CHEESE, meat, beer and preserves will all feature in a new festival of food and drink in Witney later this year.

The event aims to introduce people to the broad range of locally-produced food in West Oxfordshire and educate people about how food is produced.

It will feature about 30 stalls of food and drink, talks, tastings and demonstrations, and will take place at St Mary’s Church, in Church Green, on Saturday, May 18.

Co-ordinator Elpie Lewis said: “We thought we would organise the festival, because there hasn’t been one in Witney before.

“There are so many producers around here who produce really good stuff and we just thought it would be a great idea to showcase their produce and just get all these people together in one place. We’re hoping it’s going to be great.”

She added: “We have a smallholding and cattle in Hailey and we appreciate how good it is to know where your food has come from. I think that’s really important, particularly since there has been this horsemeat incident.

“We’re just really proud of what is achieved around here and want to be saying how good it is.”

Stalls will feature locally-produced and artisan produce, including cheese, wine, meat, cakes, bread, chutneys, chocolate and ice cream.

The Wychwood Brewery, which is based in Witney, and Compass Brewery, from Carterton, are supporting the event and will have their beers on sale.

The event will also feature tastings, displays, short talks and cookery demonstrations.

Mrs Lewis added: “I hope people will take away what their community is achieving, and perhaps have a better understanding of how some food is produced.”

She said she hoped the event would become a yearly festival, but said it depended on the response from Witney residents.

She added: “It may become annual or biannual, but we will just have to see how it goes and how the community responds.

“I think it could grow but we do not know how Witney will react.”

For more information about the event, visit witneyfoodfestival.co.uk