A COUNTY food group has delivered workshops about local produce to food and nutrition GCSE students at a Romsey School.

Hampshire Fare, in partnership with LEAF Education, delivered informative talks about local produce, seasonality and careers in the food industry to students at The Mountbatten School.

The workshops were delivered by Hampshire Fare commercial manager Tracy Nash and South East regional education consultant for LEAF Education Jo Hatton on January 9 and January 19.

Topics covered in the workshops included what is seasonal food, what is local food, and what food does our area specialise in.

They considered the benefits and drawbacks of using local ingredients in dishes, which cafes and shops in the area use and sell local and seasonal ingredients, and whether any current trends and initiatives are boosting the use of local ingredients.

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Students were also asked to choose their favourite locally produced ingredients, before suggesting ways that these ingredients could be used in their upcoming cookery exam.

Tracy commented: “The workshops were really enjoyable.

“We handed out Hampshire Fare guides to discovering food and drink in the Test Valley, and introduced the students to the wide range of produce available locally, including pork pies from Tatchbury Manor Farm and fresh trout from ChalkStream Foods.

“We also held a ‘Local Producers Career Challenge’ using stickers from Hampshire Fare’s award-winning ‘Stay Loyal Stay Local’ campaign.

“The artwork features characters in the local food and drink community, and we asked students to identify the job roles they represented.

“The students were really engaged with this fun and interactive element.

“They learned a lot, and not just about produce, the workshops also covered cooking and the environment.”

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Jo Hatton added, “It is so important for consumers to appreciate the value of their local food producers, and to have an insight into the range and quality of what is available.

“The students were clearly impressed and had a better understanding of the many careers they could choose within the food industry.”

Food and nutrition teacher at The Mountbatten School Emily Grice said: “Hampshire Fare and LEAF Education’s visits were informative, interactive and engaging.

“The workshops made learning about local and seasonal ingredients accessible for all.

“They not only helped the students deliver their recipes, but also provided an insight into the world beyond school, and how to support their communities and environment.”