DCFA August - September 2011 Newsletter

1. The Devon & Cornwall Food Association Ltd (DCFA)
NEWSLETTER
August – September 2011
Patron: Judi Spiers, BBC Radio Devon Spare Food is Share Food!
7 Whimple Street, Plymouth, Devon PL1 2DH Mobile: 07745819828 (text only) Email: saudigeoff@yahoo.co.uk Website: http://dcfa.webs.com
FOREWORD BY THE CHAIR EDITORIAL COMMENT
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Once again I can happily report that DCFA is gradually
I NTERNET Links. If you’re reading this on-line and come
across words with blue lettering that are underlined, then
you can click on these links and be taken directly to another
moving forward. At our recent Board Meeting, a decision site for more information on that particular topic. Put your
was taken to appoint a part time Project Coordinator as and cursor over the link, hold down the Control (Ctrl) Key and click!
when our financial situation allows us to do so. However, Ed.
our financial situation is not good and we desperately need
the assistance of a competent Fund Raiser to make funding DCFA MEETINGS
bids on our behalf.
One of our Volunteers has compiled a Workbook listing the
Food Producers in our region and we will shortly be
J ULY 2011 BOARD Meeting. This meeting took place on
Church.
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Monday, 19 July 2011 at the Catherine Street Baptist
approaching them to ascertain whether they would like to
help our cause. Of course, DCFA would in turn be helping
them by preventing good food from going to landfill! F REQUENCY OF MEETINGS. The Board agreed that it
should only meet every other month rather than each
month. An interim meeting can always be called if
How can you help? By helping us to spread the word!
warranted for any reason.
This can be done in a number of ways:


Talk to your family, friends and neighbours.
Go to DCFA at Facebook and click the LIKE button!
N EXT MEETING. There will be no Board Meeting in
August 2011. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, 6
September 2011 at 10.30 a.m. at the Catherine Street
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DCFA has also decided to hold its future Board Meetings bi- Baptist Church, Plymouth
monthly, on the understanding that a meeting can be
called urgently if necessary. This will give the very
hardworking Trustees a little respite between meetings and
F UTURE MEETINGS. All meetings are scheduled to start at
10.30 a.m. at the Catherine Street Baptist Church unless
otherwise stated. This information is subject to change at
give them time to complete some outstanding tasks.
short notice.
We always need more committed people to take some of

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Tuesday, 6 September 2011
the load from our shoulders. We all think this is a very
General Board Meeting
worthwhile project and it will only succeed if we carry the

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support of you all. Do please give this some serious Tuesday, 1 November 2011
thought and get in touch! Annual General Meeting

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Tuesday, 6 December 2011
Christine General Board Meeting
followed by Christmas Drinks & Mince Pies
Christine REID (Plymouth - Shekinah Mission)
Chair
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DCFA Board of Trustees Tuesday, 7 February 2012
General Board Meeting
The Devon & Cornwall Food Association Ltd. (DCFA) is a Private Company Limited by Guarantee.
Registered Company No. 07419679.
Registered Charity No. - DCFA is recognised by HMRC as a Charity for tax purposes under Reference XT27083.
Members of : Our Funder:
NCVO (The National Council for Voluntary Organisations) – Membership No. MEMBERVC/13004,
PTSC (The Plymouth Third Sector Consortium),
The Small Charities Coalition,
And Volunteering England – Membership No.1278747. … And Voluntary Donations.

