A new farm shop in Plungington is offering affordable local and organic produce.

Ward Field Farm Shop is located at 254 Plungington Road, in what was Entwistle Guns.

Owner Taheer Hansrod quit a nine to five job to follow his dream of opening a business.

Taheer said: “I spent most of my adult life in Birmingham after my family moved from Preston when I was young, but my wife and I decided to return after starting our own family, as we feel it is a much nicer environment to bring up children.

“I always knew I wanted to start my own business but the routine and comforts of a regular job hampered plans for a long time.

“After the birth of our second child, we decided as a family that it was now or never so I took the leap to quit my job and work on some ideas that had been brewing over the years.”

On moving back to Preston, Taheer says he struggled to shop in a way that supported a minimal waste lifestyle.

After acquiring the butchery element of a well-established farm shop near Lancaster – where the name Ward Field comes from – Taheer worked to add his own twist with locally-sourced produce and a natural and organic food refill service.

He said: “For me, setting up a business was always more than just about making a living.

“I wanted to do something that aligned with my own values and principles and hopefully could be a part of something that can make a difference for our future generations.

“Now we have rebranded and are specialising in locally sourced produce and offering a wide range of natural and organic foods as a refill service with an aim to reduce both food and packaging waste.

“Our aim is to help customers reduce their use of single use plastics as this is an issue that affects us all one way or another.”

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All the products at Ward Field Farm Shop are carefully sourced by working with local farmers, producers and suppliers who share Taheer’s values and ethics.

Taheer continued: “Where possible, we stock brands that are local to Lancashire, so by shopping with us not only will you be leading a more environmentally friendly lifestyle, but you are also giving back to your local community.

“Most of our products are either organic or artisan-made, so the quality is high. However, our vision is to make real, sustainable food options available and affordable for all, so we try to keep our prices competitive.

“Everything in our store is inspired by the notion of how things should be. Food ought to be simple. No industrial farming, no over-processing, no misleading labels hiding toxic nasties; just good, honest real food.”

Customers are encouraged to take their own containers to refill, whether it’s a fancy jar, some old Tupperware or an empty washing up liquid bottle.

Even the shop’s fixtures and fittings have eco credentials, with much made by Taheer using second hand furniture and scrap wood.

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Taheer says he is pleased with how the business has grown since the launch in July, and is looking to develop the service further.

He said: “Since opening, we have been overwhelmed by the support of the residents of Preston and neighbouring towns and villages.

“People have really been spreading the good word with new customers coming in daily after being recommended by a friend or family. 

“Our future plans include setting up an online store for click and collect and local deliveries, and opening a hot food takeaway/café in the neighbouring unit. This will help us to further reduce any produce wastage, as well as meaning we can offer good quality cooked meals to our customers.”

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