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Posts Tagged ‘food festivals’

Better Late Than Never – Wag’s Food Festival Funding For 2013

25 Apr

This should be a popular post, as I have today finally received the funding list from wag food. It would make me even angrier with wag food, if that were possible, if I could be bothered to count the number of emails, calls made and the time I’ve wasted trying to get this list. Oh to be on the same page as wag food and be working together, but sorry, I’m dreaming again………….!

I’m pleased that so many of you agree that we should have these details at the end of the year and not have to wait until April before even the organisers are told, but we shouldn’t hold our breath on that one. I feel so sorry for some of these organisers who now have to hold urgent committee meetings to see if they are actually able to go forward with their festivals, or if for various reasons such as lateness of funding offer, or maybe having a lower offer made, that they might now re-consider holding their festival. For those festivals running early in the year in particular, this has been nothing short of a stressful nightmare and a very unnecessary one. Plus on a personal level we’ve lost advertising from food festivals as they were awaiting wag’s decision.

In the past I’ve spent many years doing PR, public relations, albeit in the private sector. So I find it hard to envisage the scenario of the Minister finally rubber stamping this list, the news eventually going out to all the organisers on 9th April and the media being ignored until  25th April, despite my chasing again and again for it. If in my PR role I’d acted so slowly, inefficiently and unprofessionally, I simply wouldn’t have kept my job and neither would I have deserved to. In the private sector I was judged on performance and rightly so. Although I keep trying and failing by-and-large, to communicate with the pubic sector, and there can be no dispute that their views and attitudes are sadly totally different than in the real world that the rest of us have to work in.

I was also told by a good source, that the finalisation of the listing was delayed whilst a festival lobbied the Minister, seriously unhappy that  funding was this year being restricted to £10k. Sorry, but I can’t justify wasting more time trying to get that ‘story’ confirmed or denied, so I can only class it as a very interesting rumour, but I must confess it really did make me chuckle. Even without knowing the final outcome, I did wonder if the Minister, or his team then directed this festival to other sources of funding so that they don’t, in effect ‘lose out’. I have submitted an Freedom Of Information question through on this and will let you know the outcome. I’ve also asked for a full list of all festivals that did apply for funding and how much they asked for as this will give us a clearer picture of this budget.

New funding to help food and drink festivals to flourish

The Minister for Natural Resources and Food, Alun Davies has announced over £210,000 to support food festivals and strengthen Wales’ reputation as a foodie nation. The funding, which will help showcase the best of Welsh food and drink to people living in and visiting Wales, will be allocated to 32 separate food festivals scheduled to take place across Wales in 2013 . The support is aimed at raising awareness of the high quality of food and drink on offer in Wales in order to build on Wales’ growing food culture.

Alun Davies said: “Good quality, distinctive food is a central part of our culture here in Wales. I am determined to build on that culture in order to enable our food and drinks industries to strengthen and thrive. We know that food festivals continue to be a big draw for people living in and visiting Wales and are an excellent way of showcasing the very best of Welsh produce. They also allow producers to strengthen their own business capacity which in turn contributes to a strengthened rural economy. I am therefore pleased to announce more than £210,000 to support 32 separate festivals across Wales . During 2013 the festivals will collectively receive £211,164.54 in assistance, to strengthen Wales’ reputation as a producer of high quality and diverse food and drink.

The food festivals receiving funding are:

