Hartlepool Food Partnership

Hartlepool Food Partnership's vision is for healthy, affordable, sustainable food for everyone in Hartlepool.

The Partnership is open to anyone who shares interest in our Vision. Regular newsletters also facilitate input from interested citizens and organisations. The Partnership steering group is responsible for implementing Hartlepool's Food Plan, co-ordination of all activities and monitoring progress & impact. The steering group is responsible for the Open Forums & newsletters and oversees the work of the Partnership co-ordinator.

The Hartlepool Food Partnership emerged from a discussion between Hartlepool's Director of Public Health and a VCS network of low/no cost food providers - the Hartlepool Food Council - which expressed a willingness to develop a food partnership for the town. The Borough Council was very clear that they should not lead the Food Partnership, but contribute as an equal partner to a wider collaboration. Consequently, the Partnership steering group consisted of representatives from voluntary and statutory organisations - which identified stakeholders, organised a whole system launch event, from which the Food Plan was drafted, and secured initial 2 years' funding for coordination, Partnership events and a small grants fund to support new initiatives that align with the Food Plan's goals.