About Us
We’re all about building a resilient local food system together. Good Food Exeter is a not-for-profit social enterprise, set up to:
- Help local businesses that produce quality local food, with care for the environment and animal welfare, to find more local customers
- Give producers a fair price for their produce, helping create and sustain livelihoods in sustainable food production
- Create links between producers and groups working to improve access to healthy, sustainable food.
Good Food Exeter was formed in April 2020. People who were also involved in the creation of local charity Food Exeter saw the need for a not-for-profit trading company that could support their ambitions to bring healthy, sustainable food to all at affordable prices. Good Food Exeter has therefore been set up to carry out projects that Food Exeter, as a charity, cannot be involved with, but the two organisations share very similar goals.
Our Directors
Good Food Exeter is a Community Benefit Society, registered number 8391, with three Directors: Dominic Acland, Iona Collins and Lynn Wetenhall. All three are closely involved in the work of Food Exeter charity, with Lynn and Iona being Trustees of Food Exeter.
Julie Smith is the Executive Director of Good Food Exeter and run the day to day market. Julie has extensive experience in the charity and food and farming sector. She is passionate about creating a sustainable food system. A community grower by trade, she also manages St Sidwell’s Community Centre garden and make natural soaps- available on Good Food Exeter.
Sonia Ryan is our current Executive Director at GFE and runs the day to day market, is on site to manage all deliveries and pick ups and heads up all processing and completion of orders. She’s also responsible for our social media pages and Newsletter amongst other things behind the scenes! She has a passion for sustainability and feels that this should be reflected in the food we eat – believing good food should be available for everyone, something that also reflects her choice of study as a Masters student specialising in nutrition. Sonia is a great home cook and baker and loves to try out new dishes (you’ll most likely see some of her recipes in the GFE newsletter – which you sign up for via the website, and on social media – follow us on Facebook and Instagram).
Lynn Wetenhall. Lynn’s varied career, spanning setting up her own restaurant, working in local government and management consultancy, has been tied together by the thread of her commitment to sustainability. She brings her specialist knowledge of and passion for collaboration across sectors to Good Food Exeter. Lynn is a Trustee of Food Exeter, and co-founder of Exeter Green Space Network and Ludwell Life.
Dominic Acland. Dominic has spent the last 30 years connecting people with nature and setting up social enterprises to do that, especially through food. He founded Occombe Organic Farm in Torbay in 2006, was part of the team that founded Exeter’s Real Food Store in 2010 and since 2015 has been advising community enterprises and projects across Devon on building resilient communities based on local, sustainable principles. He is currently collaborating with Food Exeter and others on the development of a South West Good Food Network and an Exeter Local Food Centre.
Iona Collins. Iona has a background in community work particularly within sustainability and education. She has experience running small charities and businesses, and working with universities and schools both professionally and as a school governor. Iona is also a baker and she currently manages The Sidwell Street Bakehouse, a community sourdough bakery, connecting people with nutritious, sustainable and local food at affordable prices. She is a Trustee and co-founder of Food Exeter charity.
– Building a resilient local food system together –