2. A NNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2011. The first DCFA AGM
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will be held on Tuesday, 1 November 2011 and we’re
DCFA NEEDS ITS OWN PREMISES!
already looking for one or two Guest Speakers. Can you
help or do you know someone that might? Please contact
Geoff (details at the top of Page 1).
H ELP Please! DCFA could do oh... so much more if only
it had its own premises in a central area of Plymouth!
Do you know of somewhere... an
empty warehouse or shop that we
DCFA PROJECT COORDINATOR could utilise? DCFA could then start
accepting the food produce that local
A FTER MUCH PREVARICATION, DCFA has decided to opt
for the recruitment of a part-time Project Coordinator.
This means that we will have to put the idea of obtaining
producers have promised to supply us!
DONATIONS TO DCFA
permanent premises on hold because our current financial
circumstances do not allow us to do both. So... once we
have all our ducks in a line we will be looking to recruit. D CFA RECENTLY HAD the offer from the Proctors who run
a Smallholding in a particularly beautiful part of Devon.
The offer was for a butchered half sheep! Geoff drove up to
VACANCIES AT DCFA Crediton to collect it and then delivered it to the Shekinah
Mission in Plymouth. We wish to thank the Proctors for this
S TAFF (PART TIME PAID). DCFA will shortly be looking to
recruit a:
magnificent donation which will help a very needy cause!
 Project Coordinator
and a
 Warehouse Manager
Further details will be announced soon.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
V OLUNTEERS. DCFA is always on the lookout for
competent, qualified individuals to volunteer for us. We
specifically need volunteers to fill the following vacant posts:
From: Pearl Webb
To: Geoffrey READ <saudigeoff@yahoo.co.uk>
Sent: Fri, 24 June, 2011 12:47:49
 Accountant / Auditor
Subject: Re: DCFA NEWSLETTER
 Administrator
 First Aider Dear Geoff,
 Food Handler Once again we would like to thank you for the milk we
 Fundraiser receive. I can't thank DCFA enough for the difference it
 Poster & Logo Competition Coordinator makes to the running of our Day Centre.
Interested? Then please contact Geoff (details at the top of Hope to see you some time in the future.
Page 1). Thanks once again!
Pearl
T RUSTEES. DCFA is constantly seeking competent,
qualified individuals who can perform the duties of a
Trustee with diligence and loyalty. Previous experience,
Pearl Webb
Cook (Elspeth Sitters House)
although helpful, is not necessary. Please contact Geoff
Plymouth Age Concern
(details at the top of Page 1). "... aims to improve the lives of older people"
Plymouth Age Concern is a Company Limited by Guarantee
LOCAL FOOD PRODUCERS Registered in England and Wales,
Company number 1499927
O NE OF OUR volunteers has been labouring away in her
spare time to produce a workbook listing over 100
Local Food Producers and their details. DCFA will be making
Registered Office:
Elspeth Sitters House
Hoegate Street
Plymouth PL1 2JB
contact with these organisations in due course to ascertain Charity No. 281820
whether they will be able to help DCFA with its aims. Of
course, DCFA will first need to obtain some permanent Editorial Comment! DCFA loves to receive compliments...
premises for this to go ahead. In the meantime, if you know who doesn’t? So thank you Pearl! What is important to us
of a Food Producer that may help, do please pass us the however, is to know that DCFA is actually beginning to make
details so we can add their details to our Workbook! a difference to organisations such as this. It makes all our
efforts seem worthwhile somehow! Ed.
Contact the DCFA Newsletter Editor at DCFA... details at the top of Page 1.
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3. A DCFA TRUSTEE AT WORK DCFA ONLINE MARKETING
An article by Mrs. Eunice HALLIDAY
DCFA Trustee & Treasurer
C HRISTINE REID & Geoff READ attended an Online
nd
Marketing Seminar on Wednesday, 22 June 2011 at
I N ADDITION to being a Trustee and the Treasurer of the
DCFA, I am also the Co-ordinator of the Plymouth Foodbank.
Dame Hannahs, Seale Hayne near Newton Abbot. The
seminar gave an insight into how social networking can
When I heard about DCFA I was so pleased that a group of assist charities to:
people were keen to identify and redistribute good food  Communicate its cause.
deemed to be surplus to retailers' requirements.  Increase its following.
 Interact with the community.
At the Foodbank we have a list of food items we give each  Improve its fundraising, and
person / family and we are often short of some items. Also it is  Increase its volunteer base.
only common sense for food to be used rather than wasted. I
Our thanks to Jackie DAWKINS who hosted the event. Jackie is
am sure all readers of this newsletter would agree so please do
the Chair of the Board of Trustees of Devon Air Ambulance.
offer to get involved.
Our thanks also to Alistair GLEAVE for giving such an excellent
It is great for us at the Foodbank that we can have fresh milk to presentation.
give out which comes from Wiseman Dairies. I quite enjoyed
the early morning milk sorting when we did it for a few weeks
at 7.30 a.m. but now it is later and I am supposed to be
elsewhere I am grateful to volunteer Ron SANDFORD for taking
my place and all the other volunteers who do this work each
week.
There is no "typical" person who comes to the Foodbank.
Some are single young people looking after themselves for the
first time and some are families where one or both wage
earners have lost jobs or had their hours cut. It is currently
taking weeks for changes to benefits claims to be actioned and
in the meantime people use up everything in their cupboards
and exhaust the generosity of friends and family. A man
coming out of a long stay in hospital had to wait three weeks
for any money and this is not unusual even though all the
forms had been sorted in advance. A family of four where both
Mum and Dad lost their jobs in December were told they
couldn't claim benefits as they had savings... which in fact they
didn't have. It was therefore several months before a claim
could be made and money received. A man receiving benefits
in one town was told he was ineligible here in Plymouth even
though his circumstances were the same.
The Foodbank and the food recipients are humbled by the
generosity of people who give food to the Foodbank. However
