True Food Co-op’s new community shop is now open at 61 Grove Road Emmer Green RG4 8LJ! The official launch will be Sat 15^th May, with everyone welcome to come along (more details to follow). We would like to achieve a community run shop so we are looking for volunteers to fit into a rota to carry out customer service. If you would like to help then either drop into the shop or contact volunteeradmin@truefood.coop

A big thank you to all who are volunteering at the shop already and to those who helped with the move and fitting out the premises.

Hope to see you at the new shop soon,

Alex Trott

Shop manager

As you can imagine it is proving difficult to get fresh local food at the moment. Most of our smaller suppliers don't produce anything at this time of year and Mark at Ashtrees Farm is on holiday this week - hopefully in warmer climes!

Tolhurst Organic Produce is our main local supplier at the moment and they have two problems. One is that many vegetables like leeks are completely frozen and impossible to harvest. The other problem is that they are based off Whitchurch Hill and access is very difficult given the snow.

We have ordered extra supplies from our organic wholesalers so where the markets are running there should be some fresh vegetables. Rest assured that your local food team are ready to get back to supplying local veg again once the conditions improve.

We currently have some beef from Waltham Place, an organically farmed estate near Maidenhead. There are various joints and cuts in the freezer at the True Food warehouse. There is a sheet at markets listing what is available with prices. You can then order what you want and it will be delivered frozen to your most convenient market.

We are also now taking orders for turkeys and other Christmas meat. These are from Sheepdrove Organic Farm in Lambourn, Berkshire. Order forms are available at all markets.

For more details or to order either the beef or Christmas meat email localfood@truefood.coop or ring 0845 330 8272.

The True Food Co-op will be opening a shop in Grove Road, Emmer Green in 2010 to complement the existing markets and provide a fixed outlet for our goods. On Saturday 3rd October 2009 3 - 4pm Emmer Green youth & community centre Grove Road there will be a meeting with the local community where they can

• find out what it is all about
• talk to members and volunteers
  
• look at the shop plans
  
• share views
  
• find out about becoming a member

Light refreshments will be available and kids are welcome.

Note that this follows on from the True Food Co-op members meeting and we hope that members will stay behind and participate.

The next General Meeting of members' will be held on Saturday 31st January at the RISC conference hall from 14:00. As well as reviewing the last few months, there will also be workshops on market-based groups and the buying policy of the Co-op.

The Downshire Square market already has an active support group which has put on several successful events and works to support the running of the market itself. The first workshop will consider how similar groups can be encouraged to form at the other venues.

The second workshop will look at our buying policy. Now that we also offer some local produce from growers without organic certification how can we clearly communicate what we do and do not sell. The True Food Co-op constitution states that we promote "affordable access to organic foods and ecologically sound products". How do we balance local and official certification?

Come along and have your say.

The True Food Co-op is holding a general members meeting this Saturday afternoon at RISC. All members are urged to attend or send their apologies as these are exciting times for the organisation as it grows and moves forward. The agenda includes a discussion and vote on proposed changes to co-op membership, including the introduction of an annual fee. There will also be consideration of the visual appearance of the markets, leaflets and other marketing materials and an update on the prototype 'tower' which now displays our coffee, tea, biscuits and small jarred goods. Come along and get involved in where the TFC is heading.

Chris, Joanna and Dave are taking a well-earned break next week so there won't be any markets. Your last chance to stock up will be on Saturday at RISC so don't get caught out. Normal service will be resumed on Monday 1st September at Caversham.

Many thanks to the volunteers posting notices on the market doors to explain the lack of market to anyone who does show up.

Next Tuesday 29th July will be a special Child-Friendly Day at Downshire market, where the kids can play games or do quizzes while the adults do their shopping and have a cuppa.

After a successful trial run, True Food is now receiving a weekly supply of organic meat, fish and dairy produce from Graig Farm, an award winning, certified organic supplier located in Dolau, Powys Wales. By working with neighbouring farms and having their own butchery, Graig’s produce is local and has full traceability.

The Graig’s weekly delivery to True Food is made up of orders from individual True Food shoppers who avoid the normal delivery charges and don't need to be in when their order arrives. Shoppers have been pleased with the convenience of being able to obtain organic meat and produce through True Food. As Beth, volunteer and Downshire Square shopper, commented “Being able to order my meat through True Foods means that I can now do my weekly shop under one roof. I already buy my groceries and cleaning products at Downshire Square, but being able to buy my meat as well means one less shopping trip in the week”.

If you want to take advantage of this great new range all you need to do is;

True Food member Sharon Lawrey of Red Hat Salsa has kindly volunteered to run a Salsa party for the True Food Co-op. It will be preceded by the official launch of the True Food cook book created as part of the Eat True Food PCT funded project. Both events will take place at RISC on
Saturday 12th July

Cost: £6 / £4 concessions. Available from your local organic market , Red Hat Salsa or on the door.

There will also be a raffle and free head/shoulder massages. So why not get a group of friends together and come along to enjoy yourselves and learn some new steps.

RISC, 35-39 London Street, Reading RG1 4PS

www.redhatsalsa.com
0118 966 8292

Did you know we're in the middle of Bring a Friend Fortnight? Well, if you bring somebody along to to Downshire or Newtown markets this week, then you and they get to enjoy a delicious tea/coffee and cake for free. And there will be books signings by Ailbhe Leamy at Downshire and John Hoggett at Newtown to add to the fun.

So if you have a friend, relative or colleague you think would like to find out about True Foods and see how much they can buy at our markets, then this is the time to bring them along.

UPDATE - The course is fully booked!!! But if there is sufficient demand, Lyn will run another one.

Learn to grow healthy organic vegetables without artificial chemical inputs and pesticides.

This is a hands-on class that will introduce you to organic gardening and is run by Lyn Brookes at the Garden Cottage, Wokingham as seen on Living TV’s Heavens Gardens.

Tadley market went live on the 19th of March at St Mary's Church Hall, Tadley. This fills a long-standing gap in the market schedule on a Wednesday evening. The market opens to the public from 16:30 to 20:00. There was a good turnout at the first market with over 70 people coming in to find out what it was all about.. Let's hope they come back in subsequent weeks.

If you want to help promote the new market, why not join the volunteer group leafleting the area. Contact rupert@truefood.coop for details. Please spread the word about True Foods to anyone you know who lives or works in the Tadley area. Press Release from 17th March

There is a special members meeting being held on Saturday 1st March at RISC. It runs from 2pm (for 2:30) until 5pm. As members should already be aware, the committee has raised a motion to cease market trading in order to preserve funds and another to take retail premises. In his most recent report, market manager Chris Aldridge, who is not currently on the committee, argues for the continuation of organic markets around Reading.

All members are urged to come along and vote on the proposals.

... then we hope to see the TFC market in Tadley soon.

STOP PRESS! First market 19th of March!

Leafleters wanted -- contact rupert@truefood.coop

After a long search for a suitable Wednesday evening venue, an inexpensive church hall has been identified in Tadley. St Mary’s Church Hall , although on the small size, is just large enough, and long-term loan of tables has been arranged to solve one potential problem. The town has a sizeable population and through help from one of our members that works at the Aldermaston A.W.E, we could attract workers from the base to stop by on their way home.