Regather
Regather is a community benefit society working to improve food and build community in Sheffield, UK. We run an organic farm, veg box scheme, and many other community projects. In our organisation, we centre our work around care for our environment and the people in our community.
Our objects are to foster community development and understanding around the importance of the local food system in Sheffield and how it works, in order to enable everyone to work together to democratically change their food system for the better.
Key individuals
Gareth Roberts, INNATURE Lead
Gareth Roberts is an academic practitioner and social entrepreneur with extensive experience in the events and cultural industries. He is a Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, where he teaches event management, integrating industry expertise with academic scholarship. His research interests have included cultural entrepreneurship, self-employment in the creative industries, social media and events marketing, and the role of events in economic and social localisation. Gareth has played a key role in developing innovative curriculums on cultural entrepreneurship, self-employment, and creative industry development, equipping students with both theoretical and practical skills.
Beyond academia, Gareth is the co-founder and Managing Director of Regather, a cooperative enterprise he helped establish in 2005, incorporating it as a co-op in 2010. He has led strategic developments in Community Economic Development and Sustainable Food Systems, ensuring Regather remains a leader in innovative economic and social change in Sheffield. His background as an arts administrator, event manager, and serial social entrepreneur has given him a strong foundation in cooperative business models, community-led events, and sustainable enterprise.
Gareth actively engages with external organisations, including The UK Fruit and Veg Coalition, the Soil Association, and Sustain, advocating for agroecological horticulture and sustainable food systems. Over the past 20 years he has played a pivotal role in organising major cultural and community events such as Sheffield Green Fair, Peace in the Park, The Folk Forest and Peakender. Through his work, he continues to bridge the gap between academia, industry, and policy, driving forward conversations on sustainable and community-led economic development.
