Christina Coleman, District Councillor, welcomes Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall to East Grinstead

The discussion ranged from how we eat as a nation, the importance of food to our health, how we can support local food suppliers such as our Sussex based farmers, and if the future of food in the UK can be made more secure.

Taking the format of a friendly conversation, Christina Coleman, with a shared interest in rural Britain, opened by questioning Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, on his reasons for suggesting why we should all be eating 30 plants a week? Hugh’s philosophy clearly starts with simply seeing plants as ‘delicious’, ‘intensely flavoured’ and ‘a vast and diverse spectrum’ but through the assistance of scientific study and collaboration with Professor Tim Spector, believes wholeheartedly that they can do us ‘the power of good’. He is a devotee, in all senses, not just of food itself but of food production, and particularly of animal and fish welfare.

As a renowned expert and commentator, Hugh was able to call adeptly on his vast wealth of 25 years of food knowledge; central to his thinking is the need to move the nation towards more of the ‘good stuff’ and away from our junk food culture for some quick and easy health benefits. As background to his new book, ‘How to eat 30 Plants a Week’, a 11,000-person food diary study produced the perfect data: the more plants people eat, the better their health outcomes. Hugh talked of the bacteria inside us having a ‘riotous party’ referencing studies which show that it is the diversity of plant types, from walnuts to parsley, or wild garlic to coffee, which can get us to the magic 30. Clearly with a zest for health as much as food enjoyment, Hugh amused the audience when he proudly announced that even ‘smashing’ 60 plants is perfectly possible in any given week: “You can also try just two teaspoons of spices per day for a measurable increase in the diversity of your gut microflora”.

During the evening, Christina’s true love for the outdoor world and nature shone through, as did her interest in regenerative farming and the non-disturbance of soil, campaigning for farmland protection in her area, and greater food security. As a member of Wealden’s Food Partnership, she is clear: “Eating produce from within the local landscape and supporting local farmers and their produce needs to be balanced against the food we import. There is evidence of pressure from local abattoirs closing, to the increasing dominance of the big retailers”. In sympathetic agreement, Hugh still sees a real abundance in the UK of vegetable classics such as leafy greens and fresh roots. “Our farmers and horticulturalists need respecting: policies should protect them against the vagaries of the weather and climate, plus give them some certainty that local food economies will be supported”.

Through his book, ‘How to Eat 30 Plants a Week’ Hugh entirely supports the desire to make eating healthily, simpler for people to understand. It contains 220 plant ‘ingredients’, most of which are in easy reach of all of us and with a tick box section to count your list during the week, he was extremely encouraging: ‘it really could not be easier to rack up your plant score’.

With an infectious passion and energy for spreading the word about the importance of being close to food at source, Hugh and Christina seemed highly aligned in their love for foraging, and how it sets you up for creating stories with your kids and conversations that get passed down the generations. The speakers are hopeful about nature’s recovery and working harder to deliver greater food equity, especially managing the high levels of food waste. Both are trying to correct the balance away from what has become a heavily industrialised food system, dominated by giant food retailers. Hugh concluded: “If we have a change in government, but not a change in food policy, then we have wasted our change in government”.

With a real zeal for these common goals, Christina and Hugh want to bring us as consumers on this vital journey, believing we can all play our part by supporting local food producers and suppliers, and rediscover a profound sense of gratitude for the provenance of the food on our plates. They hope to see real progress as their ‘menu’ of change gathers momentum.

If you would like more information, please visit: River Cottage Cookery School, Dining, Kitchens and Bespoke Events or https://christinacoleman.org.uk.