Food and drink producers from across the County are being invited to Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce’s Food and Drink Forum in association with mfg Solicitors.
The forum will take place from 8am – 10am on Friday 24 June at Pershore College, Pershore, WR10 3JP, providing attendees with an excellent opportunity to network with fellow local producers from the surrounding areas.
Businesses are being invited to find out how Pershore College can provide support to local food and drink producers and hear from Laura Holt from R & L Holt, a family run business based in Evesham, who have been growing tomatoes commercially in greenhouses since the early 1980s. Laura will be joined by Angela Joyce, Principal of Pershore College, as the two speakers at the event.
Speaker 1 : Angela Joyce, Principal of Pershore College
Topic: Learning to Change
Angela will highlight the current work and future possibilities to support growth in the local food and drink industry. She will also provide an overview of the Warwickshire College Group as a local College Group that includes two Colleges specialising in land-based industries.
A recent 5.8 million pound investment has allowed the college to introduce the latest cutting-edge facilities to the college such as soil and plant science labs, fruit unit with commercial juice production facilities and modern controlled glasshouses as well as Commercial orchards.
Speaker 2 : Laura Holt
Topic: Innovation in Business
Laura’s presentation will take businesses through the journey of R & L Holt, focussing on how innovation has grown the business by implementing LED Inter-lighting for winter production; using a Nutrient Film Technique on all crops and growing crops hydroponically.
R & L Holt run three nurseries Sandylands, Hornsfield and Springhill in the Vale of Evesham across 22 acres of greenhouse. They continually look to meet the demands of their customers whilst using innovative and sustainable methods of growing.
The Food and Drink Producers Forum has four main aims:
- Promoting the region’s food and drink produce
- Championing and lobbying for policies that benefit food and drink producers
- Capitalising on business opportunities
- Optimising funding, innovation and knowledge transfer
Attendance is free and exclusive to food and drink producers in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, with free parking and refreshments also included.
To book on please contact Melanie Gardiner on 01905 673 607 or email melanieg@hwchamber.co.uk