Good food, grown and shared across the Garden of England
Kent Food Partnership brings together councils, farmers, community organisations, universities and businesses to build a fairer, healthier, lower-carbon food system for Kent and Medway.
Get in touch What we do We're hiring: Partnership CoordinatorWho we are
A partnership for the whole food system
Kent Food Partnership is a county-wide, cross-sector partnership. It was established in 2022 and incorporated as a community interest company in 2026, so that the work belongs to the community it serves.
Our mission is to create a diverse and inclusive food environment in which everyone in Kent can access, and know about, good, healthy and affordable food: sustainably grown, produced, processed, distributed, sold and served. Food that boosts the local economy, builds a sense of community and protects the environment.
We bring together organisations from the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, higher education, the NHS, local government, farming, food production and independent retail under a shared food strategy. A Steering Group governs the partnership. We are a member of the national Sustainable Food Places network and work hand in hand with the Medway Food Partnership.
Our vision: a resilient, equitable and nourishing food system, where nature-positive farming directly fuels community health and regional prosperity, and where good food is an everyday reality for every household in Kent and Medway.
What we stand for
- Good food for everyone Healthy, affordable, culturally appropriate food as the norm, not the exception.
- Fair reward for producers Local growers paid promptly and fairly for food that restores the land.
- Practical change We measure ourselves by what changes on the ground, from procurement contracts to community pantries.
- Partnership first Nobody can fix a food system alone. Everything we do is done together.
What we do
Five working groups, one food strategy
Our shared food strategy is delivered through five thematic working groups, each led by partners and open to new members.
Catering & Procurement
Shifting the buying power of public kitchens towards local, seasonal, sustainable food.
Food for the Planet
Supporting the transition to farming that builds soil, restores nature and cuts emissions.
Good Food Movement
Campaigns and events that help households eat well and buy local.
Healthy Food for All
Tackling food insecurity with dignity, from emergency food to affordable pantries.
Sustainable Food Economy
Helping Kent's food producers, processors and retailers grow and reach new markets.
We're hiring
Partnership Coordinator
Our first employed post. Full time, £40,000 per annum, fixed term for 18 months, hybrid with regular travel across Kent.
This is a pivotal moment for the partnership. We have a food strategy, five working groups, a growing membership and a pipeline of projects. What we need now is coordination: someone to connect the dots, grow the membership, manage our public presence and support delivery of funded projects, including a Kent Downs farm-to-buyer feasibility study and a Kent school food community of practice.
We welcome applications from all sections of the community, and particularly encourage people with lived experience of food insecurity or from communities under-represented in food partnership roles.
Download the job description (PDF)How to apply
Closing date: 5pm, Thursday 15 October 2026
Interviews: Friday 23 October 2026, in person in Canterbury
Send a CV (maximum two pages) and a covering letter (maximum two pages) explaining how your experience matches the person specification and what draws you to the role to [email protected].
Governance
Our directors
Seven directors, drawn from across Kent's food system, are legally responsible for Kent Food Partnership CIC.
Fresh produce & horticulture
Carol Ford
Twenty years in fresh food, from Sainsbury's buyer to Commercial Director at AC Goatham & Son. Chairs Kent's Fresh Food Production & Horticulture Task Force and sits on the board of Produced in Kent.
Finance
Iain Hawthorn
A career in food and farming finance: formerly HSBC's Regional Food & Drink Sector Director for the South East, and more recently with Oxbury, Britain's specialist agricultural bank.
Rural funding
Huw Jarvis
Spent his career at Kent County Council supporting the rural economy, managing the Kent Downs & Marshes LEADER programme, one of the region's main rural grant schemes.
Farming & education
Emma Loder-Symonds
Director of nature-friendly Nonington Farms, a LEAF Demonstration Farm, where she mills the crops grown into flour sold around Kent. A qualified teacher, she welcomes over 1,500 visitors a year to learn where food comes from.
Community growing
Vanessa Ross Russell
Founder of Lynsted Community Kitchen Garden, an award-winning, volunteer-run no-dig garden sharing its harvest freely with the local community.
Food systems & supply chain
Andrew Stephen
Twenty years in sustainable food: former CEO of the Sustainable Restaurant Association, ex-Foodsteps and Wildfarmed, and a Medway Food Partnership board member.
Anchor institutions
Iain Wilkinson
Professor of Sociology and Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Kent, where he leads the university's Right to Food commitment.
Contact
Get in touch
Whether you grow it, buy it, cook it or share it, there is a place for you in the partnership. To join, partner with us, or find out more:
We're hiring: see the Partnership Coordinator role.
A full website, including the Kent Food Map and events listings, is in development.