Leicestershire Good Food Event, 29 September at the Allerton Project
The GWCT’s demonstration farm the Allerton Project is hosting the Leicestershire Good Food Event, a sustainable food and procurement summit, with Good Food Leicestershire, on Thursday 29 September. Organisers are aiming to showcase the benefits for the environment, health and economy of increasing the amount of locally produced, sustainable and healthy food in the county’s schools, hospitals and other public services settings.
The recent government Food Strategy set out a goal of 50% locally produced or higher standard food in the public sector. The summit will bring together food producers with school and hospital caterers and supply chain managers, and Leicestershire County Council.
Joe Stanley, the Allerton Project’s Head of Training and Partnerships, and NFU County Chair for Leicestershire, Northants and Rutland, will kick off the event. He said: “We are excited to be hosting the summit. It is a great example of our home county’s efforts to turn the government Food Strategy’s 50% target into reality.
“In conjunction with Leicestershire Country Council, we believe that incorporating local, high quality, high welfare and environmentally friendly food from Leicestershire businesses is more important now than ever to ensure the health and wellbeing of both our citizens and our planet.
“We will be talking about the health and business benefits of a more sustainable approach to public-sector food procurement. And we will look at how farmers can grasp more sustainable production methods and champion their existing high environmental and welfare standards to key public sector buyers.”
The event is free of charge and open to anyone with an interest in how farmers and the supply chain can work together with local authorities to improve the sustainability of public sector food procurement. The day’s programme includes a panel discussion and Q&A session, as well as the chance to sample some fine food from local producers in the lunchtime ‘Food Court’ and to network with potential suppliers and customers.
Event details
- Thursday 29 September 2022, from 10:30-15:30
- The Allerton Project, Main Street, Loddington, Leicestershire, LE7 9XE
For more information and to book your place, please visit allertontrust.org.uk/events/ or call 01572 494541.
This event is part of the ongoing partnership between the Allerton Project and Leicestershire County Council.
Notes to editors
The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust is an independent wildlife conservation charity which carries out scientific research into Britain’s game and wildlife. We advise farmers and landowners on improving wildlife habitats. We employ 22 post-doctoral scientists and 40 other research staff with expertise in areas such as birds, insects, mammals, farming and statistics. We undertake our own research as well as projects funded by contract and grant-aid from Government and private bodies. The Trust is also responsible for a number of Government Biodiversity Action Plan species and is lead partner for grey partridge and joint lead partner for brown hare and black grouse.
The GWCT’s Allerton Project: The GWCT’s Allerton Project is an 800 acre commercial farm business attached to a Research and Educational charitable trust. The Project was established in 1992 with the objective of demonstrating how modern efficient farming and environmental conservation can co-exist. The development of the education objectives of the Trust has expanded substantially to several thousand visitors a year including school groups, politicians and farmers, thus necessitating the construction of a larger visitor centre. The challenge of converting a disused brick cowshed into a sustainable building was given to architect Sylvester Cheung from Melton Mowbray. 60 per cent of construction costs were obtained as a grant from the Rural Development Programme for England.