Urban Food Awards
We?re delighted that we’re up for an Urban Food Award, run by the Mayor of London, Borough Market and London Food Link.
We’re in the category of Most Inspiring Producer, for “the person or team behind growing/making and selling great food or drink of any sort in London in a way that sets a good food benchmark for others”.
In our entry we explained that:
? Brixton Windmill is 200 years old in 2016 – a Grade 2* listed building that is the only surviving windmill in inner London.
? In the past year the Friends of Windmill Gardens have trained around 20 volunteer millers to grind flour, with stones last used in 1934. The flour was officially launched in May this year and is now sold to visitors and local businesses on open days.
? The stoneground wholemeal flour is made from organic wheat grown in Hertfordshire, but we work closely with local organisations such as Brockwell Bake and Edible Lambeth to plant heritage wheat in Lambeth parks (including Windmill Gardens surrounding the windmill), which will be ground in the windmill.
? Collaboration with the local community is extremely important to us ? we are talking to Brixton Prison about training prisoners as millers, and we have milled malt for Brixton Brewery to use in their beer.
? Funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund for our highly-regarded education programme expired in 2015, and we are working with Lambeth Council on plans for a new education centre to support school visits, offer space for baking and other workshops, and provide storage for grain and milled flour.
? All milling and other activities are carried out by volunteers ? we have no paid staff.
It would mean a lot to us to win, and everyone who votes stands the chance of winning a pair of invitations to the exclusive Urban Food Awards awards evening at Borough Market on 21 September. So please VOTE FOR US as the Most Inspiring Producer before 8 July.