North

Wrexham Food Festival 18 – 19 May 2013 £7,500.00

Llyn Land & Seafood Festival 25 – 26 May 2013 £5,440.00

Mold Food Festival 21 – 22 September 2013 £9,000.00

Anglesey Oyster & Welsh Produce Festival 12 – 13 October 2013 £1,593.40

Llangollen Food Festival 19 – 20 October 2013 £5,000.00

Gwledd Conwy Feast 26 – 27 October 2013 £10,000.00

Gwyl Fwyd a Chrefft Portmeirion 7 -8 December 2013 £5,850.00

South West

Gorseinon-Swansea Food Festival 27 April 2013 £7,825.00

Really Wild Festival 25-26 May 2013 £6,840.00

Gwyl Fwyd Castell Newydd Emlyn 15 June 2013 £2,955.50

Pembrokeshire Fish Week Festival 22 – 30 June 2013 £10,000.00

Margam Market Day 07 July 2013 £5,458.50

Narberth Food Festival 27 – 29 September 2013 £8,286.00

Neath Food and Drink Festival 4 – 5 October 2013 £8,875.00

Mumbles Oyster Festival 17 – 20 October 2013 £4,350.00

West Wales Food Fayre Nov / Dec TBC £10,000.00

South East

Caerphilly Food Festival 04 May 2013 £7,431.50

Welsh Perry & Cider Festival 24 – 27 May 2013 £3,855.60

Cardiff International Food & Drink Festival 12 – 14 July 2013 £10,000.00

St Fagans Food Festival 7 – 8 September 2013 £7,000.00

Abergavenny Food Festival 21 – 22 September 2013 £10,000.00

Feastival 27 – 28 September 2013 £9,000.00

Newport Food Festival 05 October 2013 £7,590.00

Abergavenny Christmas Food & Drink Fair 08 December 2013 £8,500.00

Mid

Hay Summer Food Festival 29 June 2013 £1,775.00

Cardigan Bay Seafood Festival 07 July 2013 £9,000.00

Lampeter Food Festival 27 July 2013 £7,000.00

Cardigan River & Food Festival 10 – 11 August 2013 £10,000.00

Aberystwyth Food & Drink Festival 21 September 2013 £3,613.04

Newtown Food Festival 21 – 22 September 2013 £3,580.00

Brecon Beacons Food Festival 05 October 2013 £2,625.00

Hay Winter Food Festival 30 November 2013 £1,221.00

My team is checking out this list of dates and note that Newtown will run on 7th & 8th September not 21/22nd as wag state.

Just for interest last year 2012, food festivals were allocated £339,280 for 33 festivals. Despite the Minister saying how important Welsh food is to the economy, including tourism, this is a massive chop in this budget down to £210k.

 

 

 
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What’s On?

02 Apr

Over the weekend a Welsh food producer was trying to see if there was any additional information out there on food festivals and markets. Foolishly, they went onto Fork2Fork, clicked on the tab ‘What’s On’ then selected Food Festivals from the list on the left, and clicked ‘Apply’. But for the forthcoming months all that showed up is a blank map. Which was summarised by this producer as, says it all really….

But not to be totally thwarted, their next option was to click on the tab for Farmers Markets and Aberystwyth, which was when the pop up box gave the wrong info!!!

I can’t resist adding my little bit, so I checked out F2F this morning and note that Clydach and Ruthin are still shown as operating markets. I actually posted on 25th January that Clydach and Grovesend markets were no longer trading. On 20th March I then posted that Ruthin market had bitten the dust too, but sadly no-one has thought to tell F2F.

So let’s have a reality check. F2F is the company that had £800k to promote markets/box schemes and farm shops, through the Supply Chain Efficiencies Scheme, so wouldn’t you have expected them to have had their fingers on the food pulse? Yes of course you would, but seemingly the powers-that-be don’t seem too perturbed. Let’s not also forget that this very same company that has also received a further ‘donation’ from the Supply Chain Efficiencies Scheme of £43k for additional activity for the website, some further information circulation. Well in my view, that’s  not working either, but will the powers-that-be shown any concern?

No need for answers on a postcard, simply post your comments and remember that you have no need to reveal who you are, that detail remains just between us.

 
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Food Festival Funding 2013/14

19 Feb

Getting this information from wag has never been easy and it would help many people if this came out earlier. I’m constantly asked by a few organisers, producers and some of our readers, when will the dates be available. This has meant I have posted rather a lot about this of late, but it does show you the efforts I go to to try and help. Now I can give you the latest news, direct from wag’s mouth. I shall refrain from saying the horse’s mouth bearing in mind the other top story – horsemeat!

Anyway back to festival funding. Yesterday wag sent out a comprehensive pack to anyone who is requesting food festival funding. Further down I have posted some of it so producers can understand the criteria wag are expecting the organisers to adhere to. Well, in actual fact the organisers must obey the criteria, otherwise – no funding will be forthcoming. The full pack has already been sent out to our Best Of Welsh & Borders producers but here is main part of the application which should be helpful:

Food Culture Grant Funding for Food Festivals Criteria – Annex E

The maximum Food Culture Grant available for Food Festivals is £10,000 or 50% of eligible costs, whichever is the lesser. All applications will be scored against the following criteria:

• All events supported will have food activity as the core. The whole cost of the event must be shown in the application form, however, only the following elements will be eligible for funding:

 Cookery demonstrations – Promoting local / Welsh produce  

Marketing / advertising materials  

Utility costs e.g. water / electricity / refrigeration etc.  

Stands / marquee costs

•Welsh Food and Drink producers must form at least 75% of the total exhibitors, with no less than 25 Welsh food and drink producers exhibiting to be eligible for support.

•Funding is not available for activity which adds value to an existing attraction, e.g. where a charge is made to enter a premises and the food activity is an added attraction.  Where the charge makes a direct contribution to the funding of the festival then these may be considered for support.

•Activity which adds value to an existing market (e.g. Farmers Market) will not be eligible for support.

  • All applications will be required to submit a business plan as part of the application process. As a minimum, your plan must cover the following matters:
    • Aims, objectives and targets
    • Governance and management arrangements with details of relevant experience and track record
    • Budget forecasts (income and expenditure projections)
    • Support from other public sector agencies, for example: local authorities and national governing bodies of sport
    • Details of other funding sources including private sector/commercial sponsorship
    • Risk Management
    • Marketing Plans
    • Legacy Plans and plans for achieving sustainability of the festival in future years
    • Welsh Language provision
    • Sustainable event management
    • Waste Management

 Existing Festivals over £10k will be required to submit a full set of your most recent Audited Accounts.

  • Existing Festivals under £10k will be required to submit a cash flow statement with opening and closing balances taken from your most recent set of accounts.
  • New Festivals, which have never previously applied for funding, will be measured on their application form and business plan alone with your financial proposals.

