A report on the link between local food and well-being will be launched by the Essex Sustainability Institute (ESI) on Wednesday 29 January 2014.

A team of researchers from the ESI have been gathering evidence from the East of England and will unveil their findings at a celebration of local food hosted by The Minories Galleries in Colchester.

• Sign-up for the event on Eventbrite

The team includes Professor Steffen Böhm, Dr Zareen Bharucha and David Watson, and the research was supported by the East of England Co-operative Society and the British Academy.

Professor Böhm said: “We have explored whether participating in local food projects, such as box schemes, allotments and community supported agriculture, has an impact on people’s well-being, and if so, why?

“Over the course of 18 months, we have reviewed the available evidence, undertaken a survey study, and talked to people from all over Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk.

“We hope our findings will be a valuable contribution to people interested in local food, individual’s health and well-being and growing our local economies.”