Taste of Herts Summer Picnic

On Sunday 16 June we had a wonderful afternoon in the sunshine combining a celebration of locally grown and produced food and drink with raising money for small local community-based charities in Hertfordshire. Hertfordshire Life kindly sponsored the event and provided goodie bags, to which stall holders and others kindly contributed. Local brewers McMullen’s brewed my very own Shriev’Ale and everyone had a bottle of this in their bag, as well as mini chocolate pots donated by Hertfordshire based Hotel Chocolat.

19 local Hertfordshire stall holders sold everything from beer, sparkling wine and cider, gin and apple juice to cold meats, pork pies, sausage rolls and pasties, quiches, salads, cheese, chutneys, honey, herbs, ice cream and much more. In addition, there were very well attended talks on bees, keeping poultry and foraging. 2 local charities were amongst the stallholders - Mudlarks and St Elizabeth's.

About 140 attended and bought their lunch (and lots of other supplies!) from the stall holders and then picnicked in my garden. From ticket sales and generous donations, I am delighted that we have raised £4,269. Many thanks to all the stallholders for taking part and to Gini Trower and especially Sharon Struckman for all their help and guidance.

I am raising money during my year for Hertfordshire Community Foundation and will work with them to distribute it to small local charities and groups that reflect my broad focus of building stronger communities. Some of the money from the Picnic will certainly go to groups that work with people with learning difficulties and mental health problems and use gardening and growing produce to build confidence and self-esteem, and as a form of rehabilitation and integration.