Farming in the Park wins industry support

Friday 16 December 2011

Plans to bring a major Festival of Food and Farming to London in 2013 have received unprecedented, industry-wide support. Farming in the Park was officially launched at a reception at St James Palace, on Wednesday 14 December, kindly hosted by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. It was attended by around 100 food and farming industry dignitaries, including DEFRA Secretary of State Caroline Spelman. 

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh was patron of the previous Festival of Food and Farming in 1989, which drew over one million visitors to Hyde Park. Speaking before the reception, he said: “Now that the majority of the population live in towns and cities, there is every reason to draw attention to the fact that just 3% of the working population produce about 80% of the food consumed by the whole population of this country. The last time the Festival of Food and Farming was organised in London was in 1989 and it was a huge success. Now, over twenty years later, it would seem about time to repeat such a venture for the benefit of a whole new generation of urban consumers.” 

Guests at the launch included deputy president of the NFU Meurig Raymond, CLA president Harry Cotterell and president of Farming and Countryside Education (FACE) Lord Plumb. Also attending was celebrity farmer Jimmy Doherty. Representatives from major retailers, food manufacturers, as well as tractor machinery manufacturers and major farming supply companies, that have all expressed warm support for the September 2013 event, also attended. 

Organisers from a number of county shows, that have witnessed a huge resurgence in public interest in recent years, were at the launch to find out how the festival will bring the very best of farming’s rich and diverse talent and the UK’s finest regional foods, to London. 

Farming in the Park director Guy Smith said: “We’ve been overwhelmed at how the food industry and the farming community have welcomed plans for this festival. If we could put this show together on enthusiasm alone there’s no doubt it would be the biggest and most spectacular exhibition of British talent the nation has ever seen. The potential for London families, who may never have seen a farm before, to find out where their food comes from, is immense. Now we need to turn this enthusiasm into commitment.” 

The Festival of Food and Farming will take place in Hyde Park from 26-29 September 2013, and is expected to bring in over one million visitors, including 150,000 schoolchildren from London schools. Farmers and niche food producers from across the UK will host hundreds of stands and exhibits that will bring the tastes and the talents of the countryside to central London. Grand Ring displays and central exhibits will showcase jaw-dropping displays of tractor technology and the very finest farm animals. 

“Across rural Britain, farmers have seen a growing appetite from the general public to learn more about where their food comes from and how the countryside is managed,” continued Guy Smith. “Through county shows, open farms and initiatives such as Open Farm Sunday, there has been an impressive amount of activity that has successfully fed this interest, and enthralled people of all ages. We’re calling on farmers to tap into this communication renaissance and bring it to the nation’s capital.” 

The launch of Farming in the Park, kindly sponsored by Shepherd Neame and the Countrystyle Group, has followed a feasibility study and work carried out to promote and gauge support for the event, which was funded by the NFU, the Singer Foundation and the Westminster Foundation. For more information visit www.farminginthepark.co.uk.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. Farming in the Park Ltd is a company set up to advance the public’s understanding, particularly children of school age in urban areas, in farming, food production and the countryside. All proceeds from any activities or events are invested in future events. The company is a not-for-profit organisation that is covenanted to hand all funds and assets on its dissolution to FACE or a similar charity that is involved in countryside and education.
2. Farming in the Park directors are Essex farmer Guy Smith, Rutland farmer Andrew Brown, Kent farmer Charles Tassell, Oxfordshire farmer Tom Allen-Stevens and Somerset farmer Nick Green. Its registered office address is Pump House, Wigboro’ Wick, St Osyth, Essex, CO16 8ER.
3. For more information and interviews contact Tom Allen-Stevens (07771 518475) or Guy Smith (07740 048995), email office@farminginthepark.co.uk, or visit www.farminginthepark.co.uk.