Representatives from twelve Incredible Edible groups from across the UK came together in Wilmslow on Monday, 22nd April, to announce the formal launch of their new website.
Incredible Edible volunteers from as far afield as Northern Ireland and Isle of Wight joined representatives from Wilmslow Town Council and Cllr Rod Menlove for a networking workshop and tour of the town followed by a reception where guests were served locally sourced food and drink.
Helen Yates set up Incredible Edible Wilmslow in November 2010, after a visit to Todmorden where Incredible Edible first started in 2008.
Incredible Edible Wilmslow is a group of volunteers who replant unloved plots in Wilmslow town centre with herbs, fruit and vegetables for everyone to enjoy. Their aims are to improve the look of our town, boost community spirit and share the knowledge of growing, cooking and sourcing local food.
Speaking about today's launch, Helen said "It is such an honour to show all these people around from all across the UK. We're really proud to show them what we've done, to show it can be done in any town and be part of this network which is growing so quickly."
The Incredible Edible Network is an umbrella group for members who believe that providing public access to healthy, local food can enrich their communities. There are now 40 UK groups and nearly 200 worldwide, stretching from Canada to New Zealand.
Tanya Wall, the Network lead, said: "Wilmslow is a really good beacon for what has happened elsewhere.
"The launch is really a chance to get different groups together, to share ideas, give support and inspire newbies, in fact all the things we hope the website will achieve."
She added "The website not only aims to give its members the help they need but also to listen and share how they are doing things. We have already learnt so much about how groups are rolling out the three plates: learning, business and community, and its great to share these with others."
