Funded by the Lottery, Local Food and the Mayor of London, and a project of London Food Link and Sustain
The Capital Growth team
Ida Fabrizio
Ida has been working on Capital Growth since the spring of 2009, leading on an award winning display at the RHS Hampton Court show, and providing support and advice for Capital Growth spaces. Whilst working on Capital Growth she also did an apprenticeship with Growing Communities in Hackney to learn how to manage an organic market garden, and grow organic salads for their box scheme. From this she has developed a new microsite for them at the Castle Climbing Centre, where she is also co-ordinating a new garden project. Prior to this she ran the orchards project at Sustain from 2006, working with groups across England, and produced a publication entitled 'Protecting Our Orchard Heritage'. Ida has always had a strong interest in food, given her Italian rural background. Her passion for the thriving food culture and local distinctiveness in Italy has encouraged her to promote a similar attitude here in the UK. Ida has recorded radio pieces for BBC Radio 4's Food Programme, one looking at tomato passata-making in her family village in Italy, and the other hunting truffles in Tuscany.
Paola Guzman
Paola has been a project officer for Capital Growth since October 2009 where she coordinates the application process, the Capital Growth East London programme and the Edible Estates competition. Paola worked in the architectural field from 2006 to 2008, and commenced her masters at UCL in 2007. While studying Urban Design at the Bartlett School of Architecture (part of UCL) she became interested in food and its relationship to the city. In her final project she explored the idea of making London more sustainable by growing food locally. This project led her to volunteer in Sustain for the Capital Growth Campaign in February 2009, where she helped with providing member support and processing applications to become new Capital Growth spaces. She participated in several events such as the Hampton Court Flower Show and helped coordinate the Capital Growth market stalls at feast on the Bridge and Covent Garden Market. Paola also volunteers as a Master Gardener in Islington, a programme launched by Garden Organic.
Seb Mayfield
Seb Mayfield joined Sustain in 2008 to help launch and develop the Capital Growth campaign. He now coordinates the campaign with Sarah to help transform London's food growing. Seb is a leading advocate of urban food growing, having co-founded the innovative Food Up Front campaign, which Seb continues to operate in South London. Food Up Front has been encouraging, enabling and supporting people to grow food in their unused outdoor space. Seb also devised the One Pot Pledge campaign. As a result, Food Up Front is now partnering with Garden Organic, who have launched this as their 2010-2011 national campaign. Seb has previously acted as an adviser to applicants of the Big Lottery's Local Food programme and mentors food based social enterprises as part of the 'Making Local Food Work' programme.
Sarah Williams
Sarah Williams joined the Capital Growth team at Sustain in November 2009. Sarah’s previous roles have included support and development of various community groups and projects in London, particularly at Groundwork East London where she was involved in a range of environmental regeneration projects activities. Most recently Sarah was the Strategic Manager of the Newham Food Access Partnership, where for four years she coordinated the partnership to implement a Food and Nutrition Strategic Plan, which included influencing local decision-making, developing food projects and setting up local networks. Sarah has a Masters in Leadership for Sustainable Development, achieved through the Forum for the Future’s Masters Programme, which involved a variety of interesting work placements including Friends of the Earth, The Cabinet Office, BBC Wildlife magazine and B&Q Head Office.