Food justice action plan
The plan
In the current cost of living crisis, food injustice remains one of the biggest challenges facing Lewisham residents.
Our vision for Lewisham is that:
- all Lewisham residents can enjoy reliable and fair access to food that is sufficiently nutritious, sustainable, culturally appropriate and affordable
- all Lewisham residents have the knowledge, skills, resources and opportunity to grow, prepare, cook, eat and share food with their families and communities
- all Lewisham stakeholders support collective action to end chronic hunger, promote food resilience and reduce the need for emergency food aid
- all members of the Lewisham Food Justice Alliance and other key stakeholders have access to data to monitor the scale of the issue and to determine whether the actions taken are having a positive impact on residents
The food justice action plan identifies four priority areas where action will help achieve this vision:
- Take preventative action to reduce the risk of Lewisham residents experiencing food injustice.
- Ensure children and young people can access nutritious, sustainable and culturally appropriate food throughout the year.
- Co-ordinate resources, capacity and expertise to maximise the support available to those in crisis.
- Promote and develop “Money First” approaches, where appropriate, to crisis prevention and support.
You can read more about these priorities in the full food justice action plan or download our shorter food justice leaflet, which highlights some of the key facts and figures.
Activity so far
In August 2023, we partnered with Lewisham Local to launch a Food Justice Alliance to work collaboratively to tackle food injustice in the borough and awarded over 100k to support community food projects in the borough supporting over 20,000 residents and you can read the impact report here.
In 2024, Lewisham won a Silver Sustainable Food Places Award which recognised Lewisham’s work on food justice.
In 2025, Lewisham became a Right to Food Borough and launched a new Food Justice Community Grants Programme.
In 2026, Lewisham and our Food Justice Alliance featured in the Good Food Local: Sustain Report. Lewisham demonstrated leadership in 10 out of 20 key areas.
Get involved
Our Food Justice Action Plan is ambitious, which is why we want to work with organisations, community groups and anyone who has an interest in or can support this important work.
- if you are part of an organisation or service who is working to achieve food justice in Lewisham and would like to join an alliance of partners who are working
- together to help deliver actions from the plan, we would love to hear from you. Contact foodjusticeactionplan@lewisham.gov.uk to get in touch
- if you are a local resident passionate about food justice and transforming the world of food in Lewisham, join the Good Food Lewisham network
- if you would like to volunteer with a local food justice organisation, please see Lewisham Local’s directory: Volunteer with a local food bank or project
Residents and communities can:
- donate home- or allotment-grown fruit and vegetables to food aid organisations in the borough
- volunteer with a Lewisham food project
- visit Lewisham Local’s volunteering web pages for more details of how you can get involved
- share food for free or sign up to claim someone else’s unwanted food and stop surplus from going to waste using Olio
- become a member of the Good Food Lewisham network
- join the Lewisham Local card scheme
- raise awareness of what services and support are available
Businesses can:
- become a member of the Good Food Lewisham network
- become a London Living Wage employer and use contractors who pay the London Living Wage
- accept the Healthy Start Card which enables customers on a low income to buy a selection of healthy foods
- use an app or food rescue organisation, such as Olio, Food Cloud, Too Good To Go or Plan Zheroes to stop surplus food from going to waste
- achieve the Healthier Catering Commitment Award to increase the range of healthier options available
- sign up to the Good Food Lewisham Business Charter to demonstrate how your business is supporting good food in Lewisham
- sign up to the Breast Feeding Friendly Network
- use our Community Exchange to offer spaces within venues for meetings and food preparation as well as other resources
- help us make Lewisham a carbon neutral borough. Sign up to the climate emergency mailing list
- raise awareness of what services and support are available for those experiencing or in danger of food insecurity
Lewisham-based organisations including public sector, third sector and community organisations can:
- become a member of the Good Food Lewisham Network
- promote Lewisham’s Worrying About Money leaflet to people facing final difficulties in Lewisham
- join our Food Giving Network to work with other organisations across the borough to provide coordinated support to beneficiaries and reduce duplication of provision
- contact: goodfood@lewishamlocal.com
- use our Community Exchange to offer spaces within venues for meetings and food preparation as well as other resources
- commit to paying the London Living Wage and use contractors who pay the London Living Wage
- help us make Lewisham a carbon neutral borough. Sign up to the climate emergency mailing list
- give local businesses priority in bidding for certain contracts. Refer to Lewisham Council’s Sustainable procurement Strategy [PDF]
- raise awareness of what services and support are available for those experiencing or in danger of food insecurity
Schools and early years services can:
- become a member of the Good Food Lewisham network
- promote eligible pupils to take up free school meals
- promote the Healthy Start Scheme and support families to apply for the benefit
- achieve Healthy Early Years London Award
- raise awareness of what services and support are available for those experiencing or in danger of food insecurity
- support provision of food outside of lunch at school, for example breakfast clubs (such as Magic Breakfast), hosting holiday time meals, family kitchen cooking clubs or family meal sharing opportunities
- consider allowing local projects to use school kitchens/rooms to produce community meals and store ingredients
Useful resources
If you or someone you know needs financial support and advice, please visit our cost of living webpage for more information
Good Food Lewisham at Lewisham Local also has a specific community meals and food page.
Get in touch with our Food Justice Team using the email below. Or you can contact Lewisham Local. Email: goodfood@lewishamlocal.com.