Calling all food glorious food (and drink) producers
A £10,000 cash injection is up for grabs for food and drink producers from across Gloucestershire. Businesses are being invited to enter the Dragons Den-style competition, which will see local producers pitch their ideas to a panel of industry experts. The launch of the Co-op Midcounties Food Glorious Food campaign took place at Hartpury College and was supported by the likes of the Growth Hub, GFirst LEP and the National Farmers Union. The winning idea will join Midcounties ‘Best of our Counties’ range of locally-sourced food and drink products in its 52 Gloucestershire stores. The successful applicant will also receive mentoring from the competition judges, business development support from Co- op Midcounties and assistance with a full marketing launch campaign. Runners up will secure shelf space in selected Co-op food stores and entry onto a one-day business skills seminar at Hartpury College and Hartpury University. The Food Glorious Food campaign is being run in conjunction with Hartpury College and Hartpury University, Folk2Folk and The Growth Hub l Register for more information at www.bestofourcounties.coop/register
Professor Alastair Driver
managed effectively this is a desirable thing to do. There’s no reason to hold back.” Dr Andrew Stringer of Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust is working with the Vincent Wildlife Trust, the Forestry Commission and the Woodland Trust to assess the feasibility of re-introducing pine martens in Forest of Dean and theWye Valley. The idea has found ‘overwhelming support’ in public surveys he told the audience - with only three per cent thinking it was a bad idea. The Vincent Wildlife Trust has already translocated over 51 of the animals from Scotland toWales. Nick Barter of Defra made the point that ‘encouraging and rewarding natural processes’ is a key element of the government’s 25 Year Environmental Plan - as is connecting people to the environment for health benefits. Sacha Dench, of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, closed the conference by chairing a panel discussion of the speakers, who were also joined by Thomas Binns, chairman of the NFU uplands forum. He said there was scope and a place for rewilding alongside continuous dialogue l
Farming · Rural Estates · Equine · Rural Vets · Tree Surgeons
Mobile Internet 2 Way Radio ATVTrac
December 2018 | www. punchline-gloucester .com | 57
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs