FOOD producers, pubs, shops and restaurants around Bredon Hill are inviting people to visit and enjoy the taste of proper food from the local countryside.

They are all backing the Bredon Hill Festival of Food which coincides with British Food Fortnight from September 24 to October 8 which aims to promote the best of home-grown food.

Pubs taking part include The Star Inn, Ashton-under-Hill, The Beckford Inn, The Swan Inn, Birlingham, The Fox and Hounds, Bredon, The Bell Inn and The Anchor Inn, Eckington, and The Crown Inn. Kemerton, shops include Beckford Stores, Meadows Farm, and Shop, Bredons Norton, and Revill's Farm Shop, Defford. Producers are Bredon Venison, Eckington, and Overbury Farms, Overbury.

Penelope Bossom, of Overbury, one of the organisers, said: "British Food Fortnight is providing a great opportunity for producers to network with each other and show case their produce both to and through the local pubs."

The Beckford Inn is hosting a Bredon Hill Breakfast Saturday to mark the start of BFF and will be serving a special three choice, three course menu consisting of local produce during the festival.

Bredon Hill Fallow Venison and Deer Park Hall, Eckington, is the venue for a tasting evening next Tuesday when all the main participating shops, producers and farms will be there with their favourite things and people will be able to question how food is grown, harvested and prepared.

Jake Freestone, farm manager at Overbury Farms, will be at Overbury Park gates on Saturday, October 1 to chat to anyone wanting to know more about how the lamb, game and flour produced is grown and harvested.

"As members of FWAG and LEAF, Overbury Farms is committed to farming in harmony with the environment and ensures the best welfare and conditions for livestock," Mrs Bossom said.

"We hope that the Fortnight will bring producers and retailers into closer contact helping to build business relationships and that people will gain further insight into exactly what goes into the food they are eating."