How many points can you earn for the Lancaster Food Economy?
The idea of the game is to demonstrate how our local food spending is helping boost our local food economy and to have fun whilst we do it. We have introduced a slightly competitive element for those who like a challenge and prizes, because everyone likes prizes.
To begin with you will be helping us ‘beta’ test the system so all your feedback and ideas are most welcome. The system will improve and adapt as we go but for now let’s just get started.
The idea of the game is to demonstrate how our local food spending is helping boost our local food economy and to have fun whilst we do it. We have introduced a slightly competitive element for those who like a challenge and prizes, because everyone likes prizes.
To begin with you will be helping us ‘beta’ test the system so all your feedback and ideas are most welcome. The system will improve and adapt as we go but for now let’s just get started.
How to play
The aim is to bring an element of fun into spending our food money.
As a customer, each time you buy food from a locally-based food business and let us know you have done it you will be allocated points (pears).
The aim is to bring an element of fun into spending our food money.
As a customer, each time you buy food from a locally-based food business and let us know you have done it you will be allocated points (pears).
To evidence your transaction you need to take a photo of your bill/receipt with your mobile phone or scan and send us a picture of your receipt/invoice/as proof of purchase. You could also show your receipts to the game designer/administrator (Michael Hallam) if you want to avoid the digital approach.
In time we will develop more sophisticated methods for getting this information from you but that’s for later.
Your initial spend points sets you up with some game tokens and initial points.
In time we will develop more sophisticated methods for getting this information from you but that’s for later.
Your initial spend points sets you up with some game tokens and initial points.
If the food business you spent with goes onto re-spend your money with other local food suppliers then they will get their own game points (Retailers and Customers have their own separate score boards) and you will gain additional points because that retailer has just created a new link in the local food chain.
Every time a new link is added you get additional points, so it is in your interests to encourage the food outlets you buy from to get involved.
You can start as many chains as you like. Each local food retailer you trade with will start you a chain. So the longer the chains the more points there are for everyone.
At the end of every month a modest prize will be offered to the person at the top of that month's Customer leader-board and to the food business at the top of that months Business leader-board.
That’s it in a nutshell.
That’s it in a nutshell.
Extra Points
As well as encouraging local spending and re-spending we also want to boost the amount of food that is produced and processed locally, so there will be extra points factored in based on how far apart geographically the customers are from where they buy and, for the businesses, how far apart their suppliers are.
There will also be a points bonus based on how quickly the chains grow.
As well as encouraging local spending and re-spending we also want to boost the amount of food that is produced and processed locally, so there will be extra points factored in based on how far apart geographically the customers are from where they buy and, for the businesses, how far apart their suppliers are.
There will also be a points bonus based on how quickly the chains grow.
100% recycling of our money.
Another way to earn points is if one of the businesses in a chain re-spends some of the money they have received with another business already in that chain. This creates a Trading Loop and means that the money that is re-spent in that loop is 100% recycled.
Another way to earn points is if one of the businesses in a chain re-spends some of the money they have received with another business already in that chain. This creates a Trading Loop and means that the money that is re-spent in that loop is 100% recycled.
Confidentiality
When you register to play the Food Loop Game you will be allocated a player name (e.g. “PEAR01”) If you want you can choose to be identified only by this player name. But you can also elect to be identified by your real name if you want. There are obvious advantages in doing this if you are a business players as a good score in the game will reflect positively on you as it shows how much you are contributing to the local food economy.
As a customer you might also want to be identified to show your friends just how good you are and to challenge them to match your score.
Apart from your player name, the points reflected in the scores and the loops and chains that are created, no personally identifiable information will be made public. Any additional information that is created will be in an aggregated form, such as total spend within the system, or within different sectors or different neighbourhoods.
There is a set of Terms and Conditions and if you register to be a player in the game it will be assumed that you have agreed to the terms and conditions.
As this is an initiative that has community benefit at its heart we see the development of this platform as an ongoing co-design project with the community, so we will strive to make changes and improvements that reflect that.
The Local Food Loop Game is a service provided by Pear Trading Ltd
When you register to play the Food Loop Game you will be allocated a player name (e.g. “PEAR01”) If you want you can choose to be identified only by this player name. But you can also elect to be identified by your real name if you want. There are obvious advantages in doing this if you are a business players as a good score in the game will reflect positively on you as it shows how much you are contributing to the local food economy.
As a customer you might also want to be identified to show your friends just how good you are and to challenge them to match your score.
Apart from your player name, the points reflected in the scores and the loops and chains that are created, no personally identifiable information will be made public. Any additional information that is created will be in an aggregated form, such as total spend within the system, or within different sectors or different neighbourhoods.
There is a set of Terms and Conditions and if you register to be a player in the game it will be assumed that you have agreed to the terms and conditions.
As this is an initiative that has community benefit at its heart we see the development of this platform as an ongoing co-design project with the community, so we will strive to make changes and improvements that reflect that.
The Local Food Loop Game is a service provided by Pear Trading Ltd