Meet Ruth Hislop-Gill: Bristol Good Food’s new Projects and Impact Coordinator 

Meet Ruth Hislop-Gill, new Projects and Impact Coordinator at Bristol Good Food! In her first blog for us, Ruth explores why reimagining waste is key to building a thriving circular economy – and shines a light on some of the brilliant people transforming Bristol’s food system along the way. 

Hello Bristol, 

I am excited to be stepping into my new role with Bristol Food Network as Projects and Impact Coordinator. In this role, I’ll be supporting the Bristol Good Food Partnership, helping to coordinate projects and Working Group meetings, with a particular focus on how we capture and  shine a light on the incredible impact and change happening across Bristol’s food system. 

I’m looking forward to meeting and working alongside the many organisations and individuals that make up Bristol’s Good Food community. I was fortunate to meet some partners at the University of Bristol’s Good Food and Eating Well event last Wednesday, hosted at the Ardagh Community Trust. The event celebrated stories and experiences from across the Southwest’s supply chain including: 

• George Ford (Nempnett Pastures) – sharing the challenges and joys of transforming his family farm from a profitable but unsustainable model into one rooted in care for animals, land, and long-term land stewardship. 

• Alice Goodman (Garden Folk CIC) – reflecting on the connections between land, growing, community, and art. 

• Rob Hagen (Brockley Stores) – speaking about his motivations for setting up food stores that connect directly with the local supply chain. 

• Kate Ploughman and Emma Dooner (Kate’s Kitchen) – joined by community partners to discuss the power of collaboration around food. 

One story that particularly resonated with me came from Alistair at Heart of BS13. They’ve partnered with Kate’s Kitchen to recycle food waste into compost for their community flower farm – creating a brilliant example of a sustainable closed-loop system where ‘waste’ is reimagined as a valuable resource. 

The way we view and use waste is something I’ve become very passionate about in recent years. Alongside my role with BFN, I also work with a London-based CIC, The Woodshop of Recycled Delights (WoRD). WoRD started in 2022 as a small project in a Hackney community garden, rooted in a passion for building with reclaimed timber. Since then, we’ve grown into a CIC that diverts waste wood from landfill and shares hands-on skills through workshops, community builds, and creative learning spaces. Our vision is for a world with minimal waste, where people use all wood resourcefully in innovative and joyful ways. By equipping individuals and communities with the skills, resources, and knowledge to transform waste timber into something useful and imaginative, we aim to challenge disposable consumer culture, promote creative reuse, and reduce the environmental impact of waste. 

Over time, an incredible community of makers and residents have come together supporting each other’s ideas, reclaiming and improving shared spaces, and building real connections. It’s been a wonderful journey to be part of. 

For me, whether it’s food or timber, the principle is the same: by reimagining waste as something valuable, we not only reduce its environmental impact, but also open space for innovation, creativity and more sustainable ways of living.  

I’m really looking forward to getting involved in Bristol’s vibrant food community and wider environmental sector, and to working alongside the movement of people driving positive and joyful change. 

If you grow, cook, sell, share or simply love good food in Bristol – there’s a place for you in this movement. 

There are Working Groups in Infrastructure, Procurement, Eating Better, Food Waste and Urban Growing. If you are interested in joining a Working Group, sharing your good food story, or helping us deliver the next phase of actions, contact hello@bristolfoodnetwork.org. 

To stay updated on future events, job opportunities and news, don’t forget to sign up for the Bristol Good Food Update at bristolgoodfood.org/newsletter.