Generous trade suppliers have once again showed their support for Milford on Sea Food Week.  This small seaside village on the South Coast edge of The New Forest, is fast becoming recognised as a ‘Foodie Heaven by the Sea’, due to the wonderful selection of dining options provided by the twenty places to eat in the village, and of course, the now annual Food Week.

This year over 100 food related events took place, all involved local people organising, participating and enjoying a vast variety of fun food related activities.  Around 12,000 people visited a least one event over the seven days, some coming from miles around, and from every generation, young and old.  There was plenty for everyone to enjoy whatever their age or preference, basically, if you love food, you will have loved Milford on Sea Food Week!

Milford on Sea Food Week included themed dining nights in all of the restaurants, wine talks and tastings, a food market featuring over 55 local producers and a surprise ‘Flash Mob’ performance by the village Total Voice Choir,  community organised breakfasts, lunches and afternoon teas, lots of fun and educational activities for the children, food quizzes, live music dining shows, a professional Cookery Theatre which hosted renowned top chefs from across the New Forest & our own village, which also included cookery demonstrations from local amateur village cooks, bakers, nutritionists and chocolate, jam and chutney makers.  A number of lucky diners jumped on ‘The Great Dining Bus’ to enjoy a separate course in four different village restaurants, and the two weekend headline shows, ‘An Evening with Tom Kerridge’ and ‘Comedy & Cake Night’ starring Jo Caulfield were both a storming success.

Thanks to generous donations from our trade suppliers a full range of merchandise raised funds to help cover the Food Week marketing costs.  This included pens from Carole Group, Senator, Pen Warehouse and Prodir, Aprons from BTC Activewear printed by Fanela, Mugs from Keramikos, Bottle Openers & Corkscrews from SPS, and window stickers from Stevenson & Co.  In arranging Food Week, none of the organisers, or army of volunteers, received any fees or expenses, everything is done just to have a good time and to support the local community, with any profits going to local charities.

Milford on Sea Food Week was a fabulous demonstration of true community spirit in action, all of the community group food events were fabulously attended, the village restaurants were all full, and all themed events and ticketed shows sold out.  The Sunday Food Market was also extremely busy, so we are thrilled that a lot of local businesses have been given a well deserved boost.  Best of all, it was great to see the smiling faces on the kids, families & our older generation throughout the week.

A big thank for go to all of the trade suppliers who supported Food Week so generously.

The fourth Milford on Sea Food Week will happen all over again next year, from Bank Holiday Monday 1st April until Sunday 7th April 2013.

www.milfordonseafoodweek.org