In the wake of last week’s E. coli statement, it should come as no surprise that we met extensively with the HPA and FSA in the summer on behalf of our members and publicly challenged the subsequent press release. There are times when behaving like the proverbial ostrich is not appropriate and our members let us know for sure that this was not a head-in-sand matter.

The executive team has a new member. Julie Pycock has joined Angie and Sian to assist with the office administration. Julie is new to the industry but brings extensive admin experience which will be a great asset to the team. You will undoubtedly speak to Julie when you call the office, and we look forward to introducing her to members.

We had a fabulous time at Spitalfields with award winning Sunnyfield/Cook’s Delights at their mid-autumn festival BBQ. It was an honour to be invited to join Ronny and Sue Liu with their staff and friends - the hospitality was outstanding, the food exceptional and we were introduced to moon cakes and the history surrounding this extraordinary Chinese fare.

The Chinese influence continued through September as we hosted our friends from the Shandong and Henan provinces, who flew over for a two day whistlestop tour of the UK fresh produce industry. Fresh Direct’s Nigel Harris and his team, followed by New Covent Garden Market’s Helen Evans, provided a perfect introduction for the delegation which was led by Wang Showen, director general of the department of foreign trade. Delegates were keen to understand our sector in greater detail with a view to increasing exports as well as importing from the UK. Taking them to a premier foodservice company and wholesale market was a great success. It was good to see FPC importing members at the NCGM forum, and we will work with both Chinese and UK members to effect further introductions with a view to increased trade.

Organisation of the annual dinner at the Savoy is gaining momentum. Saturday 4 February 2012 is the date, see www.freshproduce.org.uk for details or contact Angie. We are expecting a capacity crowd again in 2012.

Have you thought of entering the Re:fresh 2012 Awards? The criteria will be online in the coming weeks so now is the time to start planning your entry. We’re back at the Intercontinental Park Lane and the date is 17 May.

As the extraordinary tropical weather turns to autumn and we start to feel the October chill set in, the Rugby World Cup moves up a gear to the quarter finals and I really hope England finds its rhythm - Martin Johnson’s boys need to seriously raise their game if they are to combat the might of the All Blacks and Wales, who found their form in the Fiji annihilation. Enjoy the remainder of the competition and ‘Come on England’!