Cambridge Half Marathon 2022: Runners to raise money for Cambridge Sustainable Food’s work
A group of runners will tackle Sunday’s TTP Cambridge Half Marathon in aid of Cambridge Sustainable Food (CSF) and the citywide Food Justice Programme.
Councillors Hilary Cox Condron, Katie Thornburrow and Neil Shailer will be among the eight seeking to raise funds to help CSF continue to run eight community food hubs, where people can access food for free and support other organisations helping those residents facing hardships.
Joining them will be community food heroes Michal Hul and Kaan Basken. Michal is a volunteer chef who cooked hundreds of community meals while on furlough during the first lockdown while Kaan volunteers weekly at CSF’s Community Food Centre, based at a city council community centre in North Cambridge.
Cllr Cox Condron (Lab, Arbury), vice chair of the county council’s communities, social mobility and inclusion committee (COSMIC), said: “Heat or Eat shouldn’t be a dilemma anyone faces - yet so many residents in my ward - and across the county - are having to make that choice. It’s appalling.
“As COSMIC vice chair, I’m so pleased we commissioned Cambridge Sustainable Food to develop the Food Poverty Alliance, already established in Cambridge city, out across the county as part of our Anti Poverty Strategy. I am so inspired by the work they do as a small organisation not just feeding people but building networks and human connections to develop sustainable actions and achieve food justice for all. That’s why I’ve decided to run the half marathon to raise funds for CSF.”
City councillor Katie Thornburrow (Lab, Petersfield) said: “I’ll be running to raise funds to support Cambridge Sustainable Food’s city-wide food justice work. CSF is a great organisation supporting the food hubs across the city, ensuring good food that might be wasted is used, that children are given food growing opportunities, and that we celebrate festivals of our diverse communities by sharing meals all through the year.”
Sam Dyer, CEO of Cambridge Sustainable Food, said: “It’s fantastic that so many members of the local community are coming together and getting out there running the half marathon in support of Cambridge’s food justice work.
“Food insecurity has been a longstanding issue in Cambridge, one which has only been made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic. This shows what we can do as a city when we work together to support some of the most disadvantaged in our city.
“Cambridge Sustainable Food CIC and the Food Poverty Alliance will continue to work together to transform the city’s local food system for the better, building a fairer and more sustainable food future for all in Cambridge. Support like this from the local community is invaluable when it comes to making this possible.
“With the cost of living due to rise and the uncertainty this poses for Cambridge residents, we are so grateful for this support from the Cambridge community to help us and our partner organisations continue to provide food support to residents facing hardship over the coming months.”
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