Every town and village in the country could have access to food co-operatives or initiatives such as farmers' markets and community-owned shops by 2012, according to a new guide.

The Simply Legal guide, published by Co-operatives UK, informs communities about the advantages and disadvantages of setting up community enterprises. It also tells communities all they need to know about organisational types for local food and legal forms.

People are being encouraged to take control of their own food and where it is sourced from. The aim is for 650 community food enterprises to increase access to and awareness of local food for one million people by 2012.

Ed Mayo, secretary general of Co-operatives UK, said: "2009 has been a record year for local food.

"We have seen more and more initiatives become fully fledged enterprises, from inner city food co-operatives and farmers' markets through to rural community-owned shops and community supported agriculture. Our Making Local Food Work programme is designed to help them on that journey."

Visit www.cooperatives-uk.coop/SimplyLegal to download the Simply Legal guide or call 0161 246 2907 for help with legal forms.

Simply Legal was published as part of the Making Local Food Work project, a five-year programme that has received £10 million from the Big Lottery Fund, designed to focus people on taking ownership of their food and where it comes from.

Making Local Food Work is made up of seven partner organisations, including Co-operativesUK, Campaign to Protect Rural England, Country Markets Ltd, National Farmers' Retail and Markets Association (FARMA), the Plunkett Foundation, Soil Association, and Sustain.

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