Food information

food zone

Markets
Great places to buy healthy fresh food. Information on where to find them. Read more...
Allotments
Grow your own food! Information on finding out where your nearest allotment is. Read more...
Organic gardening
Advice on gardening without chemicals and artificial fertilisers. Read more...
Local food projects
Progressive food projects in Manchester. Read more...
Community gardens
Garden projects run by and for the benefit of the community. Read more...
Buying organic food in Manchester
A guide to where to buy organic food. Read more...
Centre for Alternative Technology energy-related publications
Read more...

Manchester Real Food Guide
A guide to organic, environmental, fresh and healthy food outlets in Manchester published by Manchester Friends of the Earth.
http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/food
Contact: 6 Mount Street, Manchester M2 5NS
Phone: 0161 834 8221
E-mail: office@manchesterfoe.org.uk
http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk

Markets
Great places to buy healthy fresh food. Information on where to find them.

Greater Manchester contacts
Manchester City Council at: manchestermarkets@notes.manchester.gov.uk
Tameside Telephone 0161 342 3268, markets@mail.tameside.gov.uk
Salford 0161 793 3701 for Eccles and Swindon Markets, or 0161 736 7845 for Salford Market
Stockport Market 0161 480 7659 stockport.market@stockport.gov.uk
Trafford 0161 941 4261

Farmers markets

Manchester City Centre
Situated on the corner of Tib Street and Market Street, in Manchester City Centre. The market is held every second Saturday of the month, opening from 9am until 4pm.
Contact: Kendra Kennedy - 0161 234 7356

Altrincham
1st Friday of month
Market Street, Altrincham
Contact: Paul Flannery - 0161 9414261

Ashton-under-Lyne
Last Sunday of month
8am - 4pm
Ashton Market Ground, Bow Street, Ashton under Lyne
Contact: Malcolm Short,
Ashton Market Office - 0161 342 3268/9
marketmanhik@ashton-under-lyne.com

Oldham
2nd Sunday of month
9am - 2pm
Uppermill Saddleworth Museum, High Street, Oldham
Contact: Michael White,
Oldham Chamber of Commerce - 0161 620 0006

Wigan
1st Tuesday of month
8.30am - 3.30pm
Wigan Market
Contact: Tony Fletcher or Brian Yates - 01942 708101
b.yates@wiganmbc.gov.uk

There are regular 'conventional' markets around Manchester where you can buy fresh, seasonal and local produce, these include:

Arndale (City Centre), Gorton, Grey Mare Lane, Beswick, Harpurhey, Longsight, Wythenshawe, New Smithfield (Openshaw), Ashton Market, Denton Market, Droylsden Market, Hyde Market, Stockport
Altrincham Charter Market, Partington Market, Urmston Market

Allotments
Grow your own food! To find out where your nearest allotment is contact one of the following:

Manchester
Manchester City Council Allotments Officer
Sue Roberts
Address: Alexandra Park Offices, Moss Side, M14 6JL
Telephone: 0161 226 3322
http://manchesterallotments.org.uk

Salford
The allocation of allotments is co-ordinated by the Education & Leisure Directorate. For details of locations, availability and prices contact : Environmental Services, Crompton House, Chorley Road, Swinton, M27 2BE.
Tel 0161 793 2010

Trafford
Janet Long Allotments & Allotment Lettings 0161 912 5410

Tameside
Education & Leisure Services, Council Offices, Wellington Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, OL6 6DL, telephone 0161 342 2320.

Stockport
Parks and Recreation, Community Services, 4th Floor, Stopford House, Piccadilly, Stockport SK1 3XE
Tel: 0161 474 4506 Fax: 0161 474 4476
Email: parks@stockport.gov.uk
http://www.stockport.gov.uk/Council/commserv/land/services/allotments_table.htm

Organic gardening

HDRA (Henry Doubleday Research Association)
Help, advice and information on converting your garden to organic is available from the HDRA
Ryton Organic Gardens, Coventry, Warwickshire, United Kingdom CV8 3LG
http://www.hdra.org.uk
Tel: 024 7630 3517 Fax: 024 7663 9229
Email: enquiry@hdra.org.uk

Organic Gardening Catalogue
for seeds, weed control and fertiliser.
http://www.organiccatalog.com
Riverdene Business Park, Molesey Road, Hersham, Surrey, KT12 4RG UK
Email: chaseorg@aol.com Telephone: 01932 253666 Fax: 01932 252707

Hulme Community Garden Centre
Have information on various organic gardening techniques, such as companion planting, composting and pest control.
Also sell plants and plant food as well as compost bins.
Call in and see their range of leaflets or ask for advice. http://www.hulmegardencentre.org.uk/
info@hulmegardencentre.org.uk
0161-227 8198

For information on compost see the waste section.

Local food projects
Progressive food projects in Manchester.

