PROMOTING LOCAL FOOD AND DRINK
There are 28 farmers markets in West Sussex every month and plenty of farm shops around the District, so you don't have to wait for the next Food and Drink Festival to experience the best of local food - you can shop locally all year round!
Consumer interest in local produce has grown in the last few years as people become more discerning about what they eat, encouraged by healthy eating promotions like ‘5-a-day’ and growing media coverage. Jamie Oliver’s television documentary 'School Dinners' helped to put healthy food back on school menus, highlighting how few children knew about where food comes from and how many could not recognise common vegetables.
More TV shows are encouraging people to cook at home, demonstrating simplicity and speed using local, seasonal ingredients, instead of eating ready-made meals, often with high salt levels colourings and preservatives and too much packaging. People also want to be assured of the traceability of ingredients, especially meat. More restaurants and cafes are stating on menus, the origins of the food they serve. Supermarkets supporting local farmers are also beginning to name the farm and the farmer in store and convenience store chains such as Budgens are now stocking over 100 local products in their Sussex shops.
For three years, Horsham District Council organised the Horsham Food and Drink Festival, raising awareness and celebrating the quality and diversity of local seasonal produce. Building on that success, in 2006 it became the West Sussex Food & Drink festival with 111 businesses taking part. Its second year as a county-wide event, saw a staggering 134 local businesses running events and special offers. The 2008 event will run from 6 September to 5 October and has all the indications it will be one to remember. The Festival is a collaboration between West Sussex County and District Councils, with Horsham District Council acting as co-ordinators of the programme.
Take a look at the Food and Drink Festival page in this section and download a copy of last year's programme. The new programme will be available online and in print closer to the start of the Festival. You will also be able to pick up a programme in District libraries, Tourist Information Centres and Help Points. To take advantage of many of the special offers, a hard copy of the programme will be required.
If you are a food and drink business interested in taking part in the 2008 Food and Drink Festival and you meet the below criteria, we would like to add you to our database. Please telephone the Business Development Office on 01403 215542 or email business.development@horsham.gov.uk
To take part in the Food and Drink Festival, companies must:
- Grow / rear local produce, or where serving or preparing food / drink, this must contain an element of local produce.
- Organise a special event or offer a special discount during the festival period
For further details on any aspect of the Festival, please telephone the Business Development Office on 01403 215542 or email business.development@horsham.gov.uk