BRIDPORT: Bringing fresh local food to the people of West Dorset

Hundreds of visitors bought produce from local smallholders and took their chances on the raffle to win a three-course feast for eight, cooked and brought to the winner’s home by the Real Food Bus.

The Real Food Bus is a mobile cafe, catering kitchen and farm shop that will be supplied and run by a group of smallholders from West Dorset and its borders.

The team behind the bus plan to cater for events, parties and festivals and are already taking bookings for these.

There are also plans ahead to develop a couple of regular weekly routes in the West Dorset area to provide the service to rural communities.

Project co-ordinator Ines Cavill said the launch had been a great success. “We had a really enthusiastic response to the launch, people loved the idea of being able to buy local smallholders’ produce and were excited by the prospect of the Real Food Bus acting as a mobile shop,” she said.

“It was fantastic to see people talking about and enjoying the food - Rob had slow-cooked his own organic beef with cider and veg which was very popular, Charlotte sold all her wild garlic pesto and Jyoti’s Bombay potatoes also went down really well.”

People also bought meat, eggs, cheese, bread, juice, cider and preserves to take home and over 100 raffle tickets were sold.

The draw will be held on May 15th at the Five Penny Farm Celebration of Herbs weekend where Real Food Bus will be cooking again. 

PICTURE: The Real Food Bus tea at their launch outside the Bridport Arts Centre