Churches across the country are being encouraged to support Bring Home the Harvest campaign part of next month’s British Food Fortnight, BFF, which encourages community organisations and schools to learn more about UK food and support British producers.

To mark the fortnight churches can add their harvest events to the newly created www.aharvestnearyou.com, a database to publicise and share celebrations including harvest suppers and church services. 

Canon Dr Jill Hopkinson, the Church of England’s national rural officer, said that BFF is a reminder of why harvest festivals still have an important role in highlighting local producers and growers but also gives the opportunity for the community to come together to give thanks for farmers, cooks and food, and to celebrate and eat together. 

“Harvest Festival is not just a quaint tradition carried on by the rural church but an opportunity in the modern world to reconnect with food, farming and the countryside. Harvest Festival is also a time to have fun in praising God and to share food together. All churches wherever they are should plan to have a harvest festival celebration, publicising it as widely as possible including through the new database. This is also a good opportunity to get involved in the Love British Food events and draw young people and the wider community into the important debate on food and have some fun at the same time.”

Chichester Diocese is running a special #HarvestFever twitter campaign to highlight harvest festivals across Sussex.  Mark Betson, Chichester Diocesan Rural Officer said: “This is a perfect opportunity for our churches to involve the wider community and also to be part of a very special national project through www.aharvestnearyou.com.”