LUDLOW’S farmers market, the Ludlow Local Produce Market have been working on a system by which its local food and drink producers will supply an innovative food hub based in the heart of Birmingham.

The initiative has come about by a group of volunteers, part of the Slow Food Birmingham group wanting to bring locally made products to a new customer base in the city’s Jewellery Quarter.

This exciting new venture requires a volunteer driver to come to Ludlow in an electric car to collect pre ordered items through a special website from the Local to Ludlow producers on their market days.

The market, called Ludlow Local Produce Market features producers from within 30 miles of Ludlow, who make their own products. The market takes place in Castle Square every second and fourth Thursday of the month.

Over a dozen Ludlow stallholders have been selected by the organisers to complement existing businesses that supply the Birmingham hub. Once items arrive at the hub, customers are to go and collect their orders the same day in the evening.

“We’ve just had a dry run this month which included a training session for stallholders and their necessity to set up some web pages which then links in with the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter Hub,” said Market Manager Tish Dockerty.

“It’s been a really useful exercise which has highlighted a number of things that need attention, but nothing too complex to sort.”

The hope is that orders and customers will increase over time and that additional food and drink producers from Shropshire can contribute including fresh fruit and vegetables in season.

Local to Ludlow is a Community Interest Company that promotes the production, sale and consumption of food and drink from within 30 miles of Ludlow with the aim of reducing the environmental cost of food production and to support the local food economy.

The market is also a business member of Ludlow and the Marches Slow Food Group.

It strictly adheres to farmers market standards such as the stallholder makes, rears or grows what they sell within 30 miles of Ludlow. This distinguishes the market from others, as the produce is truly local, originating and utilising local ingredients, local supply chains and local people.