Our recent Food Conversation report captures valuable insights gathered from community members who joined our event last month, providing feedback on today’s food systems. This report highlights key challenges and opportunities, reflecting citizen perspectives on how we can shape a healthier, more sustainable approach to food in our communities.

Celebrating Local Hero: Milly Fyfe Receives Rose of Northamptonshire Award for Outstanding Contributions to Community We are thrilled to announce that Milly Fyfe, founder of No Fuss Meals for Busy Parents, has been honoured with the prestigious Rose of Northamptonshire Award, presented by the Vice Chairman of West Northamptonshire Council, Cllr Alison Eastwood. This accolade is a testament to Milly’s unwavering dedication to improving the lives of those in her community and beyond through her impactful work across various sectors, including farming, education, health, and social care. The Rose of Northamptonshire Award is given to individuals and organisations that have made a significant difference in their communities, and Milly’s contributions exemplify everything this award stands for. Whether it's tackling poverty, supporting good health and wellbeing, or fostering a sense of togetherness, Milly’s initiatives touch every corner of society. A Diverse Range of Contributions to the Community Milly Fyfe is not originally from a farming background, but she has spent over 20 years advocating for and leading initiatives within the farming industry and charity sector, both in Northamptonshire and across the UK. Her passion for supporting rural communities and fostering positive change is evident in every role she takes on. From serving as Chairman of the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs to being a Director of the Oxford Farming Conference and managing the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution as the East Midlands Regional Manager, Milly has consistently represented the agricultural community and its values on both local and national levels. Engaging with Local Education and Sustainability Initiatives Milly is deeply rooted in her local community in Yelvertoft, where she plays an integral role in supporting the local pre-school and primary school. One of her standout achievements includes running an annual clothing sale, raising £800, and helping the children grow fruits, vegetables, and flowers, introducing them to nature from a young age. She has acquired grants to install bird boxes, insect houses, and other habitats to encourage biodiversity, offering children opportunities to learn about the environment first-hand. In her role as a Grow, Cook, Eat Ambassador with Northampton Hope, Milly’s gardening projects have made gardening more accessible to residents in and around Yelvertoft. She has even produced a series of educational videos on how to grow basic produce, which has reached thousands of people on social media, promoting local, sustainable food sources. Pioneering No Fuss Meals for Busy Parents CIC In 2020, in response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Milly founded No Fuss Meals for Busy Parents, a social enterprise that promotes easy-to-follow recipes using seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients. Her goal was not only to help parents cook affordable meals but also to reduce children’s reliance on processed foods while supporting local food producers. The impact has been profound. Through interviews with farmers and food producers, Milly has inspired countless families to cook from scratch, understand the importance of seasonal eating, and support local businesses. Feedback has shown that her work has reduced isolation among parents, while local food businesses have reported increased engagement due to her advocacy. No Fuss Meals has since partnered with the Brixworth Food Larder to produce recipe cards that help families make the most of their food items and reduce waste—another initiative in line with Milly’s commitment to sustainability. Championing Mental Health and Social Wellbeing Milly has also been a fierce advocate for mental health, especially in rural areas where isolation and loneliness are common challenges. As a mother of two young children herself, Milly has faced her own struggles with mental health, which she openly discusses to help others. She even appeared on BBC’s Countryfile in a segment discussing the hidden issues affecting young people in rural areas. As an ambassador for the Farm Safety Foundation, she has participated in campaigns raising awareness about mental health in farming communities, even appearing in a promotional video to highlight these challenges. Her work in this space is invaluable in creating more open conversations about mental wellbeing in rural areas. Leading the Way in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Milly’s contributions extend far beyond her immediate community. She is a representative of the farming community on both the West Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire Sustainable Food Networks, ensuring that the voices of farmers are heard in discussions about food sustainability and environmental protection.  She also has big plans for the future. Responding to feedback from the local community, Milly is in the process of creating a space on the farm into a space for immersive workshops. These will include topics such as foraging, cooking from scratch, and butchery, offering people a hands-on opportunity to learn more about food production and preparation. Award-Winning Advocacy and Leadership Milly’s work has not gone unnoticed. In addition to the Rose of Northamptonshire Award, she has been recognized as a Local Food Hero at the Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards, listed among Small Business Britain’s top 100 female entrepreneurs in 2024, and received an associateship from the Council for Awards of the Royal Agricultural Societies—the youngest woman ever to do so. Her advocacy for sustainable food production, supporting rural businesses, and reducing food waste has earned her numerous accolades, but perhaps most importantly, it has created tangible change in the lives of those she touches through her work. A Passionate Leader with the Community at Heart At the heart of all Milly’s work is a drive to bring people together and to make life better for everyone in her community. Whether it’s running community events, like clothing sales and seed libraries, or working behind the scenes to support low-income families and vulnerable residents, Milly is always there, quietly making a difference. Milly’s life motto is “dare to be different,” and that is something she truly embodies. Her vision for a more sustainable, connected, and compassionate world is inspiring, and her ability to challenge the status quo and make meaningful change is what makes her a deserving recipient of the Rose of Northamptonshire Award. Her hard work, dedication, and passion for the community have not only touched the lives of those around her but has created a lasting impact on Northamptonshire and beyond

