A well-known retail expert will deliver a free public lecture next week (May 8).

Teresa Wickham was the first female director of Safeway stores and has also been an adviser to Sainsbury's. She will be delivering this year's Bledisloe Lecture at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) in Cirencester.

She is also a regular interviewee on television and radio regarding supply chain issues and retailing and has more than 40 years' experience of managing and developing complex areas of business, primarily in food, agribusiness and the retail sector.

Teresa will be sharing insights into her career, as well as looking at the challenge facing supermarkets and how farming goes forward.

She said: "I will also be talking about why I believe we were totally unprepared for our entry into the EU and how I feel that it is vital that we learn from the missed opportunities at this time to take advantage for the future."

The lecture will start at 6.30pm, with light refreshments sponsored by family-run meat company Heck available from 5.30pm.

Professor Peter McCaffery, RAU vice-chancellor, said: "Teresa is a trailblazing sector leader, and her experience and knowledge is central to much of what we teach here at the RAU. We are really looking forward to hearing more."

Teresa was also a non-executive director of the New Covent Garden Market Authority, a board member of the Apple and Pear Development Council and the Kingdom Advisory Board, and co-founder of the Women's Farming Union.

She continued: "I am particularly thrilled to have Heck supporting us with the refreshments for the lecture, since I believe their family business story is a great example for the future. Producers need to always be looking at ways of adding value to their products or their farming business to grow and continue to succeed.

"There are three important themes - cooperation, communications and the consumer - if you can get these right then that will ensure you have a successful business!"

The Bledisloe Lecture is free to attend, and everyone is welcome, but attendees should confirm their attendance by emailing rsvp@rau.ac.uk with their name.