Full Speed Ahead for Porlock Bay Oysters
PORLOCK, England, April 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
First Sustainable Food Community Interest Company
Porlock Bay Oysters, the community project formed to bring oysters back to Porlock after over 100 years, is now ready to start selling and are having a launch party on 2nd May 2016. After three years of a successful trial growing oysters on the beach near Porlock Weir in Somerset, Porlock Bay Oysters achieved a category A classification from the Food Standards Agency. This is the highest category available and is one of only 3 such sites in the whole of England and Wales. In addition, Porlock Bay is the first community based sustainable shellfish group in the UK.
At long last this will mean 'full speed ahead for Porlock Bay Oysters,' a brand which has been built with support from the community. The initial product trial received grants from Fishmonger's Hall, Exmoor National Park, Porlock Parish Council and others. Once it had proven successful, Power to Change awarded a grant to help launch the business along with community funding from the people of Porlock whose generosity has been overwhelming. Together these grants and loans, coupled with the huge interest from local restaurants and others, mean that Porlock Bay Oysters is set to be a successful community business bringing back a traditional industry to where it started. This will include creating full and part-time jobs for local workers as well as an apprenticeship scheme.
About Porlock Futures C.I.C.
In 2012 the Porlock Futures group was set up by Porlock Parish Council. Its aims are to identify and deliver projects of benefit to the local community, which are in line with its heritage and environment. Specifically it looks at projects that will create jobs and help the local economy. It has now set up a Community Interest Company with all the directors being local, unpaid volunteers. Porlock Bay Oysters is our first project to come to maturity.
About Power to Change
Started in 2015, Power to Change is an independent charitable trust endowed with £150 million from the Big Lottery Fund to grow community business in England.
Over the next nine years, they will provide funding and support to help build many more sustainable community businesses that have positive economic, social and environmental impact in local places across England.
For more information, please contact Roger Hall at porlockbayoysters@gmail.com or phone +44(0)1643-862462.
Share this article