Steering Group

1. Context 
The Camden Food Mission seeks to transform the local food system so that by 2030, everyone in Camden eats well every day with nutritious, affordable, and sustainable food.  We cannot change the global food system alone, we believe that a strong and dynamic Camden Food Partnership, bringing together residents, businesses, voluntary and public sectors, can drive meaningful local action with far-reaching influence. Together, through innovation and shared learning, we can shift behaviours, policies, and practices that improve food quality, demand, access, and affordability for all. 
 

2. Purpose 
The Steering Group provides strategic guidance and practical support to enable the establishment of the Camden Food Partnership. Bringing together a range of expertise and lived experience, the group will work to align efforts and amplify impact. Over time, the group will support the development of an independent and resilient Camden Food Partnership. 

 

Values include: 

• Equity and inclusion are central to everything that we do. Food justice means the right to access healthy and sustainable food and the importance of a ‘money-first’ approach to tackle poverty. 

• Embedding all three themes of social justice, health, and environmental sustainability where we intervene. 

• Championing Camden residents’ participation in the local food economy including accessing employment, developing skills and supporting small businesses. 

• Collaborating with wider borough and city initiatives including health, youth, economic inclusion, climate and food growing. 
   

3. Objectives 

• Support and strengthen work that aligns with the Food Mission including helping existing initiatives evolve. 

• Shape the strategic direction for food systems change in Camden including regular reviews based on the Theory of Change. 

• Advise on the membership of the Steering Group and broader Partnership, to ensure diverse and inclusive representation. 

• Build relationships with decision makers across sectors to influence policy.  

• Foster collaboration between organisations and support innovative solutions. 

• Facilitate engagement with the broader partnership to ensure good communication, shared learning and collective action. 

• Build partnerships with regional and national organisations that share our goals. 

• Celebrate culture and the diversity of Camden’s communities through food. 

• Amplify the voice of residents and bring a grassroots perspective to the Food Mission. 

• Support the development of an independent Camden Food Partnership.  

 

Membership

The Steering group reflects a diverse mix of stakeholders including voluntary and community organisations, local institutions, businesses, and local government. Membership will be reviewed regularly to ensure relevant representation. 

 

Membership expectations and participation: 

To ensure effective, consistent, and collaborative working, members are expected to commit to the following: 

• We aim to maintain continuity of membership to support consistent engagement, strong working relationships, and informed discussions and recommendations. 

• Members are expected to attend meetings regularly. Where attendance is not possible, a consistent and appropriately briefed delegate should attend in their place. 

• Representatives should be appropriately senior or knowledgeable, with the ability to contribute informed and strategic perspectives and provide constructive challenge. 

• Members are expected to act in the interests of the wider Camden food system, not solely their own organisation, and to contribute to collective insight, challenge, and recommendations. 

• Members are expected to attend at least 3 out of 6 meetings per year. Where attendance falls below this level, membership will be reviewed, and the organisation may be asked to nominate an alternative representative to ensure consistent engagement. 

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