A FIFTH-generation farming family has launched the second year of the Love Local Trust Local Awards in Dorset.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the inaugural Love Local Trust Local awards were launched in 2020.

The awards were conceived not only to help support and promote the concern of Love Local Trust Local, but the awards provided the opportunity to embrace and celebrate local suppliers.

Founder of Love Local Trust Local, Barbara Cossins said: “It’s so important to recognise and support the community of local farmers and producers who work hard to provide high quality produce and so often go unnoticed.”

The concept of Love Local Trust Local was launched back in 2018 with the objective of educating the public who had seemingly started to lose trust in the facts around food production.

Mrs Cossins pledged to use her knowledge and experience to increase awareness and education around these hot topics and Love Local Trust Local was born.

With 30 years under her belt as a trusted publican, owner of a highly acclaimed butchery, and hailing from a traditional farming family, Cossins is well positioned to fly the flag for supporting local producers and raising awareness for ethical food labelling, amongst other concerns.

With categories including meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, drinks and suchlike, through to innovation and diversification, or the Rising Star award, the awards attract a plethora of applicants who want to share the message behind their local produce.

To qualify to apply for the Love Local Trust Local awards, the nominees must source their ingredients from within 30 miles of their Dorset location.

The awards open for entries from Monday June 28 and will draw to a close on Monday September 27 at 5pm.

Businesses who qualify to enter for more than one category must submit a separate application for each category they wish to be judged on.

The Love Local Trust Local Awards are free to enter, however applicants will need to provide samples of their products that they wish to list for a category.

To find out more and to enter, visit https://www.lovelocaltrustlocalawards.co.uk/.