Organic Festival organisers to roll out national tour

Added : ( Tue Mar 22 2005 )

A series of organic festivals is to be rolled out across the country this year to spread the eco-friendly message.
A total of 28 exhibitor-led weekend events will be staged in towns and cities the length and breadth of England to put across the healthy living ethos to thousands of people – young and old – at the same time giving them an opportunity to sample organic products.
The pioneering festivals will showcase organic food and drink products from local, regional and national producers, as well as shining the spotlight on environmental and fair trade issues in general.
Campaigners and eco-friendly organisations will also be provided with a platform to help consumers learn more about the vast diversity of organic products and services now available in the UK marketplace. Passing on informative advice about eco-living is seen as a central theme to the festivals.
The initiative is the brainchild of The Organic Festival Company and follows the runaway success of a pilot festival in the company’s home town of Ilkley, West Yorkshire, in November last year – the first of its kind in the North of England.
Organiser Dean Wilson said: “The inaugural Ilkley festival attracted some 40 organic-led exhibitors and over 3,000 people attended. Such was the impact of the event that we decided to roll out a series of organic festivals across the country to further promote the benefits of eco-friendly living.
“We have already had major interest from a host of organic producers and service providers and are increasingly developing partnerships with leading organisations such as Greenpeace, Defra, The Soil Association, Friends of the Earth, Water Aid and The Council for the Protection of Rural England.
“We are also extremely keen to establish links with local and regional organic producers, co-operatives, box schemes and eco-led bodies and organisations who may be interested in having a presence at individual events in their own areas.
“In addition, we would like to foster partnerships with local schools to give young people a hands-on taste of what healthy living is all about. Playing an educational role is also central to our whole philosophy.
“We would also like to hear from local restaurants and catering establishments who may be interested in laying on organic-led menus to coincide with the festival in their area – or, indeed, doing cooking demonstrations involving organic food. In fact, we are open to all sorts of ideas - it’s all about raising awareness at every possible opportunity.”
Dean adds: “ The message of the tour remains a strong one. Organic festivals are not merely structured to provide an enjoyable day out for the family. They are intended to be educational and thought-provoking, offering an opportunity for the public at large to see how they can help reduce the strain on the environment by both buying and thinking organic.”
The organic festivals tour begins in Wilmslow on Sunday, April 10, running every weekend at locations across the country and culminating in Worthing on November 27. Full details of dates and venues can be viewed on the www.organicfestivals.co.uk website, while potential exhibitors and partners can contact Dean Wilson on 01943-817369.
ENDS

Further information: Robin Moule, Moule Media, on 01756-794027, mobile 07976-559961, e-mail: robin@moulemedia.com or Peter Loweth on 01756-71129, mobile 07776-182346.

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