We caught up with the previous winners of Local Food Hero to find out what the prize money meant to them and their businesses.

2006 winner
Mike Thurlow of Letheringsett Watermill has been busy refurbishing his place since winning the £40 000 prize. The Mill’s rich historic past has been showcased in a new education centre open to the public. He has recently received two new mill stones which means he can double production to meet increasing demand. “As you can tell there’s no limit to what this can do! It's quite magic, it really is."

2007 winner
James Hague from Daisy's Farm Fresh Milk was the 2007 winner. He has been expanding his business in local food produce. New ventures include a home delivery service called Daisy’s Farm Fresh at Home and a pudding range called Daisy’s Desserts. Hague supports organic farming and wants to help other farms achieve what he has. “Local Food Hero has been a springboard for us. After working hard for three years, winning made it all seem worth while. It has also been an inspiration for other farmers.”