Children grow organic vegetables at Neville Lilly's allotment

Starting on Saturday 24 September, this year's British Food Fortnight aims to create public awareness of the diverse food that Britain produces.

To coincide, we asked six people to tell us their food stories - from how to take over a village shop, to helping inner-city children grow organic vegetables.

Read their stories below and find out why they turned their passions into a community pastime.

Read the full BBC Action Network story: How we took over our village shop

When their local store closed down residents in Mike Barker's Cheshire village had to travel miles for a loaf.

They got together to re-open it as a community shop, run by volunteers, with profits going towards anything from church repairs to school computers.

"We stock local vegetables, fruit, eggs, honey, bakery products and cheese. This is a farming area and a lot of the local food is produced right here in the village," said Mr Barker.

Read the full BBC Action Network story: Helping children grow

Working in the open air, socialising and finding earthworms, are what the children love at Neville Lilly's allotment.

When Neville moved from Jamaica to Birmingham, he realised that many children did not have gardens to grow vegetables.

He set up a local organic group to give inner-city kids the opportunity to cultivate their own crops.

"I wanted to offer enriching experiences that are not readily available to most youngsters living in inner cities," Neville says.

Read the full BBC Action Network story: Thyme at the bar

It began three years ago when Sandra Jefferies decided to sell local produce in her pub, Fighting Cocks.

Now she sells everything from plants, organic fruit and vegetables to cheeses, fish, meat, poultry and game. As well as back-to-basics pub food that people do not eat anymore, such as oxtail and rabbit.

"One of our suppliers sends a lot of his salmon to Highgrove. I think the Queen even has it," Sandra says.

Read the full BBC Action Network story: Cooking up community spirit

Once a kitchen for squatters, the Bonnington Caf� is now a community-run restaurant -with a different chef every night of the week.

While aiming to use local produce, this vegetarian restaurant has people from Japan, Malaysia, China, Greece, Italy, and France all taking turns to cook. As a co-operative everyone becomes a member and every day of the week somebody different cooks.

"If someone forgets that it is their night to cook, then the caf� is shut," says long-standing member Margarete Baur. "That has happened many times. But the nice thing is that there is a huge variety."

Read the full BBC Action Network story: Finding ways to save our farm

Charlotte Hollins' father started farming organically over 60 years ago, at a time when people just thought it 'a bit wacky'.

Now Charlotte, fresh out of university, is fighting to secure the farm for future generations of organic farmers.

"This isn't just about saving a small farm - it is about what we represent: local, organic food; sustainable farming; and healthy living."

Read the full BBC Action Network story: Sweet and local

Steve Morris not only sells local produce, he makes it. Each afternoon he risks being stung by hundreds of bees in an attempt to harvest honey to sell in his shop.

"I've been stung loads of times, especially when I started bee-keeping, but it's not that bad - no worse than a nettle sting."

It has certainly created a buzz in the village. Some believe that locals who eat the honey are helping to protect themselves from allergies such as hayfever.