Food Northwest are running an Award for the best sustainable food or farming business.  Have a look on their website and apply as soon as possible.  Entries close at the end of April and one especially mentions organic food and farming!  There are also other categories that you might apply for.  This is good publicity for any business and the organic sector as a whole.  Look on the FNW website for details and have a night out at the awards dinner. www.foodnw.co.uk/awards/catagories/

Farmers’ wives sought for documentary.  An observational documentary is being prepared for the BBC about farming life in the UK , from the perspective of the farmer's wife, hence the working title 'Farmers’ Wives'.  The documentary wishes to showcase the bright side of farming life from the viewpoint of three different farmers’ wives with the aim of making viewers respect those who work within agriculture.  The documentary team seeks ladies who would be comfortable talking to camera and with a small filming crew following their daily routine.  If you are interested, contact Andrew Laing on 0141 241 6080 or e-mail andrew@terntv.com <mailto:andrew@terntv.com> or at www.terntv.com <http://www.terntv.com/>

Student Placements  For many years now the Food Technology Centre at Manchester Metropolitan University has very successfully run several ‘sandwich’ courses offering our students the opportunity to complete a 48 week placement in industry as part of their HND/Degree course.  Students are available to commence placement, from the 1st June 2008 after their summer exams.  Subject areas are:- Food Management, Food Technology, Food and Nutrition, Food/consumer Marketing, Human Nutrition.

If you are interested in a student placement or need more information, please contact the placement office at Hollings. Sally (s.price@mmu.ac.uk) 0161 247 2712

South Lakes Action on Climate Change (SLACC – www.south-lakeland-wdm.org.uk/SLCCC/index.html) are a voluntary group committed to promoting awareness and action on Climate Change issues.  As well as a winter programme of films and talks they are preparing for an Eco-Fair on the 28th and 29th March 2008 to be held at the Castle St Centre in Kendal.  The event will start on Friday night with a talk from Ben Brangwyn of the National Transition Town Network and then the Saturday will be dedicated to the Eco-Fair at the Castle Street Centre.  Could Kendal be a Transition Town ??  ( Brampton is already one and Penrith and Ambridge may be).  The aim of the Kendal Eco Fair is to show how we can live more sustainably.  There will be displays, exhibits and workshops that will inform, enable and inspire people to adopt a greener lifestyle.  CO will have a stall to distribute the Organic Origins leaflets, Northwest Organic Directories and to talk to consumers.

Localfoodshop is a new web-site designed to make it easy and affordable for food and drink producers to sell their products online. The site works like a virtual farmer's market, where each producer gets an individual space to set out their products, and customers find their local producers, fill a shopping basket, and buy online. Register your interest as a producer on the enquiry page at www.localfoodshop.com, or ring 0845 458 9525 or 01234 871005. Launch is expected early August.  A subscription to Localfoodshop costs £10 per month, and the site retains 5% of any orders placed, to cover the cost of admin and credit card charges.  All subscribers receive a profitshare.

Feed from farms and livestock trade information - Contact Susan Woof 015396 21343.