Should applications exceed available funding, criteria listed in Annex F will be considered when deciding who to award funding to.

A review team will consider each application on its individual merit, and in light of available funding.

The applications will be scored on the following elements in as explained in the criteria:

 

Evaluation Criteria Weighting
Number / % of Welsh food producers 20%
Supporting Welsh Government’s food and drink objectives 15%
Business Plan 40%
Additional Observations 15%
Value For Money 10%

 

Food Culture Grant Funding – Food Festivals Criteria  – Annex F

 The following points should be borne in mind when considering the criteria:

• Promotion of Welsh Food Culture

Clear focus on Welsh food and drink  / supported by strong programme of associated events.

Supporting a good range / quality of producers.

Well established / growth potential.

Supplemented by chefs demos / opportunities to showcase produce.

Awareness raising of the event by promotional material/ Press/signage.

Press, PR and marketing – budget identified/appropriate to the scale of event Greater awareness of local food – championing local producers.

Innovation.

  •  Benefit to Local Community

Educational or social function – building on benefits of fresh, local, quality produce.

Stimulating both the demand for local produce and the supply in the area.

Community engagement/participation Involvement of local businesses particularly hospitality sector.

Cultural entertainment.

Sense of Place.

  •Local Economic Benefit

◦Community links and partner organisational engagement.

Evidence of spend towards local economy e.g. wages / goods / services (accrue to the host community).

Economic impact on Producers.

Creation of jobs.

Sustainability.

Building on the tourism offer / true food destination.

Stimulates new enterprise and business growth.

Other public and private sector investment leveraged.

  •Meeting objectives / aims of the Welsh Government

Grow the sales of Welsh food and drink in the Tourism sector.

Increase consumer confidence in, and awareness of the quality of food purchased in Wales.

Increase sales of Welsh food and drink.

The applications have to be returned by 11th March but after the number of organisers that have been anxiously waiting for funding news I just hope they have their details ready to go very quickly. I’ve been assured by wag food that I should have full details of successful applications w/c 11th April – which is a prompt turnaround bearing in the mind the number of applications expected in, are we going to take bets about the number that are filled in incorrectly? Perhaps not!!!

It’s also a bit of a eureka moment as at long last notice has been taken of welshfoodbites’ many food festival posts when I have moaned and moaned about the lack of marketing & promotion plans, press releases and signage. Let’s hope that when organisers complete these parts, they actually see it through and not just pay lip-service to ticking a wag box.

When the dates and financial details are sent through to me, these will of course be sent around our Best of Welsh & Borders producers and in due course published on welshfoodbites and welshcountry.co.uk It is very unlikely these will be published in Welsh Country magazine unless wag wish to do so.

 

 

 
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Butchers, Who & Where Are You? Please Tell HCC Because They Don’t Know!!!

13 Nov

On 26th October I posted on my struggle to get what I thought was a simple FOI question, Number 6577 answered. The two questions were: 1. How many independent retails butchers are there in Wales? 2. Please forward the full list of all independent butchers in Wales. To be then told that the HCC, wag nor the FSA hadn’t the figures I’d asked for – that was it. So as is allowed I went forward to ask for an internal review to Wag in Pontypridd. This internal review got a similar response but I was also told if I wasn’t content with that response I could go back to him. Why oh why, would any civil servant after NOT answering a question, would they expect any journalist to be happy. In case you can’t guess, I’m not and here we go again. I’m sure it is not just me, but it is something I find infuriating, unprofessional and very annoying. Whilst emails banged backwards and forwards – achieving nothing new but wag’s game of smoke and mirrors continues. I’m then asked if I feel that wag and HCC should have this information this will be discussed with HCC. ‘If I feel’ ………guys I am not head honcho of HCC, because if I was, this basic information would have been there. How can any business, and in the case of HCC I use this term loosely, because you can’t be classed as a business if you are funded by wag and the levies paid for by the meat trade – but as I have been told that HCC is an industry lead body, how can they have the ability to lead anything at all if they don’t know how many local butchers they should be looking after? Cynics amongst you, will of course be saying that HCC have never looked after butchers and all the wordage on HCC’s website simply ‘says’ the right things but as we all know actions speak louder than words don’t they? I have followed through with this FOI question because butchers have quizzed me with one in particular asking me to send one through on his behalf. With my past poor record of achieving any sensible discussion with HCC, I warned him I wasn’t hopeful, but I certainly did expect to make some progress. Of course there are other options for me to try and at the moment I have a half page spare in our food editorial pages for our next issue of Welsh Country magazine, January/February. But do our readers really want to know that HCC, who is paid such a whacking amount of money to be a ‘lead industry body’ doesn’t know how many independent butchers there are in Wales – of course the embarrassment thankfully would be mine, but the question I’m struggling with, is will sharing this information help or hinder this industry further? Since Welsh Country magazine started eight years ago we set our stall out to support and promote local Welsh food in as many ways as we could. We ran a Buy Local – Eat Local campaign we put together our Best Of Welsh & Borders producers group, which now totals over 100 producers. We talk on a regular basis by phone and email to our BOW people, and they are more up-to-date with what is happening in their industry than they have ever been, which is excellent and is how it should be, despite the fact that communication should be wags job. We know when our producers are unhappy and we feel it is part of our role to help them when we can with any food problems. I started welshfoodbites and this has been a massive success, despite not being funded by anyone but us. If I tell you that I’ve asked on our producers’ behalf in excess of 30, yes thirty Freedom Of Information questions relating to food issues. Wag have eventually in some case, had to supply information that I’d been told was not in the public domain, but I got there, in time. It is not for the first time, I can assure that the WCM team and I feel we are the unpaid conscience of wag food, but does it still have to be this way?

