THE Colne Valley is all set to declare its independence.

Green groups have banded together to  try to free the valley area from the global  food network.

Organisers of the Colne Valley Food  Festival plan to make their formal  declaration of independence at Marsden  Mechanics Hall next month.

Food growing group Edibles,  Slaithwaite co-operatives the Handmade  Bakery and the Green Valley Grocer  have joined Marsden and Slaithwaite 

Transition Towns to develop the  Colne-U-Copia brand for locally  produced food.

Helen Coxan, who is helping organise  the festival, explained: “We will produce  a set of principles that will describe how  local produce can receive the  Colne-U-Copia branding.

“The local food brand will then be  launched and promoted during the  festival and beyond.

“As producers, processors, distributors, retailers and servers of local food  sign up to the principles and are awarded  the brand, local food will become more  prominent, recognisable and hopefully  more desirable.”

Mrs Coxan added: “Currently most of  the food consumed in the Colne Valley  comes from elsewhere; transported from  around the country and around the  world.

“The local community has little idea  how it was produced, by whom, under  what conditions, how it got to the local  shops and who profits from it.

“The food has little seasonal linkages,  with most foods being available around  the year.

“Local food is the opposite – growers  and producers are known, there is  confidence in the quality of the food, it is  highly seasonal, buying it supports the  local economy and it tastes good.

“Buying local also builds community  and the networks within it and makes  sure money is both earned and spent in  the Colne Valley.”

The declaration of independence will  take place at Marsden Mechanics Hall at  5.30pm on Monday, September 12.
Other events at the festival include:

Slaithwaite Allotment and  Horticultural Society Show at the  Slaithwaite Bandroom next Saturday.

Piccalilli making lesson at the  Handmade Bakery on Thursday,  September 15.

A local lamb feast at the same venue  two days later.

Local food market in Slaithwaite’s  round car park from 12noon to 4pm on  Sunday, September 18.

A debate on supermarkets at the  Handmade Bakery on Tuesday,  September 20.

For more information visit: www.colnevalleylocalfoodfestival.co.uk