Food accolade praised by PM

From the Echo, first published Friday 17th Oct 2003.

BRIDPORT-based community group the West Dorset Food and Land Trust has been nominated by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to attend a Downing Street reception next week.

The trust operates from the Bridport Centre for Local Food on the St Michael's trading estate and, according to Downing Street, the reception "is intended to give public recognition to the positive and important role played by the people who work to promote sustainable development and improve their local environment".

Tim Crabtree will be going to the reception on the trust's behalf. He has worked for the organisation over the last five years.

He described the invitation as an honour for all those who had been involved with the trust, both volunteers and staff.

He said: "We have tried to focus on practical projects with which people can engage and enjoy, starting with initiatives such as farmers' markets, Dorset Food Week and the Dorset Local Food Directory. "Now much of our work revolves around the `Grow it, Cook it, Eat it' programme.

"This supports gardening, cookery and healthy eating projects, and has involved hundreds of children and adults in initiatives which promote an improved local environment and increased health and well-being."

The invitation to meet the Prime Minister and his wife comes after the Countryside Agency's decision to make Bridport a Beacon Town, in recognition of the area's thriving local food sector and the work of the trust to promote local food.

Working with Bridport Town Council, Bridport Community Initiative and other groups in the town, the trust intends to make 2004 Bridport's Year of Local Food, with a food festival, arts and heritage projects and a host of community cookery workshops at the new centre for local food.

Chairman of trustees the Rev Andrew Davey was delighted that the work of the trust had been recognised by DEFRA and Downing Street.

"It is good to think that the government is taking note of what is being achieved by small local organisations," he said.

"We have exciting developments planned for the next couple of years, and this gives a boost to all those who have been involved with the trust over recent years. DEFRA has proved to be a very supportive partner, as they fund the LEADER+ Chalk and Cheese programme which has supported the development of the centre for local food.

"We hope that they will look favourably at our latest proposal, which is to establish a service supplying local, organic and fair trade food to schools and community food projects.

"We are already working with Washingpool Farm and Elwell Fruit Farm to provide fruit to local schools, and now we want to address the packed lunches that are made in London and trucked down to Dorset primary schools every morning!"

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