So far this year Ian and I have attended 22 food festivals. But over the years we’ve attended numerous farmers’ markets, local produce markets, food conferences and food tourism groups. So surely there can’t be too much doubt that we have more than a good idea of what our food producers are thinking and wanting.

As wag, HCC or FSA don’t know butcher number in Wales, we are now having to speak to County Environmental Health officers to find if they have the information readily available. We still await a response but they have now put the question under an Freedom of Information banner so we should hear within 20 working days.  If this situation gets updated you can be sure I’ll let you know.

 
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Taking Scottish Food To The Next Level

19 Oct

This is rather an unusual header for a post on welshfoodbites, but please don’t think I have gone totally mad, well not totally, maybe just slightly! Just thought you might find the following of interest:

Local food has been given a boost as £2.5 million is made available over three years to support initiatives that put a spotlight on Scotland’s outstanding natural produce. The Scottish Government is working in collaboration with SRUC – Scotland’s Rural College – to set up Think Local, an initiative to deliver targeted support and advice to local food companies, networks and communities. Think Local will include the £1.5 million Community Food Fund, which will deliver funding to a wide range of projects – such as local food marketing, food tourism, farmers markets, food festivals and events.

Plans are also being progressed for the National Food & Drink Forum, a diverse body that will bring together a broad array of experts from industry, health and environment and wider society to advise government on the strategic direction of our approach to food and drink, with a remit to put forward practical solutions.

Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said: “Here in Scotland we have a fantastic range of fine food and drink right on our doorstep, with more and more Scots realising the excellent quality and taste that local producers deliver. But we can always do more. Think Local will help champion local food, by supporting projects and events across Scotland. With the Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup and a second Homecoming celebration in 2014, we have a great opportunity to showcase Scotland to the world. Food & drink will be an integral part to that and I want every business – from the largest to the smallest – to have the opportunity to take part. That’s what the Community Food Fund will aim to achieve. Scotland has made great strides over the past five years in how our food and drink is perceived, backed up by soaring exports. But I want more Scots to have access to delicious and nutritious local food, which is a particular challenge during these tough economic times. This is one issue I intend to put to the National Food & Drink Forum. Scotland is blessed by natural resources – in terms of our water, land and people, but for our food and drink industry to continue to be successful we also to face up to the challenges. That includes the climate challenge, the diet challenge and the economic challenge. The Forum will bring together a diverse range of individuals to think ahead on these key issues and ensure we are best positioned for the future. Taking in views from the industry, health and environment sectors and wider society, the National Food & Drink Forum will explore these issues and offer up practical solutions. I look forward to setting out full details about the new Forum later this year.”

David Lamb, Head of Food and Drink at SRUC, said: “Think Local builds on the excellent work already delivered in the development of local food. It brings together strands which have looked to develop the sector of local and speciality food from farms shops and farmers markets through to the regional networks which are enhancing Scotland’s reputation for quality food. We want to see that develop, to create a local food and drink landscape across Scotland, including tourism and events. This is the mechanism to make that happen.”

Alan Stevenson, Development Director at the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society, who will be involved in the development of Think Local, added: “We’re delighted to be a part of this joined up approach across Scotland to help develop local and regional food opportunities. It brings together all the expertise available in Scotland to drive forward the growth of local foods through Think Local. We know the industry and Government partnership model works extremely well, as has proved the case in the delivery of the successful Scottish Farmers Markets Partnership project, which included several of the key players in this exciting new initiative.”

Related information

Think Local will build on food engagement work of the Scottish Government and SRUC and will include collaboration with Scotland Food and Drink, the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society, the Scottish Association of Farmers Markets, and the National Farmers’ Retail & Markets Association.

The Think Local remit will include developing new local food networks, expanding Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight, creating signature food events for Homecoming Scotland, and providing new support for farmer’s markets. Funding for the operations of Think Local will be supported by £1 million from the Scottish Government.

The £1.5 million Community Food Fund will be delivered over three years. The Community Food Fund will be available to:

  • Support development of local food networks
  • Support communities to run local food events
  • Target specifically communities attempting to tackle deprivation
  • Deliver training and development
  • Develop farmer’s markets and farm retail opportunities
  • Help enhance food tourism

The membership and full remit of the National Food & Drink Forum will be set out in the coming months. It’s envisaged that the Forum will have a wide ranging membership, covering disciplines such as health and environment as well as the food and drink industry, and focus each year on a specific set of issues.

