Food and Farming for REAL, the champion of Uplands farming, has handed over a cheque for more than £2,000 to the ARC-Addington Fund, a national charity that supports hard-hit farming families.

The ARC-Addington Fund’s Ian Bell, centre, receives the cheque from Christine Clarkson, left, and Lynda Spence. Looking on are, from left, Kilnsey Show chairman Robert Lambert, chairman of Farming and Food for REAL Steven Crabtree, REAL’s Alastair Davy and Kilnsey Show vice-chairman Simon Butcher

The cash was raised through a number of fund-raising activities surrounding this year’s Kilnsey Show, where the REAL village proved one of the highlights, featuring all the different areas to which hill farming communities contribute – from the view you see to the food on your plate, supported by regional arts and culture, rural crafts and skills.

Food and Farming for REAL - it stands for Rural & Regeneration, Education & Environment, Agriculture & Arts, Local & Leisure – was launched at the 2007 show and this year’s renewal saw the curtain fall on the high profile 12-month campaign.

Food and Farming for REAL chairman, farmer Steven Crabtree, who also runs Bolton Abbey Foods, said: “The project has proved a runaway success in raising perceptions locally, regionally and nationally of the importance of the Uplands by shining the spotlight on the vital role and positive contribution hill farming communities make to modern-day life.

“While Food and Farming for REAL now ceases to exist in its current format, it has made such a positive impact that we are looking at various options that will allow us to both continue and build on the success of this flagship initiative.”

The £2,060 cheque was jointly presented to Ian Bell, director of the ARC-Addington Fund, by Food and Farming for Real committee member Christine Clarkson, of Embsay, and Lynda Spence, manager of the Skipton group of branches at Barclays, which provides matched funding to the charity up to a maximum of £750.

The ARC-Addington Fund was established in 2001 at the request of the Archbishop of Canterbury as the Church’s response to the foot and mouth outbreak. It was re-constituted in 2002 as a charity seeking to provide housing for persons leaving non-viable rural businesses and has to date distributed over £10.3 million.

The Dales uplands will continue to be promoted through video and audio podcasts produced by Food and Farming for REAL committee member Ian Smith, who runs digital media company Recorded Devilery, of Beamsley.

First put in place for Kilnsey Show, they will carry forward the message that the uplands are a valuable source of food and have huge benefits for the community, both economically and environmentally.

The podcasts feature businesses and high profile individuals from around the Dales, as well as recipes and cooking tips from some of the region’s most respected chefs.

They remain available through the food and farming blog at http://www.foodandfarming4real.co.uk/blog and through iTunes as a free download.

Dairy Event Provides Export Shop WIndow
Kilnsey Show Defies Weather
Farm Health Planning at the Dairy Event and Livestock Show