Local food initiative reaches over 500 members

The Halifax Food Assembley was set-up last July and includes 15 local food producers from whom members can order online and collect their items at All Saints Parish Hall on Godfrey Road.

Local food enthusiast Carol Longbottom set up the assembly, which is still the only one in West Yorkshire, inspired by the research she completed as part of her PhD looking at food security issues.

“The concept is very simple and everyone’s a winner. Members can shop online for their weekly food groceries, choosing from a wide range of fresh and seasonal local produce, such as fruit, vegetables, bread, cheese, meat and so on,” she said.

“It doesn’t cost anything to become a member and it’s up to you how much you buy and how often.

“At our weekly collections people are keen to chat to our producers about their products; the meat they’ve farmed, the cheese they’ve made, the milk from their cows only three miles down the road. Our producers are really local, with Derek from Heritage Kitchen, travelling the furthest and that’s only 14 miles. Our producers travel on average only 5.2 miles to reach the venue.

“We now have 528 members, which is fantastic. There seems to be a real appetite for local food, grown, raised and produced by people who are our neighbours. We already have 15 excellent producers on board, many of whom make, bake or pick their products to order; offering a really personal service for our customers,”

David Johnston, of the Temujin restaurant in Sowerby Bridge, which is a supplier to the food assembly, said: “The food assembly is a fantastic way to shop online.

“The products are bespoke, made locally, hand crafted, fresh, innovative, unique and mostly made especially for the client.”