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Heathen Supper Evenings
What is Heathen Food?
The quickest definition of Heathen food is that it hasn't come from a supermarket.
A longer definition looks at the all the links in the food supply chain and asks is each link a good one - one that tends to be life-promoting. Is the relationship of farmer to animal one that tends to support the welfare of the animal? Is the relationship between farmer and their purchaser one of relative equals so that a fair deal is likely to be struck between them? Is the relationship between the shopper and shopowner one that tends to mutual benefit and mutual solidarity?
Heathens are concerned to strengthen the bonds between people that support a good community life. We also think that communal activities can encourage the growing and cooking of Heathen food when perhaps an individual or couple alone would be tempted by the convenience of the supermarket. So we are especially interested in encouraging new activities such as Heathen Cooking Groups and Heathen Supper Evenings alongside community gardening and agriculture projects.
A Heathen Supper Evening
If you don't have a suitable house then book a slot at a community centre with its own kitchen facilities.
We invite people to come with their own food or food ingredients and drinks and prepare and eat a meal with you:
Surely this will be more interesting than doing the same thing at home on your own?!
Please note that as a Heathen organisation we have a strict 'no supermarket food' policy. So please don't bring anything purchased directly from a supermarket thank you!
Part of the point of Heathen Supper Evenings is to make it possible for people to work together in producing a meal. In modern life often one person has to buy the food and prepare all the different dishes for a meal which is maybe eaten by only one or two people. With communal cooking tasks can be shared so that each cook needs only produce one dish each. Also those without cooking skills have a chance to get a home-cooked meal and still contribute by doing chores such as cutting up vegetables or doing the washing up. Shopping can also be a shared task so that supermarket convenience counts for less and it is more of a pleasure to use the small shops. Allotment owners who get a glut of some vegetable or other which is too much for them personally can more easily find others to make good use of them.
Having said all that with a new venture it may take time to work out the best way for people to co-operate. Thus initially please assume that each person coming needs to bring their own food and prepare it themselves if need be.
It may be important from a legal point of view to check that you will be classed as a private gathering and not an organisation providing food to the public.
Heathen supper evenings:
1. Happen on a regular basis
2. Use Heathen food (self-grown or from local small shops and farms)
3. Involve members collaborating in producing a meal together
Heathen supper evenings can be held in a community centre or in members homes.
We think that it will be easiest to organise Heathen supper evenings where there is already some pre-existing community of people who know each other.
Heathen Supper Evenings - Proposal
1. To organise Heathen Supper Evenings for members of the local Heathen Club.
2. For there to be provided kitchen facilities and restaurant area so that members can prepare their own supper as individuals or as a group or otherwise and consume it.
3. For there to be a rule that all food and food ingredients used should have been obtained otherwise than by purchase at a supermarket.
4. For it to be possible with general agreement for members to organise a cultural or entertainment activity if they so wish such as watching a film after their meal.
5. These evenings to take place on a regular basis - perhaps once a fortnight or once a month.
6. For admission to be restricted to members and their guests.
7. For there to be an admission fee in particular to cover the cost of the premises, which doesn't give entitlement to food.
8. To spread awareness of the idea and facilitate further evenings for a wider group of people.
Other possible activities for a Heathen Club...
Outreach
We wish to reach out to the people of the area to let them know about the Heathen Way and encourage them to support Heathen Food.
Heathen Craft
We wish to encourage the development of practical skills and productive capacity so that we can provide more for ourselves.
Heathen Exchange
We'd like to encourage members to share with each other and help each other out. If somebody needs something then it is better that another member provide it for them than be reliant on a large and uncaring corporation.
Social & Cultural Events
We'd like there to be a greater range of social and cultural events. Some of these might aim to help us orientate ourselves in life and strengthen our commitment as Heathens, some might aim to teach us more about a particular subject, some might aim mainly to strengthen relationships between members and some might be just for fun.