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Taylor Shaw, school meals contractor for Sheffield schools, has added a pork sausage to its menus for the city’s pupils after securing a deal to buy locally reared pork from Whirlow Hall Farm based in Whirlow, Sheffield.

The supply deal was been arranged in partnership with Underwood Meat Company of Rotherham, the caterer’s preferred supplier.

Whirlow Hall Farm is an educational charity, comprising a fully-functioning working high welfare farm, spanning 138 acres with a variety of livestock, horticulture, pick your own fruit and vegetables, vineyard and a farm shop and café.

Peter McGrath, general manager for Taylor Shaw, said it was an exciting development: “We are passionate about local supply and produce and know that a lot of schools use the farm for educational visits. We are really pleased that all partners have embraced this initiative and I am sure that schools, parents and the children will too.

“The first supply of the product is linking up well with the Sheffield Food Festival that starts on September 14th.

“As one of the sponsors of the event, Taylor Shaw will be promoting Sheffield food by providing a Yorkshire menu in schools on the eve of the event, which includes the Whirlow Hall Farm recipe sausage.

“In addition, the Whirlow Hall Farm produce will also feature on this year’s Christmas menu. Last year saw the highest ever take up of the Christmas meal in Sheffield and we are sure that by including Whirlow Hall Farm produce this year, it will not only add value but improve take up further.”

Rob Waitt, head of retail and catering at Whirlow Hall Farm Trust, says: “Providing produce for Sheffield schools is a great opportunity to support local procurement but also links in strongly with the Whirlow Hall Farm Trust ethos of educating school children about where food comes from.

“We welcome over 10,000 school children to the farm each year and it made sense to round the circle, allowing children to taste the produce they will have seen being reared on the farm. All profits from the Farm Shop support the Charitable Trust.”

British Pig Executive (BPEX) foodservice trade sector manager Tony Goodger also welcomed the initiative.

“It is great to see businesses working in partnership with farmers to create good sustainable supply chains,” he said.

“What is particularly pleasing is that the whole supply chain from farm through to pork never leaves the Sheffield post code area and covers less than 50 food miles in total.

“In addition, having schools visit the Whirlow Hall Farm Trust to see pig farming up close and then serving pork and sausages from those pigs as part of school meals in Sheffield really educates children about where their food comes from and the great standards to which food is produced in this country.”