Food is Free retail space for Barkly Square

NOT-for-profit Food is Free has launched a retail space at Barkly Square, offering a multi-functional place for the community.

The shop offers workshops, visitors can purchase merchandise, plants and sustainable products, and the space will be available for hire.

Amy Tsilemanis will be the artist in residence.

“We wanted to create a space that actually reflects Barkly Square which is multifunctional, collaborative and a space where everyone feels they belong,” founder Lou Ridsdale said.

“It’s going to serve many purposes.”

Food is Free aims to provide community members with food security, education, and inclusion.

Their current four locations across Ballarat include the original green space, the grow and thrive garden, the First Nations women’s yarning garden, and the Sebastopol Library outdoor deck garden.

The retail space will financially support the First Nations women’s yarning garden, grow and thrive multicultural garden, food security programs, and the long-term goal of an urban food farm.

“The shop is the next frontier for us. It’s the next step forward to our $2.2 million urban food farm,” Ms Ridsdale said.

“We have got some really interested parties helping us out pro bono and we’re forming a subcommittee with a whole bunch of experts.

“It’s going to serve people who are food insecure, it’s going to be a place where people can come and purchase food boxes from us which we also will give away a portion for free, just so people can get around eating healthy, nutritious food, and it will be a very big sustainability school.”

Paint for the retail project was provided through the Dulux Community Donation Program.

The space will be open three to four times a week, including on Saturday morning and at the Barkly Square Christmas market on Friday 12 December.