1. Attending were Jos, Ian, Anne, Diana, John, Sarah, Deborah, Nicola, Kim and Andy. We had apologies from Andrew Vaccari, Rob and Ruth Waterhouse, Nancy and Peter Dowling, Mike Felstead. We thanked Daniel Webb for hosting this inaugural meeting at the Crediton Coffee Company.

2. Diana Mason outlined her experiences with rearing pigs including some traditional breeds, their care, environment, feeding, and regulations including no foods from the kitchen, although spare allotment and orchard produce are fine. Weaners purchased at 6-8 weeks are ready at 6 months, and local abattoir and butchery services can provide jointed frozen pork, approximately 50 kg per pig. We discussed some major differences between local smallholder production and commercial production. Diana outlined a model based on the smallholder caring for 2 to 3 pigs, which could be extended with additional smallholders.

3. Anne Stobart explained some likely costs for raising pigs and membership based on £15 for 2016, and circulated a membership form. Membership enables reservation of a pig share based on half a pig which would cost approximately £180 paid in monthly instalments, and an event subject to interest such as a sausage-making day. We agreed the overall aim of the Crediton Pig Club is to promote local, sustainable, healthy pig-raising and pork production in the Crediton and District area.The objects of the Club are:

1. to bring together members of the community with a common interest in raising pigs in a sustainable and healthy way

2. to encourage good local pig husbandry, especially of vulnerable native breeds

3. to develop collaborative pig production involving local smallholders and consumers

4. to provide opportunities for members to learn about pig husbandry and processing of products

5. to demonstrate the benefits of local and sustainable production through our activities.

Tasks/roles identified include chair, minute secretary, membership secretary, treasurer, producer co-ordinator, recipe co-ordinator and volunteers to help should contact Anne. We discussed a range of suggestions including building pig arks and possible funding sources. Ordering of weaners must be done early in 2016 and so a share offer will be circulated to members for return in January 2016. Once arrangements are made then subsequent interested people will need to be added to a waiting list for the following year.

4. Next meeting will be 7-9 pm on Monday 18th January 2016, at the Lamb Inn, Sandford.