People
Tracy Nash steps down as commercial manager at Hampshire Fare in September. All credit: The Electric Eye Photography.
Published: July 4, 2023 | Updated: 4th July 2023
It’s been a whirlwind ten years for Hampshire Fare, with commercial manager Tracy Nash steering the group through plenty of changes in the local food and drink industry.
“I can remember when I first learned that this role was available”, she said.
“It was what I wanted to do so much. I felt it was my job from the off!
“After joining Hampshire Fare in 2013, my first objective was to complete the Preserve the Hampshire Hog project.
“This culminated in meeting King Charles – then The Prince of Wales – with two pig farmers as a showcase project.”
It was at this time that Hampshire Fare, which champions local producers through events and marketing support, had begun its transition away from the backing of Hampshire County Council to become a self-funded community interest company.
All the while, Tracy was there forging connections with partners and boosting membership.
She was also keen to provide a wider range of support to the Hampshire foodie community, expanding the group’s remit to offer guidance for startups and organising trips to local schools with producers in the hopes of inspiring the younger generation.
“In 2018 Hampshire Fare won British Food Fortnight’s competition in recognition of our work bringing local produce into primary schools”, she said.
“It was about planting a small seed that has grown in impact across the county.
“We launched the British Food Fortnight campaign the following year.”
Throughout her time with Hampshire Fare, Tracy has enjoyed plenty of memorable moments, but one in particular still stands out many years later.
“I had huge fun bringing back Hampshire Fare’s Great Hampshire Sausage and Pie Competition”, she recalled.
“Back then I didn’t have a clue that it could deliver such value to our traditional butchers, and put Hampshire on the map for its sausages and pies.
“As part of the Competition’s publicity campaign one year, I even went on Chris Evans’s Radio 2 show singing ‘sausage and pie’ to the Blankety Blank theme tune!”
It’s the kind of memory Tracy is cherishing as she announces her intentions to step down from Hampshire Fare after a decade at the forefront of the county’s food and drink scene.
Leading the goodbyes among her colleagues is vice chair Oliver Weeks, who said: “For the past 10 years Tracy’s energy, passion and drive for the region and its food and drink producers and independent businesses has made Hampshire Fare the success it is today.
“Having decided to move on, she leaves Hampshire Fare stronger than ever with record membership thanks to her determination to grow this community interest company. It would not have stood the test of time without her efforts.
“I know many of Hampshire Fare’s members will be sorry to see Tracy go.
“Tracy’s departure leaves us with big shoes to fill – however, her replacement has great foundations on which to build.”
Indeed, many of those foundations were laid only recently, as Tracy spearheaded this year’s ongoing summer of events with Hampshire Fare.
Starting with their annual guide inviting the county to Discover Local Produce, last month they held Hampshire’s 21st annual food festival, and there’s still plenty to come.
She added: “This year Hampshire Fare launched two new events – Celebrating Hampshire in Basingstoke, and the first Winchester Food Festival, which sees us working with a charity partner Winchester Beacon and social enterprise Munch to create zero-waste, budget friendly, healthy and delicious dishes using local ingredients.”
It’s something the group are looking to do a lot more of moving forward – but with Tracy planning to step away in September, her legacy is up to somebody else to continue.
