting food-based activities in Leeds, in particular, the Leeds Food Partnership, Sonja and Foodwise are the Food partner lead for the Climate Action Leeds project.

Pete Tatham

Pete did a permaculture course in 2010 and joined Hyde Park Source in 2013 where they are improving health and wellbeing through improving the environment through community gardening, design and build and outdoor education. Pete keeps a million plates spinning and is still as cool as a cucumber! He leads on developing new projects and finding suitable funding, developing the Hyde Park Source strategy and supporting the staff team. Pete is also the Nature partner lead for the Climate Action Leeds project and a brilliant DJ!

Related Links

Climate Action Leeds

Foodwise Leeds

Hyde Park Source