Co-creating a local food action plan with ShefFood
Understanding and building pathways towards more regenerative food systems in the Yorkshire and Humber region
Overview
"aims to understand and build pathways towards more regenerative food systems in the Yorkshire and Humber region" (FixOurFood 2023) with one work package considering innovative forms of food policy and governance. In this collaboration, and FixOurFood co-developed an action research project to create a local food action plan. The aim was to learn by doing, to deliver an ambitious local food policy and to "critically reflect on the process of developing a local food action plan in order to share lessons with other food partnerships around the country." (Treuherz, Yap, and Rowson 2023)
People involved
A researcher from FixOurFood, ShefFood’s partnership coordinators and representatives from almost 100 organisations across Sheffield (including growers, farmers, caterers, residents, businesses, universities, community groups, food pantries, food banks, social eating spaces, and Sheffield City council).
Key project activities
This collaborative project involving ShefFood, FixOurFood and the local community in the co-creation of a seven-year is an example of 'bottom-up' policymaking (FixOurFood 2023).
Too often, food policy comes from a top-down approach. That is one of the reasons that changes have taken so long to be implemented in the past. We believe that involving the community from day one is what will make a real difference.
(Treuherz and Middleton, 2023)
Public workshops
Twelve public workshops were held over four months organised by five different working groups covering key themes (Food, Health, and Obesity; Food Ladders; Good Food Economy and Procurement; the Good Food Movement; and Growing and Composting). Working group facilitators developed the workshop format and content with ShefFood and FixOurFood. Workshop discussions focused on identifying:
Twelve public workshops were held over four months organised by five different working groups covering key themes (Food, Health, and Obesity; Food Ladders; Good Food Economy and Procurement; the Good Food Movement; and Growing and Composting). Working group facilitators developed the workshop format and content with ShefFood and FixOurFood. Workshop discussions focused on identifying:
- key successes across the Sheffield’s diverse range of food initiatives and networks
- actions to support local food system change
- opportunities for collaboration.
Data analysis and synthesis
ShefFood and FixOurFood synthesised and mapped data collected at the workshops, identifying emerging themes and opportunities for collaboration. ShefFood noted the value of academic support and expertise in this process. Following this analysis, 73 specific planned and future commitments to action were identified for the local food action plan.
ShefFood and FixOurFood synthesised and mapped data collected at the workshops, identifying emerging themes and opportunities for collaboration. ShefFood noted the value of academic support and expertise in this process. Following this analysis, 73 specific planned and future commitments to action were identified for the local food action plan.
2025 update of the local food action plan
ShefFood and FixOurFood have continued to collaborate. In 2024, FixOurfood and ShefFood focused on learning from groups that were underrepresented in the initial plan. The incorporates the contributions of a wider range of community organisations in Sheffield.
ShefFood and FixOurFood have continued to collaborate. In 2024, FixOurfood and ShefFood focused on learning from groups that were underrepresented in the initial plan. The incorporates the contributions of a wider range of community organisations in Sheffield.
Co-production principles
Reflection and reflexivity
ShefFood and FixOurFood held a debrief session following each workshop, reflecting on processes, and noting power dynamics in discussions. Group members were also engaged in structured reflections to consider improvements for future workshops.
ShefFood and FixOurFood have co-authored a publication to share reflections and learning from the process of developing a local food action plan (Yap and Treuherz, 2025).
Relationships
The process of co-developing the local action plan was considered an opportunity to leverage and build on existing networks in the Sheffield area:
"We felt like we were solving problems and building relationships just by calling these meetings, sending out invitations." (Researcher, FixOurFood)
ShefFood and the research team identified initiatives and collaborations that emerged from, or were catalysed by, the working groups’ processes:
"There is also evidence that the process of developing a plan has had an impact on some of the participating organisations. Sheffield College, for example, removed all sugary drinks from their menus following their participation in the Good Food Economy and Procurement Working Group alongside procurement managers, caterers, and public health teams that had not previously met." (Yap and Treuherz, 2025)
Inclusivity
Times and locations for workshop meetings were selected to maximise participation.
"Each meeting was held in a different venue and location… some meetings were held in social enterprises, others in churches, others in council-owned buildings. We also believe this approach contributed to making the process more inclusive, by moving around the city to areas, for example, with poor public transport links." (Yap and Treuherz, 2025)
ShefFood received financial support to fund workshops, covering food and travel expenses for participants, with childcare offered to help remove barriers to participation.
"A very modest amount of resource was able to make a big difference actually just being able to pay for people's travel, to put some food on and to pay for a venue suddenly made a lot more conversations possible." (Researcher, FixOurFood)
Find out more about this project
Related references
FixOurFood (2023), 'Creating a more sustainable food system for the city of Sheffield', Accessed 7th December 2023.
ShefFood (2025), ShefFood’s Local food Action Plan for Sheffield: 2025 update.
Treuherz, S., and Middleton, L. (2023), 'By 2030, Sheffield's food landscape will look entirely different', Accessed 8 September 2023.
Treuherz, S., Yap, C., and Rowson, S. (2023), 'Building a local food action plan for Sheffield', ShefFood; FixOurFood, Accessed 7 December 2023.
Yap, C., Treuherz, S. and Wells, R. (2024), Inclusive food policy in Sheffield: who, how and in what? FixOurFood.
Yap, C. and Treuherz, S. (2025), Emerging processes of territorial food systems governance: lessons from a local food action plan in Sheffield, UK. Local Environment, 30: 1020-1035.