Love Local, Trust Local Awards founder Barabara Cossins takes us back to the start of her journey, and reminds us all that local producers are so important
For those who might be new to this column, it’s probably time to go back to the beginning and introduce both ourselves and Love Local Trust Local (LLTL).
LLTL has two simple purposes:
Putting consumer trust back into buying local
Promoting products with genuine provenance and full traceability
In creating LLTL, we have created a food label you can trust.
The Cossins family are fifth generation farmers. We have our own butchery and farm shop (established in 2012), and we have been running the local village pub for the past 30 years. We really do know the importance of Farm To Fork, from every side of the table – and plate!
Every third year we host Open Farm Sunday at Rawston Farm, and we take the opportunity to talk to as many local people as possible. Our visitors love knowing the story of their food, the miles it has travelled and always enjoy buying and eating genuinely local produce.
We were frequently asked ‘how do we know that the food we buy really is what it says it is?’
During the 2018 Open Farm event it became clear the scare stories in the media had created real doubt in many people’s minds, so we finally decided to do something about it, and Love Local Trust Local, Dorset’s very own produce label was born.
By farmers, for farmers – and more
We created Love Local Trust Local to support Dorset producers, with a guiding ethos of education whilst promoting quality, honesty, and proximity.
In the summer of 2020, despite the Covid pandemic, the inaugural Love Local Trust Local Awards were launched as a natural step on from the label. We were hesitant at first, and tempted to delay our plans. However, what better time than during a global health crisis to promote buying and consuming local food & drink with provenance you can trust?
We are passionate about Dorset, advocates of British farming and love the collaboration of small local businesses. Whilst Dorset is leading the way, however, every county has its own flag. It is important that consumers across the country start to recognise the county flags and know what is grown or produced on their own doorstep.
Entries are open
Awards are open now and FREE to enter. Remember, if you don’t tell other people about the amazing things you’re doing they won’t know. Put yourself out there! There are 15 categories to choose from in 2022 so if you’re a business that is growing, producing, rearing, brewing, crafting or cooking here in Dorset, and you source your ingredients within 30 miles of your home base then you should be entering.
You can enter one product in each category, or multiple products into a single category, it’s totally up to you.
The LLTL awards are fast becoming the food & farming family to be part of. They recognise the hard work and dedication of the people behind the food on our plates as they work hard to put Dorset producers on the map.
To find out more, visit lovelocaltrustlocalawards.co.uk or call us for a friendly chat on 07831 184920.
Sponsored by Blanchards Bailey – Law for Life
