Wiltshire Food Links Winter and Spring training programme
When Lorraine Stanton of Vowley Farm near Wootton Bassett wanted to learn more about becoming a butcher, to make the most of her produce, she joined a Food Links training scheme that has helped her become a successful sausage producer.
Now the Wiltshire Food Links partnership has secured further funding to deliver a programme of training for farmers and food producers in Wiltshire who are looking to diversify or to develop their business and are inviting them to make the most of a new training scheme.
The scheme has been made possible by 'Wiltshire Food Links', a partnership between North Wiltshire District Council, Salisbury District Council, Swindon Borough Council, West Wiltshire District Council and Wiltshire County Council.
A vocational training scheme grant from Defra, The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, will allow Wiltshire Food Links to bring in top quality trainers to deliver a programme of training at a time of great change for farmers. Some producers are looking to set up and expand food businesses, which will add value to basic products and help improve their profitability.
Wiltshire Food Links already works with over a hundred small-scale farmers and food producers in Wiltshire and Swindon. The new range of courses include; Marketing for profit, meat retailing and on farm butchery, sausage making and traditional curing, basic and intermediate food hygiene and legal information required to run a food business.
With the Defra grant Wiltshire Food Links will be able to provide 75% of the cost of the programme, which means that courses can be offered at a very reasonable price. The first set of courses will run between January and March 2005 at venues across the county.
Lorraine Stanton from Vowley Farm says, "Thanks to the Food Link course I was able to learn how to make our own Vowley Farm sausages. It has allowed me to take more responsibility for producing our own range of products and has allowed me to respond better to customers needs.
I would encourage farmers and food producers to make the most of this opportunity, it has provided me with knowledge and support, has given me confidence and experience and also put me in touch with like minded people allowing us all to share ideas".
Wiltshire Food Link is already taking bookings from farmers keen to take advantage of the programme. Farmers' and food producers who want further information on the courses should call Debbie Ponting on 01249 706548 or email dponting@northwilts.gov.uk
Issued on behalf of Wiltshire Food Links, 19 November 2004