SOMERSET FOOD TRAIL
ABOUT US
​The Somerset Food Trail Festival is organised by a team of volunteers led by the Sustainable Food Somerset charity, an alliance of individuals and organisations passionate about making healthy, sustainably grown food accessible to all. Sustainable Food Somerset is a member of the national network of Sustainable Food Places, a programme led by the Soil Association, Food Matters and Sustain which encourages a cross-sector approach to tackling failings in our current food system.
"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."
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– Graham Harvey, journalist, author, former agricultural story editor
for The Archers and Sustainable Food Somerset Trustee
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UPDATE FROM THE ORGANISERS, SUSTAINABLE FOOD SOMERSET
GROWING A LOCAL FOOD REVOLUTION
Last year was a 'fallow year' for the Food Trail as we took a break in 2024, but a busy time for our team as, first, we merged with fellow local food champions Somerset Community Food and became a charity, then launched a new regenerative farming conference, called LandAlive, in partnership with the Royal Bath & West of England Society and Somerset Council.
We're pleased to say LandAlive was a huge success, attracting some 550 delegates from the South West and far beyond, convening nearly 80 national name speakers – including many of our country's leading regenerative farming pioneers – all doing their bit to catalyse change. Read our report of the event here.
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Help us to grow a local food revolution
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We're looking for trustees and supporters to help us work towards a fairer, more nature-friendly and resilient food system. If you have charity governance, marketing, event management or fundraising skills, please get in touch via the contact box below. NB: These are all voluntary roles.
Audience members at LandAlive 2024
SOMERSET FOOD TRAIL
ORGANISING TEAM
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CORE TEAM
Stewart Crocker
Graham Harvey
Caroline Lewis
Liz Pickering
Kim Robinson
Susie Weldon​
Elaine Sharp
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET INVOLVED?
We are looking for volunteer 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 ideas. If any of the roles are of interest, please contact us via the contacts box below.
PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS
We owe a special thanks to our project partners and supporters.​
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THE PIG - NEAR BATH
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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.
SOMERSET TOWN COUNCIL
Generous sponsors of the Trail for the last two years, committed to supporting the transition to more sustainable farming and food. They also host the annual SCOP Climate Conference for parish leaders in Somerset.
LANGPORT TOWN COUNCIL
Langport Council has kindly supported us two years in a row, and has taken its commitment to local food to the next level this year by launching the monthly Langport Local Market. It's also behind Totally Locally Langport's 'Magic Tenner week', a great way to get the 'buy local' message out there to boost the local economy.
THE GREEN SCYTHE FAIR
The Green Scythe Fair is a magical one day environmental fair in a beautiful setting on the Somerset Levels run entirely by volunteers. A highlight in the calendar!
HISTORIC PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS:
​We are deeply grateful to all the organisations whose generous financial support enabled us to put on the Somerset Food Trail Festival in previous years, which 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 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.
