ABOUT TONIGHT’S MEAL

MENU

GUEST SPEAKERS

THE LORD MAYOR OF THE CITY OF MANCHESTER –  COUNCILLOR YASMINE DAR

AGATHA, SAWN

VICTORIA HOLDEN, SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR AND FOUNDER OF NORTHERN LILY CIC

Victoria Holden is a passionate social entrepreneur and the founder of Northern Lily CIC, a social enterprise that aims to connect people to nature and teach sustainable gardening techniques working in harmony with nature to grow food and communities. She believes in empowering individuals and communities through engaging education that leaves people with skills and confidence to grow. The vision for Northern Lily CIC is to improve the lives of people in communities and create a more just and equitable society for all through green careers. With her strong leadership skills and dedication to social justice, Victoria is a role model for others who seek to make a positive impact in their communities.

Northern Lily CIC and charity SAWN in partnership, with support from Oldham Council and Lankelly Chase have developed Grass Roots Oldham Women’s Enterprise, an acre site in Oldham dedicated to growing food and communities through green social enterprise.

JO, MUD (MANCHESTER URBAN DIGGERS)

SHAHEDA AZIZ, community food hub COORDINATOR

Shaheda trained as an Early Years Teacher, then later as a community gardener at a local city urban farm. Happiest when working with nature, growing food, centered around well-being and positive living.

CHLOE COUSINS, SOCIAL JUSTICE MANAGER, MANCHESTER MUSEUM

Chloe  (she/her) is the new Social Justice Manager at Manchester Museum, where her work focusses on ensuring the museum is embodying its principles of care, inclusion and imagination in all its work across social justice issues affecting staff and communities inside and outside of the museum walls.

Chloe is also a youth worker and community organiser based in Manchester. She is the Strategic Lead for Rainbow Noir, a volunteer led social, peer support and community action group for LGBTQI people of colour and Co-Director at Colours Youth Network; a national organisation supporting LGBTQI youth and youth workers of colour. 

CHAIR: ZARINA AHMAD

One of the mighty women on Woman’s Hour’s 2020 Our Planet Power List, Zarina previously worked at the Council for Ethnic Minority Voluntary Organisations leading the charge for increasing participation in environmentalism in Scotland. Since being told that “ethnic minorities aren’t interested in climate change”, Zarina has dedicated herself to creating pathways for under-represented groups to work in environmental organisations – increasing not only a diversity of people, but a diversity of ideas by providing training and creating learning spaces. In response to the lack of specific data about ethnic minority groups and environmentalism, Zarina is now researching sustainable behaviours within BAME communities in the UK for a PhD at the University of Manchester and is also a researcher on a Food Justice project, Just FACT in London and an advisor for Wen (Women’s Environmental Network).

Zarina has created spaces for marginalised women’s voices to be heard about climate issues, Climate Sisters who exhibit their creative work at various venues such as the Glasgow Science Centre, the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Zarina’s accolades include recognition by Edinburgh Science Institute as an inspirational woman who has made a significant impact in STEM featuring her in 2021’s festival.

More recently Zarina received the coveted Emma Goldman Award for her feminist work on climate justice and inequalities.

Zarina has a number of board positions including the Scottish Women’s Budget Group and is on the directorate team of Climate X Change.

Twitter: @ZarinaAhmad13