The MFB and our wider partnerships
We want Manchester to be a prosperous, healthy, and inclusive city where everyone can thrive.
Our Board and wider partners help anchor good food across the city, to bring about positive and lasting change in Manchester.
MFB Members
Members of MFB include leading decision-makers from across Manchester’s economic, health, environment, housing, farming and social sectors. Find out more about our individual Board members below.
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Cllr Tracey Rawlins
Exec Member for the Environment,
Manchester City Centre
Chair, Manchester Food BoardAWAITING BIOGRAPHY
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Barry Gillespie
Assistant Director of Public Health
Deputy Chair, Manchester Food BoardBarry has worked as a Consultant in Public Health since 2006 in both the NHS and Manchester City Council. He has been involved in supporting and developing the Manchester Food Board since 2018, and sees this as an important element of the city’s economic development and of residents’ health and wellbeing. This is further emphasised by the recovery required due to the impact of COVID-19 on the city.
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Rich Browning
CEO, Healthy Me Healthy Communities
Rich is CEO of Healthy Me Healthy Communities (HMHC), a social enterprise focusing on communities within disadvantaged areas of Central Manchester. HMHC co-produces health and well-being services that empower, educate and inspire the local communities in which they work.
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Atiha Chaudry
Chair,
Manchester BME Network CICAtiha is currently Chair of the Greater Manchester BAME Network, the Manchester BME Network, and the Manchester Equalities Hub. She is also a Board member for Manchester Health and Care Commissioning, the Centre for Local Economic Strategies, the Manchester Partnership, and the Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisation. Atiha’s consultancy firm is called Equal Access Consultancy, and she has worked on many commissions locally, nationally and at an international level.
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Lisa Edwards
Lancashire County Chair,
NFULisa has farmed with husband Simon at Gore House Farm in Lydiate, Merseyside, for the past 23 years, growing cereals and potatoes. In the past, Lisa has also run a B&B and farm shop. Before joining the farm business, Lisa was a marketing executive for The Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) and Assistant Development and Research Officer for Cumbria Tourist Board.
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Andrea George
Director of Town Centres and Consumer Brands,
Bruntwood WorksAndrea is Director of Town Centres and Consumer Brands at Bruntwood Works. She leads a dynamic team of creative thinkers, curating places that help shape original and interesting communities, and cultivating long-term relationships with customers. Future-facing, she is passionate about disrupting the high street, sustainability, and regenerating places. With over 22 years in the industry, Andrea provides strategic, specialist asset management and leasing advice to pop-ups, independent businesses, and national brands.
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David Houliston
Strategic Lead, Policy and Partnerships,
Manchester City CouncilDavid studied Geography at the University of Leicester and has worked in local government for 17 years, in Cheshire and in Manchester. Since 2013 he has worked within Manchester City Council's City Policy team leading on economic, social, environmental and international policy work. More recently, he has led the development of the Our Manchester Industrial Strategy and Manchester City Council's Climate Change Action Plan 2020-25.
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Alex King
Partnerships Director,
CityCoAlex King is the Partnership Director for CityCo, The City Centre Management Company. Alex’s career has spanned live music and contemporary arts, hospitality and conferencing, food and beverage retail, and operational & resilience planning for over 25 years. Alex now works to support a ranges of business sectors in Manchester city centre, as they meet the multiple challenges and opportunities of a modern thriving city.
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Rosie Longden
Head of Community Investment,
Great Places Housing GroupGreat Places Housing Group provides affordable social housing across the North West and Yorkshire. Rosie was appointed Head of Community Investment in 2019, and previously worked for Onward Homes and Equity Housing Group (now part of Great Places).
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Haleh Moravej
Senior Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences,
Manchester Metropolitan University
Founder, MetMUnchHaleh Moravej is a Senior Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences at Manchester Metropolitan University, and founder of MetMUnch, a student-led programme that sets the standard for sustainability, nutrition, and entrepreneurship across Manchester Metropolitan, local communities, and further afield. Prior to teaching, Haleh was a commercial entrepreneur with her own nutrition clinic.
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Samantha Nicholson
Director,
Manchester Climate Change AgencySam brings more than 20 years’ experience with a proven track record in the climate sector to MCCA. Previously, Sam was Zero Carbon Manager at Manchester City Council, and prior to this, she was Head of Low Carbon and Manufacturing at GC Business Growth Hub.
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Sean Ruffell
Managing Director,
Organic NorthSean is the Managing Director of Organic North, the largest wholesalers of certified organic produce in the north. Based at New Smithfield’s Market in Manchester, Organic North focuses on local, seasonal produce and is strongly committed to its no-waste model.
Our partners
We work with a wide range of organisations, individuals, and businesses across the city to find ways of working together that support our aims and objectives. These include (but are not limited to):
Basilico Pizza
Blossom MCR
Bruntwood
Burton Road Brewing Co
Buzz Manchester
Cinderwood Market Garden
CityCo
Co-op
Cracking Good Food
Dunham Press Cider
EatWell Manchester
Envirolution
FareShare Greater Manchester
FoodStuff
Great Places Housing
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)
Groundwork
Healthy Me Healthy Communities
Hubbub
Lune Valley Dairy
MACC
Made in Hackney
Manchester BME Network
Manchester City Council
Manchester Climate Change Agency
Manchester Healthy Schools
Manchester Housing Providers Partnership
Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Urban Diggers
MetMUnch
Milk and Honey
National Vegetarian Society
NFU Lancashire
One Manchester
Organic North
Our Manchester Food Partnership
Rafiki Network
Salford University
Southway Housing
Sow the City
Sustainable Food Places
The Bread and Butter Thing
Too Good to Go
Trussell Trust
University of Manchester
University of Manchester NHS Foundation Trust
Womens Voices CIC
WRAP
Wythenshawe Community Housing Group (WCHG)