ORGANISERS are gearing up for Burnham’s fabulous food and drink festival this Saturday (May 24).

It’s an exciting time for the foodie community, especially for three companies which have won the Local Hero Awards for 2014.

Festival director Beverley Milner Simonds said: “We created these awards to celebrate the traders who deserve some public recognition for their hard work and commitment.”

Stefano’s Homemade Food was awarded for its ‘commitment to sourcing and producing authentic and delicious food rooted in the local area’.

Stefano Salvati said: “We are delighted to accept this award. Thank you very much and thank you to all of our customers for their support.

“We feel very lucky to have access to such top quality local ingredients, allowing us to continue helping bring a piece of the Southern Italian coast to England.

“We are also incredibly grateful to have met Bev and Sarah.”

Tricky Cider received an award for “consistent commitment to the food and drink festival”.

A spokesperson for Tricky Cider said: “As craft cider makers in a very competitive market we are absolutely delighted to receive this award.”

Heavenly Hedgerows received an award for ‘a great range of products with care and attention to detail which allow the flavours to soar’.

Chris Westgate of Heavenly Hedgerows said: “It’s such an honour to receive this accolade from my own community and I’m very touched.

“It means so much for my company to be recognised in this way as our ethos has always been about producing innovative, quality products from locally-sourced and forged ingredients.

“I’m so grateful to the farmers who allow us picking access and to the public who continue to support and grow this kitchen-table enterprise into one of the area’s top foodie businesses.”

The traders will receive their certificates at 11am on Saturday.