Well that sounds positive and pro-active doesn’t it? A spend of £1.5m is a fair amount, so I’ll be interested to get feedback when this initiative has ended. £1.5m, but I wonder how many of you recall FBA getting £800k but only had to ‘look at’ farmers’ markets, farm shops and box schemes. Sadly my feedback on what that £800k achieved for Wales has not been positive. Maybe the Scottish pound goes further and gets better value for money than we can achieve here in Wales with our Welsh pounds!

 

 

 
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Narbeth Food Festival

26 Sep

I wasn’t going to put up any more food festival posts, but many producers have said they enjoy reading them, so I’ll do my best to post a few more. Of course my other reason to resist doing festivals posts is that I’m not keen on assisting Miller, who a being paid £42,301 to attend 32 wag supported festivals. This time their role is to report back after assessing each food festival’s performance against the criteria set up for all food and drink festivals and to ensure that they are all complaint to the grant support offered by wag. A couple of producers asked me if Miller were there, but although I spent five hours at Narbeth festival, I still didn’t spot Miller anywhere. Ian did see them though and Miller seemed surprised at what they judged that I’d posted two favourable reports on Aberystwyth and Abergavenny. Well I don’t agree with that at all.  I judge festivals firstly as a journalist interested in food and then I listen and take feedback from many of our Best Of Welsh & Borders producers that have paid their hard-earned money to attend each festival – they make the best judges on whether a festival is good or bad. My posts are honest, they’re there to help organisers both with what I felt was good and what I also feel could be improved. These are of course my views and my opinions and I do appreciate those organisers that are working on a voluntary basis. The way I look at food festivals is the same now as it was when welshfoodbites was set up over two years ago. In that couple of years I’m pleased to report that some food festivals have improved but sadly others haven’t. But hey guys if you are looking out for Miller at any festivals, take care because they are still not badged up as Miller.  Now back to Narbeth. I didn’t get any press releases about this festival.  The AA had set up good signage going in and once again Narbeth ran a Park & Ride set up, which was much needed as Narbeth does not have plenty of parking available. It was £3.50 to enter which is something I will never agree with. £7.00 for two adults to go in could have been better spent on two pasties from the Little Welsh Deli, two coffees from Preseli Coffee Company or two ice-creams from Cowpots and with the latter two lots of change too! As last year I did speak to an elderly couple who hadn’t realised you’d to pay to enter and they refused and went home instead. They had no wish to sit and listen to the live music, good and varied that it was or to sit and watch a cookery demo of listen to a food talk – they just wanted to buy some local food. So that was sad to hear. I also felt that there were too many food-to-go stands I think there were about eight of them outside and another three inside the marquee. I feel that is over-kill bearing in mind these guys are there to earn money – it’s as simple as that.

One highlight which I’m delighted to report on is Pembrokeshire Product Direct. I’ve been harsh about this project, but with   justification. This much needed project has been badly run, no-one, from wag to Pembrokeshire Council appears to have monitored it or had alarm bells ringing years ago, despite £500k going in the pot. Whoever is responsible for this project should have the guts to stand up and be counted rather than trying to sweep it under the carpet. I was appalled at PPD’s stand at Milford Haven, at Fish Week, but it had improved at Really Wild festival. But on Saturday I couldn’t believe the transformation and more importantly how busy it was. The stand was full of the produce they had for sale, there must have been 4-5 staff manning it and not just standing there, but engaging with anyone that came near them. Literature was being given out and a raffle for a £50 hamper was a good additional draw, especially if all those leads are followed up, which I’m sure they will be. I was so impressed to see this stand buzzing and I hope that sales and contacts for both days were outstanding.

There has been a very small group of producers that have been determined that this project is worth it, and they must have literally worked their socks off, bearing in mind they all have their own businesses to run. I congratulate you for your massive efforts at getting to Narbeth and putting on such a fantastic stand. You all realise you still have much work to do, I just hope that the remainder of the producers listed on PPD have the guts and drive to get behind you and not just sit back and watch as you deserve and need their support and commitment too. It’s not fair if just a small sector tries to carry this project. With your hard work you looked to be getting the support of local people, but sad after all these years so many still hadn’t heard of PPD. Good luck guys!

I was pleased with some of the cookery demos, and at least they did have a saying who was working and what times. This was helpful and I did stay for a while and listen to M/s Hansen with Angela Gray. Another plus was that a leaflet was given out showing the recipe that was being cooked on it and also included the method. I have forgotten how long I have been asking chefs to do this, but maybe my ‘water on the stone technique’ is paying off!!! Well partly anyway, because what I did learn was that M/s Hansen had come up from London to be at Narbeth. She wasn’t Welsh either, but there we are. My other moan was the dish she cooked was crab although there was no Welsh fishmonger in attendance. My plea is still that all chefs would use the producers that have paid for stands at each festival and stop cooking fish unless there’s a fishmonger there. Please let’s support our producers, because isn’t that after all why we have a food festival budget?  I’m still of the opinion that using local chefs can also be very beneficial to local hotels and restaurants that are finding life tough and would highlight some of the super chefs that we have literally on our doorstep.

