Company Drinks is a Myvillages initiated project, rooted in the history of east Londoners ‘going picking ‘ in large numbers to the nearby Kent countryside. Kent – like any agricultural area – has always relied on seasonal migrant labour to come for the picking season. From around 1850 until the 1950ies up to 200.000 pickers – mainly women and children from the East End – would come annually for the hop harvest, make a bit of money, live in rows of hoppers huts and get some fresh air for the children.

They were called ‘the foreigners’ by the people in Kent.

In 2016 we went back to Kent to find out who is picking today. We filmed the get together of former hop-pickers and todays pickers, organised a ‘Hopping Afternoon’ at the Hoppers Hospital in Five Oak Green and went picking together to make a new Pickers Soda and Beer for Company Drinks.