Food Partnership Charter
The Mission
To bring together people, communities, and organisations across the district in order to build inclusive, resilient food systems that benefit everyone. Through collaboration, Mid Sussex Food Partnership (MSFP) will support local food businesses, strengthen community networks, and promote a thriving local food economy.
MSFP will work with community and emergency food projects to connect with local suppliers as sustainable alternatives. Together, we address every aspect of the food system—from tackling food poverty and insecurity to reducing waste, redistributing surplus, and promoting education, growing, farming, processing, and climate conscious practices.
The Strategy
The strategy will be based on five fundamental principles:
> Promote Local Food and Sustainability
> Improve Food Security and Equity
> Share Knowledge on Food and Health
> Grow Food & Skills in the Community
> Reduce Food Waste
These will be developed within the following areas of intervention, which we consider to be part of the new food system we aim to promote:
Food Ladder
Support access to food at all levels, from emergency aid to long-term independence.
Storage Spaces
Provide safe, accessible places to store food and manage donations efficiently.
Fresh Food – Farmers – Healthy Diet
Connect with local farmers to offer fresh, seasonal food and promote healthy eating.
Emergency Food Distribution
Ensure awareness and coordinated food support during crises or emergencies.
Skills Development
Run workshops of cooking, budgeting, and growing food to build confidence and resilience.
Steering Group
We adopt a multi-organisations, inclusive approach that welcomes contributions from all sectors of the food system. This is reflected in our steering group, composed of representatives from organisations, agencies, and community groups-as well as in our broader network of partners and collaborators.
Patrick Mayhew
Kim Myhre
We partnered with Community People in Burgess Hill since 2023 and become an independent CIC in 2026. We have collaborated and been supported by Mid Sussex District Council since 2025 to deliver our 2025/2027 Food system strategy plan.
MSFP Charter vs 3.0 by Cinzia Fontana Food Partnership Coordinator – July 2026