I’d heard beforehand of traders who’d been refused a stand even though they really couldn’t have been more local – all Pembrokeshire based, which is very annoying for them but we did have a stand from Devon there doing fish cakes I think. If there’s some logic there I think I’ve missed it. However on the outskirts of the festival there was I’ve termed the ‘Fringe’ which is for craft traders and food traders that couldn’t get into Narbeth themselves. This is a great idea and worked well the quality of stands was good and in my view often better than those in Queens Hall. It was a shame that the ‘Fringe’ couldn’t take over the Queens Hall because it would surely have worked better.

 
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Is This Welsh Food Month?

21 Sep

A producer very kindly sent me an article from the Western Mail which was part of its focus on Welsh food and dated 18th September.

Much of the article’s focus was on food festivals, starting with Abergavenny, with much comment from Kim Waters, its Chief Executive. I was interested to learn that Mr Waters stated that Abergavenny attracts 35,000 per year, especially when I did the sums-on-the-gate working on an entrance fee of £6.50, for Sunday, bearing in mind on Saturday the entrance fee is £8.00. With 35.000 visitors at just £6.50, that’s and income of £227,500 and I think most of us are aware Sunday is very much the quieter day for visitors. This festival took £46,880 from the food festival budget, plus the support from their council and sponsorship not to mention the tradestand revenue – which is quite an income.

What I did disagree with in this feature though is the journalist saying that: Wales now has at least 15 festivals celebrating local ingredients from across the nation with numbers growing all the time. Well yes, Wales does have at least 15 festivals, in fact this year wag have managed to support financially 33 festivals. This includes Abergavenny food festival and Abergavenny’s Christmas fair which is getting £2,200. In 2011 wag supported 31 festivals but in 2010 it was 51. However the  count of food festivals on our welshcountry.co.uk, this year is 91 festivals.

 
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Really Wild Food & Countryside Festival

30 Jul

There’s no getting away from it guys, I do enjoy this event and you all know that I don’t say that about many food festivals. Ian and I made an early start on Saturday and got there before opening up time. There were signs on my way down into Pembrokeshire which was good and then a polite, helpful man on car park duty. This was a great start to a day I was looking forward to. We had a quick catch up with Julia Powdrill, the hard working organiser, how she gets such a good team together always amazes me and I’ve had so much information on a regular basis from a recent newcomer to the team Alison Belton, for once with a food festival, I was very happy.

We had quite a number of our Best Of Welsh & Borders producers, BOW, in attendance and that included Derek from Preseli Coffee, so no need for guessing my first stop for my caffeine fix. Derek does the best coffees and chocolates and his mocha coffees  are marvellous. I’d want him to supply more of the coffee shops I visit, because quite a few of them could easily raise their standards with guidance and brilliant beans from Derek.

The food marquee was much, much bigger this year which was a good move. There were some tables and chairs laid out which worked well, allowing people to buy food and drink and eat it there and then. I’d have loved a few more tables,  but at least they’d provided some! Perhaps a few straw bales would have been fun for the kids to sit down and eat their ice-creams whilst their parents chatted and had a break.

It was a shame this fab festival clashed with Lampeter and the Big Cheese, I do wish it was possible to spread the events more evenly.  It doesn’t matter if they are clashing in the north and in the south, because very few producers would travel that far as a rule, but three does give some producers logistical problems, especially when they were following on the back of the Royal Welsh. There were some very tired producers there and which was totally understandable, although by many accounts the Royal had worked well for quite a few of them. The quality of food stands was very good, bearing in mind my bias, with so many of our BOW there, but the quality of the craft stands was also good, many of following the festival theme of the countryside.

I only had one producer complain that a £6.00 charge per adult was far too expensive and I’m sure that is something the organisers will look at after the have done their book-keeping and working out attendance levels. Usually I’m totally against an entrance charge, but this event has so much going on outside in the main ring and plenty to keep the children amused really for the whole day. To give you just a sample of what was on offer, there were birds of prey, ferret, racing, well wanging, skittles, alpacas; face painting, how to take shots with your camera and foraging walks and that’s just for starters. Plus there were lots of tables and chairs outside, it was only the wind that at times made it a little chilly. The setting of this festival with its stunning views over St David’s is fabulous. For me this festival is friendly and fun a great combination. This Festival is all about rural life and how we can all make the most of it. It offers the chance to get back in touch with the countryside; eat it, cook it, learn about it, even play with it. In my view they do a great job in promoting and showcasing locally grown or produced food, or wild ingredients foraged from the hedgerows, coast, beach and river. It’s a unique festival that’s found a niche in this fickle, food festival market.

I spent just a little time with yet another mocha coffee watching a cookery demo, an area that was popular throughout the day. I actually had a very polite young lady who was gong around the tent reminding people the next cookery demo was starting shortly. Great promotion team!!! My only point was that it would be a good idea to have in that cookery area a timetable of chefs cooking, or maybe even a whiteboard or a blackboard. I know there was a huge flyer with all those details on, but this would act as a reminder as people wandered past.

