Better Stories, Stronger Connections: Reflections from a Sold-Out Evening in London
It was a real privilege to speak at the recent Selling the Story of UK Food and Farming event in London, hosted by the brilliant team at Women in Food and Farming.
A huge thank you to the organisers for the invitation, for creating such a warm and professional evening, and for bringing together such a fantastic mix of people from across farming, food, retail, media and communications. With a sold-out room and lively discussion throughout, it was clear there is a real appetite for conversations about how our sector can better connect with the public.
It was also a pleasure to share the panel with Erin Larnder and Harry Evans, with excellent chairing from Jess Millbank.
You can read more about the event here: https://www.womeninfoodandfarming.org/post/selling-the-story-of-uk-food-and-farming-beyond-the-bubble
Why this conversation matters
Food and farming has an extraordinary story to tell. It is a story of people, care, innovation, resilience, stewardship and the daily work involved in feeding the nation. Yet too often, those closest to the sector assume that story is already understood.
The evening reinforced something I feel strongly about through my work in research: facts alone rarely change behaviour. If we want people to value British food, support farmers, understand standards, or make different choices, we need to communicate in ways that feel relevant, human and memorable.
That means clearer language, stronger storytelling, and meeting people where they are — not where we wish they were.
Proud to support Women in Food and Farming
As a member of the steering group for Women in Food and Farming, I continue to be inspired by the role the network plays in connecting talented women across the industry, creating opportunities, championing leadership and hosting events that genuinely move conversations forward.
The energy in the room was a reminder of how valuable these networks are — not just professionally, but personally too.
Join the next event at Cereals
The next Women in Food and Farming event will be a panel discussion at Cereals Event:
Innovation That Sticks: Making Tech Work from Field to Food
You can find details and register here:
https://www.womeninfoodandfarming.org/event-details/innovation-that-sticks-making-tech-work-from-field-to-food
Membership is free
If you work anywhere across the food and farming supply chain and would like to join a growing network of more than 2,000 women, membership is completely free.
Join here:
https://www.womeninfoodandfarming.org/joinfree
Final thanks
Thank you again to everyone involved in organising such a successful evening, and to everyone who attended, contributed, challenged ideas and stayed on to continue the conversations afterwards.
The future of food and farming will be shaped not only by what we grow and produce, but by how well we connect people to the story behind it.