Start of British cucumber season to be celebrated in style

The British Cucumber Festival will take place for the second year. Organised last year in the wake of the E Coli outbreak to restore confidence in the salad industry. The Lea Valley event is a partnership between the key producers and the local town partnership and Council with the aim of promoting British Salads from the Lea Valley and the locally community.

Last year the event had an attendance of around 4000 people and raised over £2000 for local charities.

Steven Hedderly, Technical Director of Abbeyview Produce, also Chairman of The Cucumber Festival, says, "This year the festival is planned for May 12th. However as a first this year on Saturday 25th February we will be celebrating the launch of the British Cucumber Season by holding a procession through the centre of Waltham Abbey, allowing consumers to try new season cucumbers and meet Mr Cucumber!!!!."

Suppliers involved in the Cucumber Festival are Abbeyview, Valley Grown Salads, Stubbins, UK Salads, Glinwell, also on the committee is the Marriot Hotel Group, Premiere Inns and Tesco in the community.