SOMERSET FOOD TRAIL
14th-30th July
ABOUT US
The Somerset Food Trail Festival is organised by team of volunteers led by Sustainable Food Somerset, a non-profit run by five trustees from across Somerset. Sustainable Food Somerset (formerly Wells Food Network) is a member of the national network of Sustainable Food Places, a partnership programme led by the Soil Association, Food Matters and Sustain which encourages a cross-sector approach to tackling failings in our current food system.
We are delighted that last year Graham Harvey, journalist, author and former agricultural story editor for The Archers, has joined the team. His new book 'Underneath The Archers: My Life as an Undercover Agent for Nature' is published in September by Unbound
Much of our farmland no longer produces the food evolution prepared us for. It's happened as a result of poor science and corportate ruthlessness, and our own lack of interest. The good news? If we all get stuck in, we can fix this.
– Graham Harvey
OUR ORIGINS
The first pilot Food Trail was held in 2018, supported by a group of community organisations, including Reimagining The Levels, Somerset Community Food, Somerset Local Food Direct, Sustainable Wells and Green Wedmore. We are grateful for their ongoing support as well as for our network of volunteer cluster coordinators who are passionate about local sustainable food, and without whom this event would simply not be possible. Sincere and heartfelt thanks to all!
SOMERSET FOOD TRAIL
PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS
We owe a special thanks to our project partners and supporters, who have made the Somerset Food Trail possible and become some of our biggest champions – thank you to all of you! These include:
THE PIG - NEAR BATH
A hotel and popular restaurant, THE PIG - near Bath is big on sustainability. We especially like their commitment to source at least 80% of the food that they serve from within a 25 mile radius of the hotel, including their own extensive kitchen gardens. As such they support a number of the producers represented on this year's Trail. We look forward to a day when 'local first' and 'sustainable only' is common policy, not just in upmarket eateries and hotels but in hospitals and schools as well.
FUNDERS TO DATE
We are deeply grateful to all the organisations whose generous financial support enabled us to put on the Somerset Food Trail Festival in 2022 and set us on our way towards this year's festival.
We particularly wish to record our sincere appreciation of the support provided by Martin Stanley, without whose vision and commitment we would not have been able to get this project off the ground.
This project is supported by WWF-UK’s Land, Food and Farming Fund.
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SOMERSET FOOD TRAIL
ORGANISING TEAM
CORE TEAM
Stewart Crocker
Susie Weldon
Graham Harvey
Liz Pickering
Theresa Simon
Katy Tilley
STRATEGIC SUPPORT
Fiona Winter
Matt Mellen
Hugh Thomas
Emma Dunton
CLUSTER COORDINATORS
WEDMORE – David Hopkins
WELLS & WOOKEY – Sarah Briton, Ellie Brown, Jade Ogden
CHEDDAR, WESTBURY-SUB-MENDIP, EASTON – Susie Weldon
GLASTONBURY & STREET – Melissa Taylor, Sarah Hallam, Kim Robinson
SHEPTON MALLET – Susan Ayton
FROME – Hugh Thomas, Vicki Hunter
BRUTON, CASTLE CARY, WINCANTON – Penny Steiner, Jane Durney
SOMERTON, LONG SUTTON, LANGPORT, MARTOCK, SOUTH PETHERTON – Kate and Damon Bridge, Liz Pickering
YEOVIL & ILCHESTER, CREWKERNE, ILMINSTER, CHARD, SOUTH PETHERTON – Katy Tilley, Mark Helyar
WIVILESCOMBE – William Sitwell
WEST SOMERSET - Graham Harvey
WELLINGTON - Adam Lockyear
CONTRIBUTORS
Flyer Design: Mark Matcham Design
Facebook masthead & muse: Kate Lynch
Map illustration: Annabel Tempest
Ring for Cider photograph: Sara Gaskins
Website development: Susie Weldon
Social media: Fiona Winter
Photography: Matilda Temperley, Georgina Preston (Wiveliscombe), Ben Pulletz, Sara Gaskins, Oliver Edwards and many others.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP US WITH NEXT YEAR'S TRAIL?
We are looking for volunteer cluster coordinators, film makers and photographers. We're also looking for someone who has experience in advertising sales to develop an Accommodation side of the website, among other things. If any of the roles are of interest, please contact us Susie via hello@somersetfoodtrail.org
Somerset Food Trail would like to thank all participating enterprises, hosts, performers, guest curators, individuals and partner organisations for their support, co-operation and enthusiasm, and for their dedication to producing the finest quality, local, sustainable food and drink.
