Food for life: LSBU colleague’s award-winning community project  

Ed Rosen, principal lecturer in the Faculty of Health and Social Care is the director of award-winning community project 'Lambeth GP Food Co-op.'

Award-winning community project lead by LSBU colleague, Ed Rosen.

 

Care in the NHS, food miles, the loneliness of living alone, getting enough fruit, veg and exercise—a new community gardening scheme in Lambeth, spearheaded by an LSBU colleague, touches neatly on these concerns so definitive of modern life.

The ‘Lambeth GP Food Co-op’ has set out to grow food in GP surgeries—and sell the food to NHS hospitals. More than 280 patients have expressed an interest in taking part in the scheme which has won an NHS and Public Health England award.

Ed explains that the project is about working together, being productive, learning new skills and contributing to community wellbeing. He says that Lambeth GP Food Co-op is an example of GPs using their surgeries for doing something completely different, with nine surgeries now signed-up.

“This scheme contributes to a broader health and wellbeing agenda,” says Ed. “It reinterprets public health in the context of inner-city, economically-deprived communities and provides opportunities to overcome social isolation and loneliness. “Patients join gardening groups led by nurses who are master gardeners to grow food, learn new skills and make new friends. Neither previous gardening experience nor a garden at home is necessary to join in.”

The Lambeth GP Food Co-op is funded by Lambeth Council and Lambeth NHS. The project has been awarded ‘Best Sustainable Food Initiative’ across the NHS by the NHS Sustainability Unit and Public Health England at an awards ceremony on 17 October and such is its success, another sixteen surgeries are joining in 2014.

“This initiative has attracted the interest of the Department of Health, NHS England and the Mayor of London’s office,” says Ed. “It’s an example of LSBU’s role in leading innovation in the local health service. We are the only university with an earned reputation for delivering enterprising solutions to the NHS in the area of general practice. “The Lambeth GP Food Co-op makes a contribution to NHS carbon emission reduction targets and Lambeth Council’s interest in supporting a health, wellbeing and green agenda.”

The Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor David Walker supports the project while health commentator, comedian and general practitioner Dr Phil Hammond is also a fan. “I’ve often thought gardening should be on prescription. It gets you away from the four-walled prison of home and work, puts you in touch with nature, the four seasons and the rhythm of life, gets your hands dirty and gives you the enormous sense of achievement and joy in watching something grow and nurturing it. “Moving, talking, doing and reflecting glue a community together, and group gardening ticks all the boxes. But I like it most because, in an age of competitive tendering in the NHS which very few GPs want to do or believe will work, it shows the power of cooperation and collaboration, and the kindness and shared purpose that is at the heart of the NHS.”