After being decidedly unimpressed with Pembrokeshire Produce Direct, PPD, when I saw their stand a few weeks ago at Milford Haven, I am pleased to report that PPD not only must have read my comments but they had actually acted on them. On Saturday their stand looked much better, they had a hamper with local produce in it, a computer screen showing their website and an abundance of banners about too. I was told they’d also put flyers on the seats in the kitchen area too. So some progress made on stand improvements, so I have to say well done on making some effort to raise your game. What I really think would work much better, is that when there are two people ‘working’ the stand, one of you move off it and approach people as they are passing your tradestand area. You have very few seconds to ‘grab’ people’s attention and I certainly don’t think that PPD has the luxury of waiting for people to come onto their stand for a chat. One thing I’d love to know is how many stands PPD have done since it was set up and how many leads have taken from each event. I wonder if I’m right in guessing that you gathered more leads at Really Wild than you did at Milford…………………………

I’m pleased that you did read welshfoodbites about Milford and more importantly did something about it, but in reality guys, why I do I have to tell you for free, how to do your job when you are the ones that were given £500k? Before you have to think too long about that, allow me to tell you that the only reason I’m bothered is that some of our Best Of Welsh & Border producers belong to PPD and they need ‘roads to markets’ or a distribution network that actually works.

Later in the day, one of our Best of Welsh producers left his stand to tell Ian that a lady working for Wag was in attendance and he actually said he felt they were on our side! Not one to miss a trick, when she was pointed out to him, Ian approached her and asked which department of Wag she worked for as she wasn’t badged up. About the same time, another producer told me that she had  spoken to this lady and been told that she did work for Wag. Ian though was told she didn’t work for Wag, which was when he decided that she worked for Miller Research, which was indeed the case. The conversation between Ian and the Miller team member was good and productive but I still have to question why when anyone is working a festival is not badged up. At best this is unprofessional at worst sinister, I much prefer finding out information is fairer by being open and saying who you are.

Still puzzled why this producer thought she was on his side, but it is easiest if I give him a call and also find out what questions were asked. I’m not really sure what job Wag has asked Miller to do on this occasion, but I’ll surely find out!

In my view, I would have thought it professional for any people working at festivals to wearing badges and I’m certainly pleased to see so many producers wearing their own company clothing, which looks smart, professional and people then know who you are. I’m not sure if this job qualifies as research, I guess it does, so I’ve been checking out The Market Research Society. They have around 6,000 members and runs a code of conduct. Although we don’t know precisely what this latest work is all about, I’ve extracted a little from The Market Research website, which might be of interest:
Preparing for fieldwork
Communicating with Respondents
B.15 If there is to be any recording, monitoring or observation during an Interview, Respondents must be informed about this both at recruitment and at the beginning of the Interview.
Comment: This does not include monitoring (listening to but not recording) telephone Interviews for the purpose of quality control where Interviewers have been informed that such monitoring takes place.
B.16 Members must not knowingly make use of personal data collected illegally.
Fieldwork
B.17 Respondents must not be misled when being asked for cooperation to participate.
B.18 A Respondent’s right to withdraw from a project at any stage must be respected.
B.19 Members must ensure that Respondents are able to check without difficulty the identity and bona fides of any individual and/or their employer conducting a project (including any Sub-contractors).
B.20 Calls for face-to-face in-home Interviews and calls to household landline telephone numbers or mobile telephone numbers (including text messages) must not be made before 9 am Monday to Saturday, 10 am Sunday or after 9 pm any day, unless by appointment.
Comment: The only exception to this is where local rules and customs differ from UK practice.
B.21 Members must ensure that all of the following are clearly communicated to the Respondent:
l the name of the Interviewer (an Interviewer’s identity card must be shown if face-to-face);
l an assurance that the Interview will be carried out according to the MRS Code of Conduct;
l the general subject of the Interview;
l the purpose of the Interview;
l if asked, the likely length of the Interview;
l any costs likely to be incurred by the Respondent.
B.22 Respondents (including employees in employee Research) must not be unduly pressurised to participate.
B.23 Members must delete any responses given by Respondents, if requested, and if this is reasonable and practicable.
B.24 Recruiters/Interviewers must not reveal to any other Respondents the detailed answers provided by any Respondent or the Identity of any other Respondent interviewed.

I’m sure I’ll get further updates of the questions the producers were asked, but my concern is that Miller are upfront, give their company name and then tell the producers that they are being paid by Wag to find out a little more about each festival Wag is funding.

If you have any comments to make please do share your views with others, you don’t even need to leave your name!

