New online farmers market for North Lancs launches in Lancaster
Producers of North Lancashire’s finest food are gathering in Lancaster on Saturday 19 October to celebrate the launch of the new North Lancs Food Hub, called Gather. The hub is an online farmers market and is a pilot project set up to test new infrastructure that aims to develop a thriving local food economy which is good for people, place and planet.
The launch takes place at the Gregson Community and Arts Centre and will offer the chance for locals to meet the producers face to face and enjoy some of the local delights that are available in the shop. A growing number of suppliers are selling through Gather and include a wide range of organic fruit and veg, sourdough bread, jams and chutneys, honey, locally grazed beef and pork, and raw milk from a cow with calf dairy.
Gather opened quietly in July for its first orders and has been enthusiastically welcomed both by customers and producers.
Ellen Pearce from LESS CIC, is the Gather Food Hub Project Lead explained “Gather aims to better connect local producers with customers, and fill a gap in local infrastructure. We know that people want to buy more local food and know where their food comes from – we hope that Gather will provide easier access to local, healthy food supporting the wellbeing of people and the local environment.”
She added “Gather is being run in partnership with the Lancaster-based charity eggcup, who redeploy and distribute surplus food via a low-cost weekly food scheme for their members. Gather customers can purchase vouchers, alongside their weekly shop, to enable eggcup to procure high quality local food for their members.’’
Dennis Touliatos of The Plot, one of Gather’s suppliers, commented ‘‘Being part of a supportive network of local producers is exactly what small-scale growers like us need to increase our visibility and resilience.”
The free event takes place from 11.30am until 2pm with tastings and refreshments available and all are welcome. Visitors to the centre can also make a day of it and attend the Gregson’s ‘Give Take’ event which is taking place at the same time.