KIT
FOOD
NEWS
SUMMER FOOD
NEWS SPECIAL
There's a lot of food news out there that's not really related
to diabetes, but it's interesting anyway, so here's a little
overview of the good, the weird and the wonderful stuff that's
happening in the food arena globally, locally, in supermarkets
and in the High Street. Some is about products, some about
awards, other bits about communities and new ideas.
W
ith so many
farmers being
forced out
of business,
something needs
to change and it is up to shoppers to
vote with their wallets and buy local.
Shoppers are being urged to 'make one
change' to the way they shop for food.
In a bid to end supermarket domination,
Anthony Davison, a Cambridgeshire
farmer and founder of local food and
drink website www.bigbarn.co.uk says
buying local could help preserve the UK
food industry and ensure the survival of
rural communities. He says, "We're not
asking people to make big changes,
things as simple as signing up to a local
milk delivery or veg box, shopping at the
butchers, bakers or grocers, discovering
a local producer or growing your own
could make a big difference."
Make One Change launched in 2015
and made strong inroads into getting
more people to think about the way they
shop for food. This year the campaign
has focused on 'keeping it in the
community', with shoppers encouraged
to look within their area to help their own
rural economy. As part of the campaign,
Davison has launched a pilot Community
Food Scheme in his villages of Alconbury
and Alconbury West. Joining together
with allotment owners, local schools
and the village shop, he is encouraging
the villagers to become 'self-sufficient'
and use as much as their home-grown
veggies as possible to reduce food miles
and bring new wealth to the area.
Davidson (#make1change) says, "If
we don't support our rural businesses:
dairies, farmers and small producers, then
they will cease to exist. Something needs
to change and campaigns like Make One
Change are just one way to encourage
people to take a long hard look at the
way they shop for food and make some
changes."
Mine's a pint!
Meanwhile, The chef patron of The Lord
Clyde in Kerridge, Macclesfield has
launched a new project to swap veggies
for pints. The Cheshire gastro pub has
started its own vegetable and herb garden
but is several months away from its first
crop, so owner and chef patron Ernst van
Zyl is hoping local allotment owners and
gardeners will share their surplus in the
meantime. For every half pound of fruit,
vegetables or herbs gifted to The Lord