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A campaign to Help Sussex Buy Local has been launched to help people find independent shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants which serve and sell food and drink produced in the county.

Organisers at Natural Partnerships CIC are urging people to support Sussex businesses to protect our local community and the environment, and also because it will make us happier.

Sussex Food & Drink is promoting the campaign with an interactive map on the website Sussexfoodanddrink.org

Hilary Knight, co-director at Natural Partnerships CIC, which also manages Sussex Food & Drink, said: “Over the past few months, we’ve seen an enormous increase in local shopping but now we must sustain this change to ensure this becomes our future habit.

Sussex food and drink producers support the Help Sussex Buy Local campaign

“For this to happen, it’s got to matter, it’s got to be personal and relevant to every shopper, and what could be more relevant than our own happiness and that of our local community?”

She says it is well known that positive social interactions are proven to boost your mood and points out shopping locally also affects your happiness.

Whether you pop into the local bakers for your freshly-baked bread, nip into the greengrocer for your weekly fruit and veg, or visit the butchers for some sausages, new research published has proven that each of these interactions helps not only to boost the local economy but it goes a long way towards increasing your feeling of happiness and belonging.

Interactive Sussex food and drink map launched to help people find local suppliers