Produced In Norfolk supports the Shop Here Campaign

There has never been a more important time to support initiatives like Shop Here and social enterprises like Produced in Norfolk Its very easy to think there’s nothing we can do as individuals and that it’s all the banks fault or just drive to the nearest superstore in an effort to avoid looking at what’s happening, but if we don’t all act to support each other NOW, TODAY, there might be no tomorrow for much of our countryside and rural communities

Whilst many local retailers have been seeing a slow down in trade for many months the sight of local businesses closing down is suddenly making everything very real.  What we don’t know is how many more businesses will be shutting their doors in the coming year and the long term affect this will have on everything in Norfolk which makes it such a unique place to live or visit. Everything we value about our County could be under threat.

I for one, don’t want to see wastelands of scrub instead of fertile fields of world class barley. I don’t want to see farmland that has provided me with pork lamb and beef suddenly deserted or turned into a municipal dump. I want to be able to buy a  piece of Norfolk's award winning cheese. I am proud of what we produce and the skilled local people who make it, it’s what makes Norfolk special and distinct.  If those of us still lucky enough to have an income don’t support genuine local businesses we stand to lose sight of our heritage, our soul and our income from visitors. Local produce is not always more expensive; try shopping at your local farmers market or farm shop for seasonal vegetables and compare them to the out of town superstore. It’s about supporting our local community.  

We need to work together to keep Norfolk alive and spending what little money we have, locally, for ours and our children’s future prosperity will ensure we still have a choice about our shopping in 2010. Jane Taylor Founder of Produced In Norfolk

The Eastern Daily Press has for almost 140 years been a vehicle for our region’s shopkeepers, acting as a bridge for businesses to reach their customers.
That work continues in the newspaper and on the website.

The edp a locally-owned business itself,launched the Shop Here campaign to support the local economy.
For more Shop Here stories and the Shop Here directory, go to EDP website