Ancoats and Miles Platting Food Co-op
The food co-operative is an initiative by local residents in response to the lack of access to fresh fruit and vegetables in the area.
It will involve collecting orders form people who live locally and buying fruit and vegetables wholesale from New Smithfields market. Working with MERCi, local residents have sought funds for training and project management skills as well as researching the need for the co-op locally.
For more information contact Hazel Healey on 0161 273 1736

Glebelands Market Garden
Glebelands is a small co-operative company, located in Sale, South Manchester, and run by Adam York and Lesley Bryson. The 2.5 acre site is currently in conversion to organically certified vegetable production. The fertile soil of the Mersey's flood plain once supplied the city with fresh food, a tradition that they seek to revive.
Contact: glebelands@ntlworld.com
Athol Road, Whalley Range, Manchester M16 8QN
0161 718 5328 24

Bentley Bulk Local Food Project
The aim of the project is to empower people in central Manchester and give them access to healthy local food. Participants will be driven by minibus to Glebelands Market Garden in Sale, one day a week during Spring, and will receive practical training in the morning, and work on the land in the afternoon. In return for your help, you will receive credits called Bentley Bucks, with which you will be able to purchase groceries from a community co-op called the Bentley Bulk.
For more information contact the Exchange Bureau, phone 0161 227 8750, exchange.bureau@letsystem.info

South West Burnley Food Co-op
Mr John Hartley c/o Unit 2 South West Burnley Community Development Trust
The Enterprise Centre, Valley Street, Burnley, Lancashire BB11 5LZ
Tel: 01282 838669

MERCi reports
Reports written by MERCi on local food strategies

An Urban Harvest. - Assessing Potential Urban Food Production.
A brief report assessing the benefits of urban food production in Manchester.
Urban Food Strategy for Ancoats & Miles Platting.
This pack explores the aspirations and needs of the people in East Manchester. Addressing food security in a community focused way.
contact Barbara at MERCi
Bridge-5 Mil, 22a Beswick Street, Ancoats, Manchester, M4 7HR
[t] 0161 273 1736
[e] merci@bridge-5.org
[w] www.bridge-5.org

Community gardens
Garden projects run by and for the benefit of the community.

Leaf Street Community Garden
Bentley Estate, Hulme
http://www.redbricks.org.uk/leafst/about.htm

Community Gardening at MERCi
MERCi help run a community garden project on Ridgeway St in Miles Platting. It was established in the spring of 2001 and is supported by local children and their parents.

It aims to create a healthy outdoor community space, to promote natural gardening methods and to foster communication skills and co-operation with the young people who take part in the project. They use natural gardening methods to attract wildlife and build biodiversity, also growing a range of foods such as salads and edible flowers, herbs, peas and beans, potatoes and fennel.

Kids sessions run every Wednesday afternoon 4-5pm and adult sessions run every Friday morning (although this day is about to change - contact Hazel Healey on 0161 273 1736 for more information). They put the garden to bed in November and start again in the spring.

Safe Haven Community Association, Blackburn
http://www.freewebs.com/safehaven/
by email - safehavengarden@yahoo.co.uk or
phone the Association Community Development Worker -
Mark Dixon on 0778 737 7999

Wythenshawe Community Farm
0161 946 0726
wythenshawecommunity@farm23.fsnet.co.uk
Farm Manager: Allen Massey
http://www.wythenshawefarm.freeserve.co.uk/
The farm is open for visits.

Click here for more information on community gardens taken from the MERCi website.

Buying organic food in Manchester

Organic food outlets in Manchester

Health and Vegetarian Store
229 Oldham Rd, Failsworth, M35 OAY
Tel: 0161 6834456

Home Farm Deliveries
IMEX Business Park, Hamilton Rd, Longsight M13 0PD
Tel: 0161 2248884 Fax: 0161 2562701

Limited Resources
53 Old Birley St, Hulme M15 5RF
Tel: 0161 226 4777 Fax: 0161 226 3777

On the Eighth Day Co-operative Ltd
107-111 Oxford Rd, M1 7DU
Tel: 0161 2734878 Fax: 0161 2734878

Sunflower Wholefoods
34 Beech Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy M21 9EL
Tel: 0161 8816399

The Good Food Shop
2 Melbourne St, Staleybridge SK15 2JE
Tel: 0161 3049225

The Organic Way (Shop & Deliveries)
Unit 6A, Brittania Mills, Cobden Street, Bury BL9 6AW
Tel: 0161-763 1110 Fax: 0161-763 1110

Unicorn Grocery Ltd
89 Albany Rd, Chorlton, M21 OBN
Tel: 0161 8610010 Fax: 0161 8617675

East West Group Organics (Imports)
P.O. Box 110, Prestwich, Manchester M25 3GA
Tel: 0161 773 0850 Fax: 0161 773 0850

Ramsbottom Victuauers
18 Marketplace, Ramsbottom, Bury B10 9HT
Tel: 01706 825070 Fax: 01706 822005

Village Restaurant
16 Market Place, Ramsbottom, Bury B10 9HT
Tel: 01706 825070 Fax: 01706 822005

Centre for Alternative Technology food-related publications
contact them: Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth, Powys, SY20 9AZ
01654 705950 or visit http://www.cat.org.uk

Fact sheets
Organic Gardening
Composting Secrets
Create a Herb Spiral
Forest Gardening
GMOs... why all the fuss about genetically-modified organisms
Growing Year Round
Slugs! - what can you do about them
Urban Gardening
Cool Composting: a fresh approach