Food for Real: AUTUMN
Welcome to our Autumn festival! At this Equinox time of year when day and night are of equal length, we promote balance and celebrate community wellbeing; taking time to work, rest, eat and make, together.
Activity venues
SQUASH HQ, 112 – 114 Windsor Street, Liverpool, L8 8EQ
and
THE GRAPES GARDEN, next to Toxteth TV, Windsor Street L8 1XE
All activities are free. Please donate generously if you can so we can keep them accessible to everyone.
Updates via instagram, twitter & facebook
HARVEST AUCTION
WEDNESDAY 22nd SEPTEMBER
COMMUNITY GATHERING / FUNDRAISER 7-9.30pm (Drop in)
SQUASH HQ
Come along with your pennies and an open heart ready for some fruity fun at our annual harvest auction! On this magical evening of food, music (DJ Harvest in the house) and comedy, all sorts of wonderful Liverpool-grown produce and artwork will be up for grabs! Help raise money for 2 vital causes; Habibti Liverpool who support the medical staff and children at Al Sabeen Hospital, Yemen and Squash’s own ‘Box it Forward’ campaign (see below) And if you’re a grower, artist or food producer – get in touch to donate homegrown/made fruit, veg, jams, artwork etc. via rachael@squashliverpool.co.uk
The Harvest Display of lots up for auction will be available for viewing from 3.30-6.30pm on 22nd September. The Squash cafe will be open from 7-9pm for autumn drinks & snacks.
PLUS! Enter our BEST IN SHOW:
CATEGORIES:
- Most magnificent Liverpool-grown fruit or vegetable
- Young Grower of the year
- Best Vegetable Cake
- Best Fruit/Veg/Autumn Artwork
- Most Perfect Preserve
- Most Beautiful Squash
- Best Liverpool-grown Apple
- Best in Show
More info on Habibti see www.facebook.com/HabibtiLiverpool @habibti_liverpool
VEG BOXES FOR ALL!
Squash sells the freshest, most colourful organic weekly veg boxes & fruit bags – support us by ordering yours via elsie@squashliverpool.co.uk Plus you can support a family in need in Liverpool 8 with a box of fresh organic veg and other vital supplies through our ‘Box it Forward’ scheme in partnership with the Family Refugee Support Project (frsp.org.uk)
www.squashliverpool.co.uk/donate
YAMMTREE VEGAN COOKING
FRIDAY 24th SEPTEMBER
WORKSHOP 10am-1pm
GRAPES GARDEN
FREE BUT BOOKING ESSENTIAL VIA
Join chef Abraham Ojapah, founder of Yammtree, for a yam cooking and education session. Founded in 2020, Yammtree is a healthy afro fusion plant-based movement designed to elevate the wellbeing of people through greater awareness of African food. More info via @yammtree on insta
In collaboration with BlackFest.
BlackFest is a grassroots Black Arts festival piloted and founded in 2018 by Co-Founder, Artistic Director Jubeda Khatun. The annual combined arts festival platforms, empowers and develops work by Black artists across community spaces and established venues running this year from 20th September – 9th October. The programme includes music, theatre, film, visual arts spoken word and poetry across community spaces and established venues. The Festival answers a crucial need in the city’s cultural offering, celebrating Black arts and bridging the gap between institutions and the marginalised communities they represent. BlackFest encompasses active conversations and collaborations breaking status quo with artists, communities and venues. To cultivate and nurture work from Black Artists and communities. Reflecting the dual identities, multiple experiences and narratives not seen and heard. Putting the lens to stories that are political, social, economically and emotionally charged that simultaneously intertwine to bring together our identities of what it means to being Black and British in the UK today.
THE ART OF SEED SAVING
SATURDAY 25th SEPTEMBER
WORKSHOP 11am- 2pm (Drop in)
SQUASH HQ
At the heart of food sovereignty lies seeds. Join the Squash Gardeners to sort, clean and pack seeds collected from our gardens to replenish the Toxteth Seed Library and choose a packet to take away to sow next spring.
SEED MANDALAS
SATURDAY 25th SEPTEMBER
WORKSHOP 11am- 2pm (Drop in)
SQUASH HQ
Join artist Tabitha Moses to design your own circle pattern (mandala) inspired by the seeds we grow on Windsor Street.
Tabitha said:
“A mandala, which means circle in Sanskrit, is a symbolic design used in some spiritual traditions to represent the universe or provide a focus for meditation. They can represent the cyclical nature of life and death, the days and seasons. Marking the seasons by making mandalas connects us to people across time (our farming ancestors whose lives followed a seasonal pattern) and space (followers of the Eastern religions where mandalas originated).
The making of a mandala – whether by drawing or painting shapes or placing objects – is a calming, meditative activity in itself. During this process I don’t worry too much about how the final thing will look; I just enjoy the making. It helps to empty my mind of the background chatter, focussing on the repetitive actions of drawing or arranging. This way I can create some space in my head and in my day – sometimes sacred space.Once the mandala is finished it may be a beautiful thing, providing a focal point for meditation. Or it may not look so pleasing, yet provide inspiration for the next mandalas – the variations are endless. If the mandala is made of sand, leaves or petals it may be swept away – reminding us not to get too attached to the things around us!”
INTRODUCTION TO COMPOSTING
SATURDAY 25th SEPTEMBER
WORKSHOP 1-3pm
GRAPES GARDEN
BOOKING ESSENTIAL VIA EMAIL info@compostworks.co.uk
Are you keen to start composting but not sure how to start? Come along to this training session that aims to give you the skills and confidence to compost your food waste. You will learn about how to set up and manage a home composting system, what should and should not go in and what to do if things go wrong. We will focus specifically on food waste composting but the principles apply on garden waste also. We will look at different kinds of composting systems but the focus is on affordable and accessible systems.
Trainer Minna Alanko-Falola runs Compost Works, a Liverpool-based social enterprise that aims to divert food waste from incineration and landfill through setting up composting facilities and running educational activities.
Free to attend, booking essential. Limited places. Email info@compostworks.co.uk with your name and contact details.
More info via Twitter/Facebook @CompostWorksUK
A LATE SUMMER DRAWING OF
WINDSOR STREET
ON DISPLAY FROM 22 SEPTEMBER
SQUASH HQ
During lockdown last winter and early spring, Jon Barraclough made a drawing of every building (and tree) on Windsor Street from Toxteth Library, to Squash and back again.
As the summer moves into autumn, he has revisited his Windsor Street Drawing to update the street with seasonal change and colour. His latest version will be on display from 22 September at SQUASH.
UPCOMING EVENTS THIS AUTUMN:
THE HEALING GARDEN, for World Mental Health Day – Sunday 10th October
BLACK HISTORY MONTH – Exploring West African food origins with Betty Vandy
MORE INFO SOON!
Food For Real: AUTUMN is being funded by:
And supported by:
