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Keep in touch with the Food Alliance Blog - sign up here Follow on Instagram here, Facebook here Here's where you can see what's happening for good local food in Herefordshire. From local food events, through farming to food waste - we use the Sustainable Food Places topics so you can see the things you're interested in at a glance. Click on each one for more information or scroll down the most recent. Contact us to tell us what's going on in your part of the County and sign the food charter to add your voice! |
This year’s Borderlines Film Festival — the UK's largest rural film festival — offered a rarebit treat: two short films from the BBC archives that reframed local food through a 50 year lens, and documented the role of food in local culture and identity.
Congratulations to the fantastic team behind the film, "Six Inches of Soil". They have been nominated for the BBC Food and Farming Awards Digital Creator" Award.
Hopefully you managed to get to one of the ten screeenings of the film that the Alliance organised throughout the county. The announcemnet will be made at the awards in Bristol on 18th November... watch this space.
The team are currently exploring regenerative dairy. Hear all about it on their podcast..
Over the last two years, in 12 assemblies and now in community led conversations all around the UK, FFCC has brought together a diverse and representative group of people from all backgrounds, in a ‘gold standard’ process, to ask them: “So, what do we really want from food?”. Your voices have been heard too. Herefordshire citizens fed in through an HFA hosted Food Conversation back in Summer 2024 with Ledbury Food Group at Burgage Hall, Ledbury as well as in Bromyard last Autumn. Blog post here on Ledbury conversation.
The anouncement is broadly welcomed, as is the governments intention to join up government departments to tackle the complex and urgent reform of the food system.
However, it is disappointing to see so little representation from civil society, public health, environment, nature-friendly farmers, food partnerships and pioneers of local and regional action that will be so integral to a national Food Strategy's success.
Herefordshire Food Alliance is part of The Marches Partnership which is a partnership with Powys, Monmothshire, Shropshire that seeks to create a food system for the Marches fit for future generations. We need your help with a bit of market research!...please share this with your networks. !
Six Inches of Soil moves to the west of the county on 28th February when we head to St. Peter's Hub, Peterchurch.
Burgage Hall in Ledbury was packed this Monday 27th January when over 90 people came to see our Ledbury showing of Six Inches of Soil.
We were treated to a feast of local food, featuring vegetables and produce from Little Marcle Organic Produce, Growing Local, The Handmade Scotch Egg Company and The Fold Veg Shed. Followed by a brilliant Q&A with James Marsden (Gregg's Pit Cider and Chair of Herefordshire Climate and Nature Partnership Board), Joshua Davenport (Little Marcle Organic Produce), Harvey Clay (Showle Dairy) and Ed Godsall (Mixed arable farm and agritourism) and chaired by Patrick Wrixon - North West Herefordshire Farmer and chair of the NFU Members Association in the county and founder and chairman of The Cart Shed charity.
It's that time of year when the snowdrops are coming up and those of us who enjoy growing start thinking about getting some seeds in the ground, or at the very least planning the season ahead. Maybe you don't currently grow anything and would love to but don't know where and how to start?
Head to one of these seed swaps happening in the county over the next weeks to get your hands on and share seeds. Learn more about the importance of seed saving to safeguard our future year's of harvests on a local and national level. Have a chat with someone swapping their seeds and learn how to grow them!
We are recruiting! (Please note that this is a re-advertisement, deadline now 15th Jan 2025 and is based in Herefordshire)
Herefordshire Food Alliance, connector of all things food in Herefordshire, is recruiting a coordinator.
The Alliance is a broad network, instigating projects of its own (such as film showings, gleaning events, food conversations, good food database) and supporting other activity in the county towards good food - that supports people, nature and communities. The county has achieved a Bronze ‘Sustainable Food Places’ Award and the Alliance supports and shares information that will lead towards a Silver award in the next year.
One of the Alliance aims is to support farming and food production that is great for nature and the local economy - here’s one! You can find more in our Buy Good Food page.
Daphne’s is full of sunshine, whatever the weather..
The owners Autum and Daniel (the team is completed by Lettice) are passionate about good quality, local, seasonal ingredients and both they and their suppliers are rightly proud of these partnerships. The imaginative starters, stand out delicious pizzas and sensational puddings are all delivered with warmth, and an infectious enthusiasm.
Almeley Village Hall was packed to the rafters on Monday as our Six Inches of Soil Roadshow continues! We paired up with Almeley Green Group this time for what was a brilliant example of a whole community getting together in celebration of the food and farming that is on their doorstep, from the community lunch during the day right to the mammoth washing up session at the end! The Green Group have a number of priorities - working around Energy, Nature, Waste, Water Quality and now Food! and meet monthly to talk through existing and future projects.
101 people from all over the North West Herefordshire community came to feast on local produce, see the film and hear from local farmers Colin Powell and Lucinda Lewis and Grapevine in Kington owner, Martin Peek.
...In good local food in Herefordshire right now?
If you're reading this, you're either interested in or working towards good local food in Herefordshire. Please help us build a brilliant picture of all that's going on so that we can celebrate it, support it and do more of it!
It will take a very small amount of time and we're happy to receive your thoughts in any way - a quick note+ contact details, a document you already have, or a link.
