Food Durham

14/10/2026

Ready to celebrate 120 years of school food? 9–13 November 2026

🍎 NATIONAL SCHOOL MEALS WEEK 2026 – RESOURCES ARE NOW LIVE! 🎉

Get ready to celebrate 120 years of school meals this November! 🥳

From 9–13 November 2026, National School Meals Week (NSMW) will celebrate the incredible history of school meals, the people who make them happen and the vital role they play in children’s lives.

📚 FREE resources are now available online, including everything you need to get your school involved and make the week a celebration to remember. Get involved with:

🍽️ A week of special events
📸 Sharing your school meals stories
🥘 The Great Roastathon
🌍 Earth Day
🏆 VIP Day
🏫 The Big Dining Room Makeover – with the chance to win £1,200!

Whether you’re a caterer, school, chef or school meals professional, there are lots of ways to get involved.

👉 Download the FREE resources and start planning: https://www.theschoolfoodpeople.co.uk/events/national-school-meals-week-2026

13/10/2026

Free Recipe Kits for Stanley this Thursday 15th October!!

This week we’ll be in on Front Street at PACT House Stanley 11:00 - 14:00 with free Mince and Dumplings Recipe Kits, along with some tasters!

Plus we’ll be looking to collect your recipes which could be made into next months free giveaway

Come along, meet our team, grab a taster and a Recipe Kit to take home.

Karbon Homes Funded Project

13/10/2026

📣 Announcement for schools!

Orchards for Schools is now open for applications!

Successful applicants will receive an orchard and/or hedgerow pack, along with a range of engaging educational resources and training. Developed by educators and experts, these curriculum-linked materials help schools make the most of their new orchard while bringing outdoor learning to life.

Follow the link to apply now! >> https://treecouncil.org.uk/grants-and-guidance/our-grants/orchards-for-schools/

12/10/2026

⏰ ONE WEEK LEFT TO APPLY! 🍴🌱

Fancy turning surplus food into something extraordinary?

We’re looking for a Catering Coordinator to join the REfUSE staff team in Chester-le-Street. If you love cooking, are able to project-manage effectively and want to work with a volunteer team who are challenging the way we value food, this is the role for you. It offers kinder hours and much more flexibility than most hospitality jobs, a supportive, inclusive team, and the opportunity to spread the message of REfUSE across the County and region. 💚

£28,760 pro rata | Full-time | Tuesday–Saturday | Permanent

📅 Applications close Monday 19 October at 10am

🔗 Find the full job description and application details:
https://refusedurham.org.uk/work-with-us/

Know someone who’d be a great fit? Tag them or share this post! 👇

09/10/2026

08/10/2026

07/10/2026

Funding opportunity: £1,000 unrestricted grants

The easyfundraising Impact Fund is back for a second round, with 15 unrestricted grants of £1,000 available for allotment groups to apply for – that's double the amount awarded in the spring.

Applications are open from Thursday 24 September to Sunday 8 November. If you applied previously, you CAN apply again, whether you were successful or not.

The application is quick and simple, with grants awarded to organisations that best explain how they would use the funding. As the grants are unrestricted, the £1,000 can be spent wherever it's needed most.

Apply now: www.easyfundraising.org.uk/impact-fund

05/10/2026

Thanks for inviting Food Durham along. A fabulous event.

01/10/2026

🌳 🍎 What a great initiative 👏

The City of Durham Parish Council’s popular fruit tree giveaway is set to return on Saturday 21st November 2026, offering residents the chance to take home a free fruit tree whilst supporting Durham’s independent businesses and helping the environment.

Residents who spend £25 in Durham during
November at one of the city’s independent businesses or traders can bring their receipts to the special Outdoor Market stall on Saturday 21st November, from 9am until all trees have gone, to collect a free fruit tree sapling.

There will be one tree per household, on a first-come, first-served basis. Trees will be approximately 1.5m tall and bare root, with planting instructions provided. They can be planted at home, or anywhere residents have permission to do so in the city.

It’s a win-win opportunity – support local traders, help Durham’s wildlife and make the city greener.

Last year’s giveaway resulted in one of the best trading days of the year for our local traders and the Parish Council is keen to see this fantastic initiative continue.

Please come along and support our local businesses
and also help improve biodiversity in the city.

Anyone with any photos of their fruit trees from last year, we would love to see them in the comments below.