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Aug 14, 2024
New Documentary Series Unveils Stirling’s Hidden Culinary Heritage
To mark the 900th anniversary of the Royal Burgh of Stirling, Forth Valley Food and Drink has launched a series of four captivating short documentaries that delve into the lesser-known stories of Stirling’s rich food and drink heritage.
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Forth Valley Food Tales was one of the 22 projects across Scotland that was successful in the 2023/24 Regional Food Fund.
Forth Valley Food and Drink is a non-profit membership organisation dedicated to showcasing and celebrating Forth Valley's vibrant local food and drink scene.
Several partners were involved in the project including: Historic Environment Scotland/Stirling Castle, Stirling Smith Museum, Stirling Distillery, Bannockburn House Trust, Kippen Heritage Society, Murray Cook, Stirling Makar (Laura Fyfe), Allanwater Brewhouse, Movement in Thyme, Upper Ballaird Farm Coop and Fodder + Farm.
We caught up with Lesley Wilkinson at Forth Valley Food and Drink, on how the Regional Food Fund has helped with recent projects.
What what involved in the Forth Valley Tales project?
"The ‘Forth Valley Food Tales’ project aimed to create a compelling series of short documentary style films celebrating the local food and drink scene in the region. This initiative coincided with Stirling's 900th anniversary year (2024), allowing for a historical twist.
We created a series of four documentary style films, approximately 6-8 minutes each, that;
- Weave together the stories, history, and diversity of the Forth Valley's food and drink scene.
- Highlight the historical significance of the region, especially in the context of Stirling's 900th anniversary, and incorporate this into the storytelling.
- Create a visually engaging and compelling film series that showcases the people, from farmers and chefs to brewers and foragers, who contribute to the vibrant local food and drink scene.
- Promote the region as a leading food and drink destination through engaging interviews and storytelling that focus on the individuals and businesses that make the Forth Valley food and drink scene unique."
Pictured: Catherine Bradley, Bannockburn House Trust who features in one of the films.
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What did the project aim to achieve?
"The project had four key objectives:
Objective 1: Support the growth of Scottish food and drink companies within the Forth Valley region.
Objective 2: Build relationships with members, consumers, and stakeholders within the Forth Valley Region.
Objective 3: Increase brand awareness of Forth Valley Food and Drink and our members.
Objective 4: Increase consumer footfall across the Forth Valley region by promoting the Forth Valley as leading food and drink destination."
What are the plans for the films, and where will they be shown?
"Accompanied by a press campaign, the films will be released in August in the run up to Forth Valley Food and Drink Festival. The aim is also to have the films shared across our key partners' channels to maximise reach.
We also plan to screen the films at Forth Valley Food and Drink Festival, Stirling 900 celebrations events and Business Month/our September Meet the Producers Tour.
We have developed the Forth Valley Tales campaign with sustainability and longevity in mind.
The nature of the project deliverables, namely 4 high-quality videos, enables continuous promotion and use beyond the initial delivery of the project. The Forth Valley Food Tales videos can and will be showcased at future events, across social media channels and websites.
The videos will allow for continuous and sustained promotion of the Forth Valley Food and Drink network, our members and the Forth Valley region."
How has The Regional Food Fund helped?
“The Regional Food Fund has been instrumental in bringing our vision to life. It enabled us to produce a series of compelling short documentary films that celebrate the rich and diverse food and drink scene of the Forth Valley.
These films not only weave together the fascinating history and contemporary stories of the region, especially during Stirling's 900th anniversary, but also spotlight the passionate individuals—farmers, chefs, brewers, and foragers—who make this area a vibrant culinary destination.
The support we received has significantly helped position Forth Valley as a leading food and drink region, promoting its unique offerings through captivating storytelling and interviews.”
“The Regional Food Fund has been instrumental in bringing our vision to life. The support we received has significantly helped position Forth Valley as a leading food and drink region, promoting its unique offerings through captivating storytelling and interviews.”
Interested in the Regional Food Fund?
Find out how you can apply for the 2024/25 round.