ludlowOrganisers of Shropshire’s most famous food festival are to pay tribute to one of its founders by naming a festival stage after him and creating a bursary fund.

Graeme Kidd, a former mayor of Ludlow and a serving town councillor, died suddenly at his home in May.

He helped found the Ludlow Food and Drink Festival and also established Ludlow as the first Cittaslow town in the UK.

He was known for his interest in and commitment to good quality locally produced food.

At a meeting of festival directors this week, it was agreed a bursary for a newcomer into one of the food trades would be launched in memory of Mr Kidd this year. A third stage will also appear at the festival in September, called the Graeme Kidd Pavilion.

The stage will be the venue for the festival’s competitions, including the sandwich, pork pie and brewing events. It will also feature demonstrations.

Sally Newman-Kidd, Mr Kidd’s widow, said she was honoured to be asked to sit on the panel which will decide the criteria of the bursary.

She said: “Graeme contributed so much to the festival, from being one of the first four with the idea, right up to his death. I think these are wonderful ways of showing how much he was appreciated and ensuring his memory lives on in something that mattered so much to him.”

Phil Maile, festival chairman, said: “When we got to about year 10 of the festival, we had always said we wanted to look at setting up a bursary or foundation.”