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#HarvestFever set to grip the nation 20^th September to 5^th October 2014

Autumn 2014 marks the return of the hugely popular Bring Home the Harvest campaign, for British Food Fortnight, which aims to bring together communities from across the UK to help rekindle the age old tradition of celebrating the Harvest.

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural event, we are delighted to announce that Tesco plc will be our main sponsor. This partnership will help us to champion what is great about British agriculture, and to inspire people to explore and enjoy the diverse range of British food that autumn delivers.

British Food Fortnight Founder, Alexia Robinson said “We are very pleased that Tesco is supporting our Bring Home the Harvest campaign.  We have a shared passion for British food and their help will enable us to widen our nationwide activities.”

Tesco CEO Phillip Clarke said: “Harvest has long been a time in the calendar when communities have come together to celebrate farmers and the fantastic food they produce. At Tesco, supporting British farming, and ensuring families have access to fresh and healthy food, is right at the heart of what we do. So I am delighted that once again we can support the British Food Fortnight and help Bring Home the Harvest.”

As the largest showcase of British food on the national calendar, we aim to spread #HarvestFever and are encouraging more communities, more schools and more young people to start planning their Harvest activities now.

What’s Happening? A challenge to find the community and the school or group of young people who organise the most imaginative and inclusive harvest celebration; a fun social media campaign; and the National Harvest Service for children. Plus the event’s annual drive to encourage shops, pubs and restaurants to run British food promotions during the Fortnight.  Here is a taster of how everyone can get involved; further details and entry forms are at www.lovebritishfood.co.uk :

· Bring Home the Harvest in your Community: In association with The Telegraph we are searching for the new Harvest Heroes – the community and the groups of young people that organise the most innovative, inclusive and imaginative harvest celebrations during British Food Fortnight.

In 2013 we saw an explosion of activity, including seasonal suppers, farm discovery trails, inner city interfaith celebrations, a harvest service in a barn, apple days, scarecrow competitions, community grape harvesting and charity food collections.  Participants ranged from NHS trusts and community gardens, to schools and care homes.

With a new category for schools and young people in 2014, we want to see more harvest themed menus, more home produced food, more harvest suppers, more events bringing producers and consumers together, and many more pumpkin championships!

The competition winners will be selected by our very own Harvest Heroes from the world of food and farming including: The Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Raymond Blanc, Adam Henson, Chris Collins, Blue Peter gardener, and Philip Clarke, Chief Executive of Tesco.  The adult winners will be treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the new National Heritage Garden at Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Raymond Blancs Michelin Starred restaurant, and the younger winners will receive an action-packed gardening workshop with Chris Collins and cookery equipment from Tesco Home Range.

· #HarvestFever:  With Farmers Guardian, we want to see you showing off your home grown produce during British Food Fortnight, with your funkiest “Harvest Fever” poses!  You might be a farmer in your grain store, a school class or group of Brownies working in your allotment or you may be inside your local butcher or farm shop.  Throw those shapes, use the hashtag #HarvestFever and nominate people you know by “Harvest Fever forwarding” to your friends on Facebook and Twitter. Don’t forget to tag @LoveBritishFood and @FarmersGuardian !

· The National Harvest Service:  We are bringing the British Food Fortnight National Harvest Service to the people.  Following the success of the Service in Westminster Abbey last year, it will rotate around the country on an annual basis. Schools and other young people will be invited to create a harvest box that celebrates the food produced in their part of the country and the best will be part of the Service.

· Harvest fare on menus:  Pubs and restaurants, from the small to the very large are invited to join in with celebratory Harvest menus during British Food Fortnight.  Food service outlets – led by ARAMARK – British Food Fortnight’s long standing sponsor, Centre Plate, Enterprise Inns, the Hospital Caterers Association and Whiting and Hammond will be taking part with special food promotions and offers.

· WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO CELEBRATE THE HARVEST IN 2014? Commenting on the event’s harvest celebrations, organiser Alexia Robinson says: “Following the tremendous response to last year’s Bring Home the Harvest campaign, we are throwing down the gauntlet to communities across the land to make 2014 even bigger and better.  We especially want to engage the younger generations ”

She continues:  “It is so important for everyone to appreciate what goes into food and its production, and what better than doing this in a way that is great fun and gets everyone involved.”

· WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP PEOPLE TAKE PART? Look out for details of all the activities, lots of ideas for taking part and 14 things people can do – one for each day of British Food Fortnight – to join in the fun and bring the harvest alive in their home.  Be the first to hear the news, follow the activities on Twitter @LoveBritishFood, #HarvestFever, Facebook: Love-British-Food

· WHO IS BEHIND BRITISH FOOD FORTNIGHT? The Bring Home the Harvest Campaign is sponsored by Tesco Plc. It is part of British Food Fortnight which is sponsored by ARAMARK and a large family of organisations led by Centreplate, Enterprise Inns, Hallmark Care Homes, and Whiting and Hammond.

WHERE CAN WE FIND OUT MORE? To find out how you can take part, download promotional material, sign up for monthly updates on the latest British food news and for details of what is happening near you, see www.lovebritishfood.co.uk or email info@lovebritishfood.co.uk .