Here's the form! You may see it below or click the link.
Our Six Inches of Soil project got off to a flying start in Bromyard last Friday 13th. The ominous date did not deter 120 people turning out to enjoy the film, food and Q&A.
A big thank you to our panel: Claire Howlett, Louise Manning and Andrew McRobb for providing such valuable insights, the audience for being so engaged, Legges for providing the food and finally to the awesome Conquest volunteers who helped make the night happen without any glitches, what a team!
On Sunday 15 September Herefordshire Food Alliance took part in a conversation focused on food, organised by the 3 Counties Doughnut Economics group.
In brief, Doughnut Economics is a visual framework, shaped like a ring doughnut, combining the concept of planetary boundaries with the complementary concept of social boundaries. To find out more watch this short film.
During the day, a group of around 20 people from the counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire shared their thoughts, ideas and concerns about issues facing food suppliers, food producers and communities.
A new report and webinar: quote and details below, here are some headlines.
‘Provide capital and revenue support to expand and enhance sustainable food partnerships and hubs across Wales from 2025-2035’
‘Universal access to a healthy diet – enabling everyone to access healthy and more sustainable food to address trends in diet-related diseases and poverty.’'
- Secure a just transition for farmers and growers with long-term financial support and extended tenancy agreements.
- Prioritise local, sustainably produced food through public procurement to develop local markets and distribution chains.
- Implement a land and marine use framework and national food strategy.
- Reduce the dominance of livestock production and incentivise growing a wider range of sustainable crops to replace imports.
- Enhance food literacy within the education system.
The Marches Real Food and Farming Convergence 2024 is bringing people together to build a resilient and regenerative food future across the Marches. We will be gathering on 4-5th October at Babbinswood Farm near Oswestry to share, learn, co-create and celebrate. Check out the programme, which covers agroecology, regenerative farming, building strong local supply chains, policy change and food equity.
Book your place here. Come for the day or camp or stay locally and join us for the whole event, you’ll be sure of stimulating discussion in a beautiful environment, with good local food and music.
The Food Alliance will be there, reporting back on happenings in Herefordshire - please share anything you'd like before the event to Rebecca -
... and facilitating a session around how we link tourism, sustainable food and nature. What's worked in the Marches, what can we do more of? Looking forward to learning lots, and hope to see you there!
Would you like to work with the Food Alliance to make the changes we need in our food system happen?
We are an alliance of hundreds, a steering team of thirty and a paid team of three very part-timers - for our capacity, we have quite a big reach!
We have plans across seven different topic areas in Herefordshire, and a huge number of partnerships to make and maintain - in order to make the shifts in our food system that we all so badly need.
We have volunteering roles across the county, and currently also have paid opportunities for freelance workers who have the skills, experience and passion needed to get some of our plans actioned!
A couple of recent articles of interest:
News in Farmers Weekly of how one company is dropping dairy producers providing 'low volumes of milk' - wonder how this fits with other pushes towards supporting farmers to move towards stock levels that build soil and regenerate rivers...
Plus a useful article from The Guardian explaining the cost to the consumer and the producer of huge food corporations, and how we might break monopolies up.
Members of the Alliance steering team had a real treat last Friday to meet in person, reflect and plan. And eat!
Not a single picture was taken - sorry, we were too busy chatting! But plenty got done and some draft plans were made.
Please join us in this last bit - have a look at where we got to and let us know what you think about priorities for the next year - 2024 into 2025.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1uoZmSckXh34_yPsnc4_GdR4MdwjDzKUdY-lhznbeUKE/edit?usp=sharing
Herefordshire Food Alliance has written to all General Election candidates in Herefordshire to share the brilliant work that has already been achieved by this vibrant alliance, show the evidence for policy that supports partnerships across the UK and ask them what they'll be doing in the next Government to make it happen! The full letter is below, with any responses we recieve.
Have a look at Sustain's 'Manifesto Tracker' - exploring "political party commitments on food and farming" and evaluates how these pledges align with the Sustain Manifesto 2024, with assessments provided by specialists in various themes such as farming, climate and public health.
... And a blog series - "If I were a Food Minister" from the group behind the Food Conversation. It crops up again and again in conversations - what would YOU do if you were a Food Minister...?
Our questions to candidates, and any replies received, are below.
Dear General Election Candidates for Herefordshire!
I am writing to you on behalf of Herefordshire Food Alliance. We are a network of groups, organisations and individuals working towards a thriving and sustainable local food economy – for healthy lives, communities and environment. We’re linked to Sustainable Food Places nationally and proud to say that Herefordshire as a county holds a Bronze Award.
It was exciting and heartening to be part of the national #thefoodconversation on Monday night, right here in Herefordshire.
After a hearty snack of 100% Herefordshire soup, local cheeses, bread and chutneys - we got stuck in to the conversation about our food system. A video set the scene and we then heard from two local producers about where they are in the 'food system'.
What do people want? Well, after looking at many things working, and not working about food right now it was pretty hard to whittle down the very many thoughts in the room but a few themes seemed to run across all the tables and chats.
Policy change - regulating ultra processed foods, and supporting both independent and local food production. But a clear call for policy to be co-created by ALL of us!