Hampshire Fare was given the opportunity to launch British Food Fortnight because the county food group won the competition last year for its work in local primary schools.
Love British Food runs the British Food Fortnight competition to encourage consumers to use and buy British products.
Public Sector Catering is a foodservice media partner for the British Food Fortnight, which aims to celebrate British food in schools, hospitals and carehomes.
Tracy Nash, commercial manager at the Hampshire Fare, said: “It is a massive feather in Hampshire’s cap; Hampshire Fare is not only flying the flag for great British produce, we’re also ‘flying the pig’ for Hampshire!
“For the launch we returned to Wicor Primary School in Portchester. This is the school where our involvement in British Food Fortnight started back in 2015. Since then we have introduced growers and producers to a different school each year, to encourage children to take an interest in where their food comes from.
“In this way we have created a legacy, as the schools we have worked with continue to hold food activities during British Food Fortnight.”
At Wicor Primary School horticulture is an important part of the environmental curriculum. Year five pupils served a harvest lunch using local produce for a guest list including alexia Robinson who is the founder of Love British Food, Jane Devonshire who won MasterChef in 2016 and Henri Le Worm who created an app to help children engage with food.
Robinson added: “The launch will live long in my memory; the most magical, wonderful, spectacularly special occasion. I am so pleased that I have been to Hampshire to see Hampshire Fare’s work in action.
“Wicor School is a gem doing more than any school I think I have ever seen to create the perfect learning environment for children. If ever there was a group of people who sum up what I am trying to achieve with Love British Food, this is it.”