The inaugural Hounslow Co-operative Conference has brought together community leaders, activists, and experts to explore food justice and fairtrade issues in the borough.
With 1 in 5 Hounslow residents experiencing food insecurity in 2021, the event, which was hosted by Seema Malhotra, MP for Feltham and Heston, and Councillor Shantanu Rajawat, Leader of Hounslow Council, explored how Hounslow residents can address poverty and sustainability in the local food system, and how Fairtrade initiatives linked to local and global concerns.
The day was opened by Malhotra and Hounslow Mayor Afzaal Kiani, followed by a presentation on Fairtrade Past and Future in Britain by Dr Matthew Anderson, a leading academic from the University of Portsmouth.
The day also featured contributions from Councillors Shivraj Grewal, Marina Sharma and Salman Shaheen, as well as representatives of Open Kitchen and Hounslow Citizens Advice Bureau among many of Hounslow’s leading charities and community organisations.
In addition, the conference highlighted findings from the groundbreaking Feeding Families in Hounslow study, conducted by the Centre for Food Policy at City University of London.
The Conference was hailed by participants as a significant step toward a fairer, more equitable future for food provision in the borough. Malhotra, Councillor Rajawat and other attendees will be taking the discussions forward as they work towards achieving Fairtrade Borough status for Hounslow.
Seema Malhotra MP, the Member of Parliament for Feltham and Heston, said: “This conference drew on our values as a community in Hounslow, where I grew up, went to school and where my family struggled to make ends meet every month. Living life on the edge gives you a consciousness about what you have and what you don’t have – not only for yourself but across the world.”
“Our first Hounslow Co-operative Conference exceeded expectations, bringing together councillors, MPs, charities, academics and local people to think about what the future of food justice can look like and how we can bring it about. There is a lot we can do from the bottom up to ensure we make the world a better place.”
Councillor Shantanu Rajawat, Leader of Hounslow Council, said: “Food poverty in the UK is among the worst in Europe. I lead a group of thirty two Labour and Co-operative councillors and our co-operative values mean that we know that steps must be taken to reduce poverty both global and local.”
