Our Vision
A society where health, well-being and harmony is supported within active communities.
Our Strategic Goal
To empower individuals and communities to lead practical and sustainable food related activities that improve health and well-being and which help build stronger, more cohesive communities.
Our Values
- Equality: We will undertake creative positive action to improve the position of people within the communities of North Glasgow and surrounding areas who are marginalised and who experience oppression.
- Collaboration: We believe the voluntary and community sector is strongest when it works together and that its future will be shaped through collaborative working and this will be the key to the way we work.
- Passion: We believe voluntary action is built on the passion of individuals and communities to make a positive difference.
- Participation: We value and recognise the contribution our volunteers and members make to supporting our service delivery and in influencing the way we do things.
- Quality: We are committed to providing high quality services and through listening to service users and stakeholders to make improvements to our services.
- Working together: We are committed to working in a happy and healthy organisation, in which we all respect each other, offer feedback and work to improve our key human resources – both staff and volunteers.
- Ethical Business: We will seek to make our charitable work self-sustaining by engaging in social business activities which enhance the social responsibility of local businesses and align to our other values.
Our History
North Glasgow Community Food Initiative (NGCFI) has operated as a non-profit making organisation since June 2001. It was initially established by students from Student Action For Refugees (STAR) at Glasgow University, under the name of the North Glasgow Food Co-op. It was set up in response to research carried out by the Glasgow Asylum Rights Campaign who had identified a need for the local provision of cheap fresh fruit and vegetables in order to encourage its consumption and a need for projects that were intended for use by the whole community. In the first year the project was run entirely by volunteers and in September 2002 the project received funding from Integration Resources to take on staff to support and develop the activities. The organisation then changed its name to the ‘North Glasgow Community Food Initiative’ and broadened its focus to include expanded fruit and vegetable sessions, a delivery service, an allotment project and cookery activities. It has been growing ever since!
In September 2005 we became a Company Limited by Guarantee with Charitable Status. In 2006, we were one of only two organisations to win the prestigious Dame Sheila McKechnie Award for Community Food Initiatives, administered by the Food Standards Agency in London. In October 2009, NGCFI and Milton Food Project merged. In March 2010 we were benefited from a Third Sector Enterprise Fund grant from the Scottish Government. In 2011 we began ground works at our community garden in Milton, soon wining an award for sustainable working. In June 2012 we launched our Healthier Eating Royston Experience funded by the Big Lottery Fund.
NGCFI Strive to increase our Social Enterprise Activity and take on new opportunities for partnership to help achieve our social and community aims.
NGCFI are continuing to carry out feasibility, planning and development of social enterprise opportunities across North Glasgow with an aim to increasing revenues while also making for a more sustainable organisation that will be able to withstand the potential changes in the voluntary and third sectors.
If you would like to explore social enterprise opportunities in partnership with North Glasgow Community Food Initiative then please feel free to get in touch with our manager Greig Sandilands at manager@ngcfi.org.uk
NGCFI have developed partnerships in food, catering, fruit and veg services and multi sector organisations to help establish Viable Social Enterprise opportunities.
Timeline
2001: North Glasgow Food Co-op launched to bring people together around healthy food.
2002: GCC funds delivery service, an allotment project and cookery activities
2005: Became a registered charity.
2006: Won the Dame Sheila McKechnie Award for Community Food Initiatives
2009: Merger with Milton Food Project
2010: Work begins on Milton Community Garden
2011: Healthy Eating Royston Experience launched
2012: Won sustainable food award
2013: Milton Crunch Project launched with CCF funding
2014: Springburn Food Hub launched with funding from Esmee Fairbairn foundation
2015: Won Award for the Herald “Inspired City Awards” and were finalists in the Environmental Award and Evening Times “Streets Ahead: Best Community Initiative”
North Glasgow Community Food Initiative: Business Plan 2016-19