Food Matters Winter Guide – Preparing the ground The first of our Food Matters seasonal guides is now available. With a reflection from Ruth Valerio, practical ideas and action to take, as well as a prayer exercise using soil. Read it online, download it or order free printed copies - simply visit:  www.foodmatters.org.uk/winter-guide-preparing-the-ground/ "I’m delighted to commend this first Food Matters resource. We all know that food matters but by having a focus on food during this year I hope"I’m delighted to commend this first Food Matters resource. We all know that food matters but by having a focus on food during this year I hope that we will all understand more clearly why it matters so much to us, our communities and our world..."    +John, from the introduction of the Food Matters Winter Guide  t Launch event talks   available online Food Matters held a wonderful event to get the year long project off to a great start. Four exceptional speakers, with backgrounds in farming, development and research, gave ten minute talks on what food means to them - and then answered a range of questions. Listen online The world produces enough food for everyone, but not everyone has enough food. In fact it's estimated that almost 900 million people -- about one in eight human beings on our planet -- suffer from chronic hunger.  That's not acceptable, and there are things we can do to help change it. The "Enough Food for Everyone IF ...." campaign, which Food Matters is designed to complement, is one place to begin. A national effort bringing together over 100 charities and faith groups (including the Church of England), it's asking for change in four areas -- some directly related to food production and distribution and some where the general improvements made could help improve people's access to food as well. The first main campaign action is a lobby of MPs: read our guide to engaging with the campaign that we will all understand more clearly why it matters so much to us, our communities and our world..."   Food Matters is a project from the Diocese of Oxford for 2013. Join us for a year-long journey, reconnecting with the seasons and traditional farming festivals to explore key themes: • Preparing the ground – Plough Sunday | Winter • Sowing the seeds – Rogation Days | Spring • First fruits – Lammas | Summer • Harvest – Harvest festivals | Autumn A resource for each festival – and events during the year – will offer opportunities to reflect; to pray; to “grow your own”; to share local and global stories; and to take action for a fairer food system for all. For the latest resources and news visit wwww.foodmatters.org.uk or call 01865 208250.