I am sure there is a lot of other food which could be made
available and DCFA is working to gather together the resources
in terms of money and people to receive, store and distribute
good food... to all sorts of agencies supporting people in See the photographs at Alistair Gleave's photostream at Flickr
Plymouth and the local area.
The Foodbank is only one of a number of agencies registered LOCAL GIVING
to receive help.
We need more people on the DCFA Board of Trustees with
time to pursue aspects of the work. I am currently Treasurer of
L OCALGIVING.COM IS A social enterprise owned by the
Community Foundation Network (CFN) and the Ardbrack
Foundation, both registered charities dedicated to supporting
DCFA but would be really pleased to hand this over to
local charities. CFN is the national body of the 57 Community
someone else. The more this work is shared out the more
Foundations in the UK. In 2009 they distributed £56m to
effective the Association can become.
17,000 local charities. If you click on the link and then put
DCFA into the Search Box you too can then make a donation.
I hope you do!
Contact the DCFA Newsletter Editor at DCFA... details at the top of Page 1.
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4. Dorothy DALTON, the Course Leader, gave an excellent
DCFA ON FACEBOOK
presentation. Dorothy is regarded as the UK’s leading trainer
A S A RESULT of the information learned at the On-line
Marketing Training Day mentioned on
the previous page, it became apparent that
in the specialty of Trustee Responsibility & Governance.
Our thanks to John CASSON of Casson International who
organised and hosted the event. John is a Trustee with Sandy
DCFA should be promoting itself on Facebook, GALL’s Afghanistan Appeal.
Twitter and other internet sites. DCFA now
has its very own Facebook Page. Please click OTHER NEWS
on that link and when you get there do please
click on LIKE! You will find the LIKE link in the
column to the right of the page. This will help
us on our way!
C ORNWALL Food & Drink Festival. Now firmly established
as one of the nation’s favourite food festivals, the Cornwall
Food & Drink Festival epitomises
We also have a “Friends of DCFA” group at Facebook and we everything that people love about
cordially welcome you to join us there. Please find the link to Cornwall and its people, and
the group on the DCFA Facebook page. Thanks! everything on sale inside the food
and drink pavilion will have been either produced or processed
within the county, reflecting the fabulous range of quality
FIT FOR FUNDING
products Cornwall boasts. There’s something for everyone at
A FIT for Funding course was held at ECCVS, Lanivet, near
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Bodmin on Wednesday, 20 July 2011 and Christine REID
and Geoff READ attended from DCFA. The
this Festival, with lots to see and do and some great places to
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stay all around Cornwall. Don’t miss it: Friday, 23 – Sunday,
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25 September. Contact (01872) 274555 for details, or visit
basic learning pointS of the course were: www.cornwallfoodanddrink.co.uk.
 Preparing DCFA to write a funding
P
application th st
LYMOUTH Flavour Fest: Friday, 19 to Sunday, 21
 The steps that DCFA must take to prepare its project before it can
August 2011. Plymouth’s local produce extravaganza
begin writing a bid
 Identifying suitable funders Flavour Fest
 Matching DCFA’s bid to the funding criteria 2011 returns
for its eighth
This should set DCFA in good stead for making funding
year. A major part of the Plymouth Summer Festival, Flavour
applications which will be a main objective in the coming
Fest takes place in the city centre Piazza and is a highlight of
months. Once again we are most grateful to the staff of the
the south west’s food and drink calendar. Running from the
East Cornwall Council for Voluntary Services for their
Big Screen to Place de Brest, Flavour Fest 2011 will have more
hospitality and support.
than 100 food stalls packed with tasty offerings from fine food
producers all across the south west.
GREETINGS! If you would like to find out more about Flavour Fest and read
our most recent press releases please visit our news page. For
H
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APPY BIRTHDAY TO Jenny POPE for Friday, 23 any further information please feel free to contact
September 2010. Jenny is a Friend of DCFA who has amanda.bishop@plymouth.gov.uk.
recently helped us produce a substantial workbook of local Plymouth Flavour Fest is organised by the Plymouth City
Food Producers. Thanks Jenny and have a lovely day! Centre Company as part of the Business Improvement District
(BID) initiative and is one of a range of events supporting
B EST WISHES FOR a very Happy Birthday to Esme GOSS
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for Thursday, 29 September 2011. Esme is a Friend
and Volunteer of DCFA and is also the Coordinator of our
Plymouth's position as the south west's number one shopping
destination and a clean, safe environment for families to enjoy
a day out.
Volunteer Milk Team. Thanks for all your hard work Esme
and have a great day!
TRUSTEE TRAINING DAY
P LYMOUTH FUNDRAISER GROUP. DCFA is a member of
this Group. The most recent meeting was held at
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Routeways in Devonport on Thursday, 28 July 2011, the aim
of which was to decide an agreed purpose for the Group,
C HRISTINE REID & Geoff READ attended a Trustee
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Training Day on Tuesday, 28 June 2011 at St. Cuthbert’s
Conference Centre, Buckfast Abbey. Both Christine and Geoff
share successes and issues since the previous meeting and to
offer support and information. For further information, please
contact Paul READ at Routeways: (01752) 856 706 or email
have been Trustees for some time but it’s always useful to be
pread@routeways.org.uk
refreshed and learn current themes! It’s very important that
Trustees involved with charities should know their
responsibilities and liabilities, as the law appertaining to Come join DCFA!
charities does not recognise ignorance as a defence. Stop good food from ending up at landfill sites!
Contact the DCFA Newsletter Editor at DCFA... details at the top of Page 1.
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