Vicky Skingley, a nutritionist in Catford, is passionate about healthy eating and believes everybody should have access to affordable, good quality food. Along with many other residents in Catford she also wants to revitalise the local high street and create a new shopping hub, which will bring new life to the area.
Her project, Good Food Catford, is a social enterprise that aims to achieve both of these things by opening a community grocery store in a boarded up shop unit.
Working with local growers Vicky plans to set up an allotment veg exchange and sell locally produced food. She will also bring residents together by running food workshops and a quarterly supper club.
Vicky said, “it is really important for me to get the community involved and give something back. Part of the plan for the project is to supply a local food bank with recipe boxes containing all the ingredients to make a healthy meal. I will also offer apprenticeships and work experience to local people.”
Another big part of the project is to improve the appearance of Catford high street and restore civic pride in the area. Vicky will do this by planting fresh herbs that visitors can help themselves to and support local businesses to move into other vacant shops nearby.
To date, over 150 people have backed Vicky’s crowdfunding campaign.
“I’ve been really surprised by the level of support I’ve had and it’s been fantastic to see how many other people in the area, want the project to happen. As well as pledges on my Spacehive page, people have come forward to help in other ways too including giving out fliers and designing our logo.”
The Mayor of London has pledged £14,000 to help make Good Food Catford a reality.