First permanent coffee shop under the brand of independent coffee supplier Cherizena

Premium, speciality and flavoured coffee supplier Cherizena has its first branded coffee shop.

The outlet in High Street, Clacton-on-Sea, is being run by Cherizena sales agents Sue and Len Lane.

Cherizena, based at Warnaby, near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, offers up to 30 single origin coffees and around 20 different flavoured varieties of coffee direct to customers via mail order.

The firm also supplies to trade customers, and has a network of sales agents who sell Cherizena coffees at fairs and events across the country.

The Cherizena store in Clacton is the first permanent branded coffee shop for the company, which is run by Kate and Tom Jones.

As well as being a coffee shop offering refreshments, the store also sells a selection of beans and ground coffee from the Cherizena range.

“We are delighted that Sue and Len have opened a Cherizena coffee shop, and wish them well in the venture,” said Kate Jones. “They have been sales agents for us for quite some time now, and are regular faces at events and markets across East Anglia. I am sure that their customers are very pleased that they can now also enjoy their favourite coffees in the new shop, and also buy coffee to take away.”

For more information about Cherizena Coffee visit www.cherizena.co.uk

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

East Midlands Fine Foods seeks applications from stall holders for October and December markets in Loughborough

Speciality food and drink producers are being given new opportunities to sell direct to the public with the launch of fine food markets in Loughborough in October and December.

Loughborough English Food and Drink Festival events will be staged on Sunday October 23rd and again on December 16th.

The markets, which are being run by regional food group East Midlands Fine Foods on behalf of Charnwood Borough Council, are open to artisan food and drink producers across the UK and follow a similar event held in April for the first time.

“The Loughborough English Food and Drink Festival in April provided a great chance for speciality food and drink firms to sell direct to the public,” said Jo Taylor, events manager at East Midlands Fine Foods.

“We’re hoping to have a good range of producers at both the October and December events.”

The festivals will be held in the Market Place, Loughborough, in the centre of the town.

Organisers are looking for all sorts of producers from cheese makers to chutney producers and bread makers to beer suppliers.

“There are so many wonderful products made in the East Midlands and beyond, so we’re hoping for an excellent array of items for shoppers,” added Jo.

For details about stalls, call East Midlands Fine Foods on 0115 9758810.

www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

BSP Consulting plays a key role in the opening of a £15 million health and leisure scheme

The latest integrated medical and leisure centre designed and built by an award-winning team featuring BSP Consulting has opened its doors.

The £15 million Moor Park Health and Leisure Centre development in Blackpool features an eco-friendly drainage system which has been incorporated into the play area and park around the scheme. It is thought to be the first sustainable urban drainage scheme (SuDS) in the country designed to be part of a play area.

Civil and structural engineering company BSP Consulting, of Pride Park, Derby, worked in association with Ashby de la Zouch developer LSP Developments and Tamworth architects West Hart Partnership Ltd on the Blackpool centre, a three-storey development that includes three GP surgeries, PCT outpatient services, as well as a library, gym and swimming pool.

The team previously worked together on a similar scheme at Freshney Green, Grimsby, which last year won the HealthInvestor Property of the Year Award.

“The scheme at the Blackpool development is particularly unusual because it contains no underground surface water drainage, so all the surface water run-off from roofs and hard-standing areas is managed above ground through a combination of ponds and ditches which take the water away from the building and allows it to dissipate into the park area beyond,” said structural engineer Paul Whittingham, BSP’s project manager for the scheme.

“Managing surface water run-off is critical to any development, and we are delighted to have been involved in what we believe is the first SuDs scheme that’s been integrated as part of the design of a play area and park.”

The SuDS scheme was designed by landscape architect Dave Singleton.

BSP Consulting, which also has offices in Nottingham, Leicester and Sheffield, provides a comprehensive range of consultancy services to all sectors of the construction community, from architects, project managers and contractors to developers and estate agents.

www.bsp-consulting.co.uk

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

New range for Original Cake Company thanks to Food and Drink iNet (Innovation Network) support

Lincoln-based Original Cake Company is developing a new range of cakes as part of its expansion plans, thanks to support from the Food and Drink iNet (Innovation Network).

The business, which specialises in fruit cakes, is diversifying into baking a selection of non-fruited cakes.

It already has a customer lined up for the new products and hopes to create two or three new jobs as a result of the development, said general manager Simon Woodiwiss.

The Food and Drink iNet has awarded £7,437.50 Innovation Advice and Guidance support for the development of the six-strong range of new cakes, which the Original Cake Company is match funding.

“The Food and Drink iNet support is very welcome, as it’s made it easier for us to fund the project and meant that we have been able to bring it forward,” said Simon Woodiwiss. “We have an existing customer for the range, and it may possibly create two or three new jobs, depending on how successful the new range is.”

The Food and Drink iNet, which is funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), is one of four regional iNets that operates across the region. It has a pot of finance available this summer to provide match-funded support for eligible East Midlands projects in the food and drink sector, which could be focusing on new products, accessing new markets or looking at new ways of working.

Richard Worrall, Food and Drink iNet director, said: “One of the Food and Drink iNet’s roles is to support firms in new product development and to help them create new markets. We are pleased to support the Original Cake Company as it diversifies with a new selection of cakes.”

The Original Cake Company, with more than 30 years of baking experience, used the funding support to help with new product development, holding consumer review sessions, and the design of packaging and labels. It hopes to launch the new range later this month (July).

