Pork champion Sue to step aside after 10 years

'It's the best job I've ever had,' says Sue Woodall about her role as the chairwoman of Ladies in Pigs. 'But now is the time to step aside and let someone else take the reins.
Sue Woodall, who runs the campaigning organisation Ladies In Pigs. Picture by Jonathan Gawthorpe.Sue Woodall, who runs the campaigning organisation Ladies In Pigs. Picture by Jonathan Gawthorpe.
Sue Woodall, who runs the campaigning organisation Ladies In Pigs. Picture by Jonathan Gawthorpe.

“I have been in this role for ten years and can honestly say it is one of the most versatile and varied jobs around.”

Ladies in Pigs (LIPs) exists to promote British pig meat and educate people about Red Tractor pork, butcher’s pork and welfare standards. It is a cause Sue, from Hotham, East Yorkshire, has been at the forefront of leading since 2007, having taken on the role on because her husband Phil worked in the pig industry and she was looking for a part-time job that would fit around her children Gemma and Mark.

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“It has been great fun, I have worked with celebrity chefs, been all over the country and told thousands of people about the benefits of British pork and pork products,” she said.

The group gives cooking demonstrations at agricultural and food shows, and at supermarkets, produces a new recipe booklet each year and visits schools.

Sue is responsible for co-ordinating staff for events, attending committee meetings twice a year and representing LIPs at other industry meetings such as those held by the National Pig Association, but Sue’s retirement will see the organisation fold unless a new leader is found to replace her by next March.

“We are in crisis, as we need someone to come forward, someone who has knowledge of the pig industry, communications, presentations, budgeting and food preparation.

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“There is a real opportunity here for someone with different skills to mine to lead LIPs in a new direction. Someone who has more experience with social media, can do vlogging or videos of themselves cooking our recipes to promote them to a whole new audience.

“As the work is flexible, it does fit around family life. It is a busy job, but you decide when you want to work.

“No-one wants LIPs to disappear, not the members nor the pig industry itself. We need people to come forward and carry on the work that we’ve started – not just a chair but we also need new members who are keen and enthusiastic about coming along to help us at events; people who are passionate about promoting British pork.”

Reflecting on the last decade, when through her involvement Sue has met many famous faces, including James Martin, Adam Henson and Rosemary Shrager, she said: “The last ten years have been amazing. I’ve got to travel all over the country and worked with some fantastic ladies. It’s hard work but it’s rewarding.”

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For more details about Ladies in Pigs, visit www.ladiesinpigs.co.uk

FACTS

Ladies in Pigs is a national organisation founded in 1991 at The Pig Fair by a group of women who wanted to promote the British pig industry.

They take a branded mobile kitchen, which is affectionately known as Rosie, to dozens of agricultural and food shows and fairs each year.

Its 250 or so members choose which events they can help out at and are paid for their time and mileage.