 
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Wales’ True Taste Kitchen At The Urdd National Eisteddfod

21 Jun

I did get a few complaints about the lack of Welsh food producers at the Urdd recently which was not only surprising but very disappointing as the Urdd’s focus has to be Wales and the Welsh people. So I thought it worth the effort of sending through a Freedom Of Information question. I did just that, but once again my response came from the Press Office.  So the answers are from a Welsh Government spokesman as follows:

The True Taste Kitchen was at Urdd National Eisteddfod last week

1. Who was responsible for taking the trailer there?

Answer: Awarded Contractor

2. What cost was there to the Urdd for the use of the TT Kitchen?

Answer: None

3. Are all Eisteddfod’s charged for use of the TT Kichen?

Answer: No

4. If so what are the costs?

Answer: N/A

5. What is the total cost to FFMDD of sending, manning the True Taste Stand at the Urdd?

Answer: £5,980.90 (ex. VAT) for costs associated with delivery, citing, staffing, sampling, connection to services and accommodation.
In true journalistic style I have gone back with further questions because it puzzles me why the Urdd and Eisteddfod are able to have the use of the True Taste kitchen for free. Do true Welsh events have dispensation? Whilst food festivals, jazz festivals, the Ryder Cup, the opening of new Welsh Government offices and the Boat Show etc. all have to pay for the True Taste Kitchen. Wonder if you agree to some events being treated differently, let me know whilst I await my official answer.

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Any Hope For Transparency In Welsh Government Food?

19 Jun

Relatedpost 15/6: Wag Food – More like a Game of Smoke & Mirrors

Is there any hope that wag’s food department will operate in a transparent manner? Regular readers will know of the effort I’ve put in to get answers from wag food on many issues raised with us by producers over the years. At one stage the Press Office refused to answer my questions, leaving the Freedom Of Information Act as my only recourse, but then with varying degrees of success. There’s now been a change of heart by the Press Office and they are now, in theory, willing to answer my questions, but annoyingly not all of them! Guess I’m just not asking the ‘right’ questions! My latest questions related to the food festival organiser’s conference held last November for which wag paid Miller Research £8,712.00 to organise. I only wanted to know which 40 producers wag invited, how many producers actually attended, how wag decided which producers to ask and what the outcome of the conference was. But I’m told that wag have no further comment to add to their statement, shown again below:

A Welsh Government spokesperson said:
“The Welsh Government organised this conference to enable us to understand some of the issues facing producers and food festival organisers and help us to jointly review – and agree – future funding criteria. Representatives from both funded and non funded festivals attended, and around 40 producers were invited. Miller Research secured the tender to lead on the event. Given that this is the first time we have held such a conference, it is wrong to suggest that the Welsh Government has “always run it.” Clearly, it is important that we listen and talk to the people involved in this important part of our economy. Comments made by the attendees were reflected in the changes to the funding criteria for 2012/13 and helped to improve our understanding of some of the issues faced by the food sector.”

I blogged this conference issue on 14th November and not surprisingly I did get some varying feedback from producers who did get invited, starting with those cross that they didn’t get an opportunity to speak. Because my feedback was varied I wanted the official view but to no avail. So although I must thank wag for at last putting into action what I have been telling them for years – wag must communicate with producers,and it must be a 2-way communication – this didn’t seem to be work at this conference. I’d like to take wag’s word that the comments made on the day reflected the changes to the funding criteria for 2012/13, but I’m a journalist and if they refuse to supply me that information, even if it’s not for publication, I’m not sure I can.

Wag’s criteria this year state that small festivals have to have at least 25 stands, with 80% to be food. So in effect, festival organisers will be forced to accept any stand that applies, even if it means they have 4 beer producers, 6 cheese makers or 6 preserve producers to ensure they meet wag’s target. But if that ticks one of wag’s boxes and the festival gets their funding, well that’s ok. Well ok, unless you are one of those producers that have so much competition in the food tent, with so few punters to sell to, that the event is not profitable and then as so often happens, it’s far from ok. I cannot believe for a moment that this point
was raised and agreed at that conference without even one trader pointing out the fact that too many producers selling the same product, cannot ensure they all have a profitable day!

I do wonder why wag fund food festivals, if it’s not first and foremost for the producers. It simply has to be, which is why I will not be convinced that this conference was worthwhile if I cannot get the information I ask for. Goodness knows what the big secret is about it. But in case any of you are not aware, in past years the festival organisers have been invited to wag conferences to tell them budgets have been cut again and what boxes they will be obliged to tick. It’s quite easy for you to check what I’m saying – just ask a food festival organiser. My only reason to tackle these many and varied food issues is because they have been brought to my attention by either some of our Best of Welsh & Border producers or producers that I have been talking to. My loyalty is to our Best Of Welsh & Border producers, to the chefs and the restaurants, eateries and hotels etc. that are also working with us. My objective as should be wag’s is to give these guys all the help they can, especially in these tough trading times.

I’ve no idea what game wag food are playing, but it’s not constructive, certainly not helpful, unquestionably not transparent, nor in the best interests of our producers. Which is wag food’s reason for being, surely……………….

COMMENTS

You have nothing to fear by leaving your comments. I enjoy reading your comments and sharing your thoughts, even if you disagree with me – that’s allowed! You can rest assured your details will only be known to me and that’s where they’ll stay – you have my word. You don’t have to put your name either, a pen name or nickname will suffice, we do have a large number of traders – but that’s fine, it’s the content that matters, what you’re happy with, what you are cross about, what in your view needs changing, etc.

 

 

 
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