“We’ve lost perspective on where our food comes from, and it’s been so good to get in back in tune with it.”
Each month, E-News will introduce you to a member of our Soil Assocation Scotland and Food for Life Scotland teams. This month, Data and Evaluation Manager Callum Wilkinson shares his career evolution, including managing data analysis projects and completing a level four data apprenticeship.
Q1. What is your name and your job title?
CW: My name is Callum Wilkinson and I am the Data and Evaluation Manager here at Food for Life Scotland.
Q2. When did you join Food for Life Scotland?
CW: I started in November 2019 and just before the pandemic. It’s absolutely flown by! I started as a data and evaluations officer where I came in and started looking at all the database we have and looking at how we can help local authorities with data analysis. As we’ve developed the offer of data and the support, alongside looking at our impact, we’ve gotten more involved in other projects.
One of those is the Welcome Trust, the pea project with Aberdeen City Council and my remit has grown. I recently completed a Level 4 Data Fellowship and became a manager. It’s been a lot of fun!
Q3. What is one of your favourite things about working at Soil Association/Food for Life Scotland?
CW: I know a few people have said the team, which I would agree with. But I also have to say I enjoy working with different stakeholders; the local authorities, the catering teams and getting to know them and how their catering service works. It’s been brilliant to see things through their eyes, as they’re on the ground working across Scotland.
For example, I haven’t lived in the Highlands or Islands and haven’t experienced life there before. So being able to see it through their eyes is fantastic. I also like going to the events as it makes the work we do feel more real, and not just me working away with my spreadsheets. Getting your feet on the ground versus talking through a computer, you get a greater sense of appreciation as to the work people are doing.
Q4. Discuss your journey with sustainability/the environment. Why is this important to you?
CW: It feels good to try and do good and help. Everything that I’ve learnt through my time in Soil Association and our stakeholders, I’ve been able to see the power of buying local or organic through data; what it means to buy locally and what the power local spend has. When I’m out shopping I’ll try support local businesses where I can because I know the impact that ahs on farmers. We’ve lost perspective on where our food comes from, and it’s been so good to get in back in tune with a shorter supply chain, local suppliers and producers because that’s how it should be.
Q5. Can you walk us through a day in your life?
CW: It can be very varied depending on what projects we’ve got on, so no day is the same. But saying this feels like a cop out! Each week I try and keep on top of evaluating our programme and see where we’re meeting our Scottish Government KPIs, pulling together different strands of our work to show how we meet that as well as celebrate that work. It’s always thinking ‘how can we show that we’re doing this great work’ which falls back on me through collecting stats or through qualitative surveys. I like to say a stat has to have context, so for example say ‘oh I’m saving £1000 by doing X’ but what does that mean beyond a saving? It could mean community wealth building, training offerings, local supply chain work.
A survey may be frustrating or time consuming to do, but it’s a data point we can use to empower our offerings which in turn can help inform our policy work or how the programme is working. It’s all circular.
Q6. What is your favourite dish to cook?
CW: It’s a classic but it’s got to be spaghetti Bolognese. I’ve started incorporating lentils and pulses into the dish over mince after our work with the pea project. I don’t have a recipe I follow, but instead will use what I have in the house to fashion a spag bol together. It’s delicious and helps with food waste!
Q7. What is a recipe book you always go back to, and why?
CW: Like I say, I’m not a recipe follower really, but I do take inspiration from our monthly potluck lunches here at Food for Life Scotland. Sarah G made a strawberry feta salad once and I was surprised at how good it was – I didn’t know strawberries could go in a salad!
Q8. What do you do to relax?
CW: Knitting! I started knitting towards the end of the pandemic. I wish I had started it earlier when we had two lockdowns, but I started knitting because I spent all day looking at spreadsheets across two screens and then I would finish work and watch TV or look at my phone. I needed a change and picked up knitting; I like how I can knit anywhere, be it the pub or on a bus.
Q9. What is a podcast you’re listening to right now?
CW: I’m not much of a podcast listener but I do listen to a lot of music. It’s definitely been a BRAT by Charli XCX summer, but I do also like mellow music like Maggie Rogers, as it’s ideal for car journeys and feels lovely and summery.
Q10. What one thing do you want people to know about your job?
CW: That I’m good at maths! That’s what spreadsheets are for! Y background is English Language and Literature, so maths isn’t exactly my thing. But I see spreadsheets as like writing sentences rather than maths. Power BI is like storytelling with data.