Waste Food Campaigner to Talk at Rye Arts Festival

Last week a shocking report by Mintec revealed that salad prices in the UK have increased by 45 percent since last year. A separate report by DEFRA revealed that carrots had increased by 37p per kilo, representing a 49% rise, while runner beans nearly doubled in price since July 2011 from an average of £1.69 to £3.29 per kilo.

Fresh food prices have soared following one of Britain’s wettest summers, with a good chance that further rainfall will result in 2012 taking the all-time record. Rain-damaged wheat has seen yields drop and increased prices are expected to feed through to supermarket shelves in coming months.

With already tight household budgets set to be further squeezed, the shocking waste of food on a global scale – with rich countries wasting a third of their food while a billion people in the World are undernourished – becomes even more scandalous.

In 2009 Tristram Stuart set out to highlight the problem by setting up Feeding the 5000 – he cooked and served a meal for 5,000 people in Trafalgar Square using fresh food that had been binned by supermarkets simply because it had passed its sell-by date rather than being unfit for consumption. The event has been replicated throughout the World.

Tristram Stuart’s talk, at 3pm in Rye Community Centre, will certainly provide food for thought.

The 41st annual Rye Arts Festival runs from 15 to 30 September, with a packed fortnight of events including an exciting mix of contemporary and classical music, literary talks, comedy, walks, theatre and children’s events at venues in and around Rye, many of which are free of charge.

For more information on all events, go to the website www.ryeartsfestival.co.uk where you can download booking forms.

This year there is also a blog at www.ryefestival.blogspot.com which provides up-to-date information on this year’s exciting programme of events.

The Box Office at Phillips & Stubbs in Cinque Ports Street is open for bookings in person from 9.30am to 1.30pm Monday to Saturday.