Galloway Food Hub, D&G’s online marketplace for quality locally produced food, is looking for Members.
The Food Hub, founded in 2022, has now become a Community Interest Company.
This means anyone interested in sourcing good local food can now become a Member. Members may be customers, suppliers or simply interested in the project.
Membership – which is completely free – is open to any individual or organisation in Galloway or to anyone with an interest in local food.
Lesley Atkins, Coordinator of the Galloway Food Hub, says: “Membership allows you to have a say in how the Hub is run. We only ask that Members tell people about the Food Hub and its benefits and do whatever they can to promote us positively.” Members can also opt in to receive a newsletter. They can attend the annual general meeting and take part in policy discussions.
“There are volunteering opportunities for Members who want to share their skills and become more involved” explains Lesley. “We have an enthusiastic team of volunteers. They work as packers or delivery drivers or assist with the many other tasks involved in running a growing and thriving business. Members can also be elected to the Food Hub’s 9-member Management Board.”
Lesley stresses that the Food Hub is open to all: “You can shop at the Food Hub whether you are a Member or not, and you can be a Member without buying from the shop. You can find out more about the producers and produce by visiting our website – gallowayfoodhub.org.uk.” The online shop opens every second Friday for four days. During that time, you can place your order, pay for it online, and then either collect it or have it delivered the following Friday. Collection points include the packing centre which is in St John’s Town of Dalry, and Corsock, Moniaive, Thornhill, Low Auldgirth, Dumfries, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbright, Gatehouse of Fleet, Newton Stewart, Wigtown, Whithorn, Glentrool or home delivery is available to the main villages of the Glenkens – Carsphairn, New Galloway, Mossdale, Laurieston, Parton and Crossmichael.
Three-quarters of the produce available is sourced from 33 small suppliers within a 35-mile area of the Glenkens. All products meet high climate, welfare and food safety standards. A quarter of the produce is sourced from further afield and is organically certified with high ethical principles.
The Food Hub aspires to make high quality local food affordable for everyone in the area. This is a challenge to achieve in today’s marketplace, but discounts can be made available to those who would like to support the Hub but simply cannot afford to through the Fair Food for All Scheme. Please get in touch if you’d like to know more by emailing [email protected]
Since being established in 2022 as a project of Propagate, the Food Hub has grown rapidly, with sales in December breaking all records. Now that Galloway’s Food Hub is operating independently as a Community Interest Company, Lesley and the organising team hope as many people as possible will become Members.
“Membership shows that the community value the Food Hub and appreciate its efforts to provide local food and support the small food producers in our region,” says Lesley.
Visit the Food Hub website to complete the Membership application form gallowayfoodhub.org.uk.The Food Hub vision is to make local, sustainable, nourishing food available to everyone in Dumfries and Galloway. Your Membership can help to achieve this.
