Food unites communities.  It cuts across age, cultures, sex, even what estate you come from in Salford!  That was the message from the launch of Incredible Edible Salford on 7^th March at Eccles College.  Over 40 people responded to Ian Bocock’s invite to bring the Incredible Edible movement to Salford.  Pam Warhurst – one of the founding ‘Incredibles’ from Todmorden – was there and truly inspired the room with the story of how it started, why it started and where it has got to in just 5 years!

Incredible Edible Salford is now live; everyone is free to use the branding on any growing project happening across the city.  It was truly motivating to be surrounded by so many fantastic projects already out there across Salford sowing, growing and producing food in Salford.  It gave me a warm glow to think that just a couple of days before this meeting the Salford Angels WI had been out planting fruit trees at Sacred Trinity Church.

We wanted to support the church to look fabulous but we also wanted to plant fruit trees in a place where people would not expect to see them.  We loved the idea of somebody walking to work and suddenly spotting some apples or cherries, which then encouraged them to really start to look at Salford as they travelled through our great city and perhaps even start to grow their own food.

Are you inspired?  Why not sow a few seeds, follow and contribute to Incredible Edible Salford on facebook and twitter, have a look around you to spot some space where food could be grown for your community.  The underlying message from Incredible Edible Salford is that we can all make a difference, it has to be done locally by the community and that small steps can create big changes.  In Todmorden where food grows along the high street, at the train station and even in the graveyard – the police (who also grow sweetcorn in front of their station) have noted a reduction in crime rate and vandalism!

On a totally different note, we have a Clairvoyance evening on Friday 15^th March at The Angel Centre.  Entry is £10 and numbers are limited, to book you place call Sam on 07952 459 356.  This is a fundraiser for the WI Bike Ride to Denman College, so please come along and support us raising money for Salford Young Carers!