We are so excited to be announcing this collaboration with PLAY @ Lower Drayton Farm. Read more below about the harvest hoedown project and how our founder Milly Fyfe has been supporting the campaign ahead of British Food Fortnight: Visitors to award-winning family farm attraction PLAY@ Lower Drayton Farm this September will be able to experience their very own ‘harvest’ – picking fresh veggies from the field, taking them home and cooking delicious recipes for the family table. Richard Bower, who farms the 750-acre beef and arable farm in Staffordshire alongside his father Ray, has joined forces with Northamptonshire-based foodie influencer and farmer Milly Fyfe, who shares simple recipes based on seasonal British ingredients via her ‘No Fuss Meals for Busy Parents’ platform to come up with recipes for the vegetables visitors take home. The pair, who are Love British Food ambassadors, first met through Young Farmers and, with both now running their own farms while raising young families, are passionate about sharing their knowledge on food and farming. During their September PLAY@ visit, families will have the chance to take a tractor trailer ride out to the field where they can pick their own crop of seasonal veg – including beetroot, leeks, potatoes and red onions*. The Harvest Hoedown also includes a ‘hoedown’ kids’ disco, scarecrow trail and seeds to take home & grow, alongside the attraction’s huge indoor playbarns, outdoor adventure play and animal talks and interactions. Visitors are also encouraged to bring along donations of store cupboard ingredients for a collection to be donated to local food banks. When they get home, they can access a series of Milly’s recipes to use up the farm fresh vegetables they have picked.  Farmer Richard Bower says: “There’s huge interest in all things farming at present – thanks to TV shows like Clarkson’s Farm and This Farming Life. Sharing our knowledge, experience and values as food producers is a big part of what we do throughout the year in our PLAY@ attraction and the new Harvest Hoedown event brings it full circle, with visitors getting hands-on picking veg then taking it home to cook. “This is the first time we’ve ever grown beetroot, leeks and red onions on the farm – thanks to the help of the latest technology in the form of a Farm Droid, which autonomously sows and weeds crops in a sustainable way, and which visitors will also learn all about. We’re really excited to work with Milly and tap into her skill for creating great, nutritious family recipes that are quick and simple to prepare – and can’t wait to try the recipes ourselves at home!” Farmer Milly says: “It's been fantastic to work with Farmer Richard and the team on the Harvest Hoedown campaign. Being able to pick seasonal vegetables straight from the field, prepare at home and enjoy with your family is a wonderful way of tasting incredible freshness and discovering the field to fork journey. I'm passionate about promoting scratch cooking and reducing our reliance on ultra processed food, keeping food miles low and with nutritious veggies like those at Lower Drayton Farm, what could be better!” PLAY@ Lower Drayton Farm is based just of J13 of the M6 in Staffordshire, so well placed for visitors from across the midlands. The Harvest Hoedown event will run Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from Friday 6 th through to Sunday 29 th September. To find out more and book tickets head to www.playatthefarm.co.uk/harvesthoedown/ *Weather and produce dependent

What do you really think about food? The Food Conversation is a much-needed opportunity to ask people what they really want from food. Food is at the centre of some of the biggest challenges we face. Headlines about food security, diet-related ill health, the impact on nature and climate of food production, food bank usage (and more) dominate the media and are part of our daily discourse. Yet, governments have struggled to grasp the nettle on food system policies. Attempts to change anything about the way food works – most recently with the National Food Strategy – have floundered as policymakers have disagreed about what people want from food. The Food Conversation aims to change this and demonstrate what people really think about food – exploring how people understand the complexities of the issue and the necessity for change. Food conversation event No Fuss Meals for Busy Parents CIC has teamed up with The Food, Farming and Countryside Commission to host a food conversation event on Tuesday 17th September, 10am - 2pm at The Reading Room, Yelvertoft. The event is free to attend and also helps to promote the work of Love British Food ahead of Love British Food Fortnight Anyone can attend, we just ask that you have an interest in food and want to have conversations with others in the room on topics including food sourcing, food systems, health and wellbeing. To register to attend, please click on the following link: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/699913/130107414394438940/share Please do share the flyer with other colleagues, friends and organisations who may be interested in attending too. For more information, please call organiser Milly Fyfe on: 07752989544 or email: hello@millyfyfe.com