What a fantastic experience - to follow the food chain from birth to death to the plate – via a variety of fascinating and dedicated people, was an incredible journey. The people we met showed such dedication to the food they produced that it will have a long lasting effect on the way I perceive what I eat, and the decisions I make about what I put in my shopping basket. The respect that these small producers showed their livestock, and their customers, only highlighted how in today’s drive for cheap mass produced food we have completely lost the connection between what we eat and where it actually comes from. The trip to the abattoir – something I think we were all dreading – although initially shocking in a ‘blood and guts’ sense – was a seminal moment. The sense of calm completely surprised me and illustrated that a ‘good’ death, as free from fear as possible, is as important as a ‘good’ life. An amazing week. Thank you Pentabus for giving us the opportunity, and, importantly, the access, to explore a world that usually remains firmly at the back of our minds.

Nicola Jones