The Food and Drink iNet aims to build on the tradition of innovation in the food and drink industry in the region by helping to create opportunities to develop knowledge and skills, and to help research, develop and implement new products, markets, services and processes. It is managed by a consortium, led by the Food and Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday, Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the University of Nottingham. For more information visit www.eminnovation.org.uk/food

For more information please contact the Food and Drink iNet on info@foodanddrink-inet.org.uk

www.originalcake.co.uk

Nottingham public relations company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Orange Tree music festival Glastontree raises cash for LOROS

Glastontree, the mini music festival organised by Leicester’s Orange Tree bar, will be raising money for LOROS hospice next month.

The line-up for the High Street venue’s seventh festival of musicians and DJs has been revealed and once again includes Grace Petrie.

The Leicester singer/guitarist has appeared at the Orange Tree event every year since it started in 2005 and this year’s performance follows her high-profile set on the Glastonbury Leftfield stage.

Part of the Leicester Fringe Festival, Glastontree’s organisers are hoping to add to the £10,000 the pub has raised so far for the Leicestershire and Rutland hospice during Glastontree events in previous years.

Acts for the Sunday August 7 event also include Tom Savage, Chris Warner, Gallery 47, who recently played at Scotland’s T in the Park, Move and Cousin Avi.

Doors open at 1pm and performances start in the pub garden at 2.30pm before moving into the bar from 8pm. All-day wristbands cost £5 and are available from the Orange Tree. There will be a charity raffle and barbecue during the day.

General manager Jonny Glover said: “Last year hundreds of people enjoyed fantastic music from local bands, solo artists and DJs.

“This year is going to be even better and is a fantastic chance for our loyal customers to help LOROS hospice.

“It really is a great way to enjoy the summer and get to see what Leicester has to offer in the way of musical talent.”

For more information visit www.leicesterfringe.co.uk/week-events/sunday/

For information about the Orange Tree visit www.orangetree.co.uk

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Derby Young Farmers raise cash for charity at Croots Farm Shop in Derbyshire

Derby Young Farmers’ Club will be staging a charity car wash on Saturday July 30th in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Taking place at Croots Farm Shop, Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, Duffield, the event will run between 9am and 5pm.

The charity car washers are asking for a minimum donation of £3 per car towards their cause.

The club is part of the National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs (NFYFC), which is made up of more than 650 clubs and has more than 23,000 members across England and Wales. Membership is open to anyone aged between 10 and 26.

“We’re delighted to be hosting this year’s charity car wash by Derby Young Farmers’ Club, and hope that they will be well supported to raise money for a very deserving cause,” said Steve Croot, who runs Croots Farm Shop.

www.croots.co.uk

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Award-winning healthy olive snacks OLOVES launch two new flavours

Two new flavours of award-winning healthy olive snack OLOVES are being unveiled this summer.

Lemony Lover and Hot Chilli Mama are being launched to complement the Tasty Mediterranean and Light Hearted Vinaigrette flavours of OLOVES that are already available.

Sold in 30g packs, OLOVES are a handy, on-the-go snacking alternative to crisps and nuts.

With around 50 calories per pack and suitable for vegetarians and vegans, as well as being Kosher approved, OLOVES come in a foil-fresh, liquid-free pack.

The new flavours are ideal for independent stores, health food shops, and specialist retailers, as well as pubs, sandwich bars and coffee shops looking to offer something special in their snacking sections.

Lemony Lover is a zesty blend of lemon pieces, oregano and a hint of garlic. Red Hot Chilli Mama is a fiery mix of red hot habanero chillis and lemon pieces.

They have been designed to complement the Tasty Mediterranean flavour - the perfect marinated olives with a pinch of basil and garlic – and the Light Hearted Vinaigrette flavour, which features green olives marinated in a vinaigrette dressing.

Each pack of OLOVES contains 12-14 naturally tasty pitted olives.

All four flavours are available in pre-packed hanging strips …ideal to attract impulse buys.

The snacks come in shelf-ready boxes of 10 and bulk boxes of 300, with the option for pre-loaded hanging strips. Recommended retail price for a single pack of OLOVES is 0.89p to £1 in shops.

OLOVES have proved popular in travel catering and are stocked on several airlines including Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines and Thomas Cook. They have won four awards – including the equivalent of an Oscar after picking up a Mercury Award from the International Travel Catering Association (ITCA).

They are also ideal for vending.

For more information visit www.oloves.com

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Anila’s Authentic Sauces on sale in ‘garden centre of the year’

Award-winning premium curry sauces and accompaniments from Anila’s Authentic Sauces are now on sale at Bents Garden & Home, Cheshire – four times holder of the best destination garden centre in the UK.

The outlet is the first stockist of Anila’s range in the area.

Around 18 products made by Anila’s Authentic Sauces are now on sale in the food hall at the garden centre in Glazebury, near Warrington, which was named the Garden Centre Association Destination Garden Centre of the Year in 2011 for the third year running.

“We recently had a very successful tasting session at Bents Garden & Home – their customers loved our range of curry sauces, chutneys and pickles – and so I am delighted that the luxury food hall has become our first garden centre stockist in Cheshire,” said Anila Vaghela, who founded Anila’s Authentic Sauces in 1997.

“Our sauces are premium products that contain only natural ingredients, and are free from dairy, gluten, added sugar, onion and garlic. They are also suitable for vegans and vegetarians, so they are perfect for a wide range of customers. We are sure they will go down very well with customers in the speciality food hall of Bents Garden & Home, which specialises in products from local, national and international suppliers with impeccable provenance.”

Established in 1937, Bents is a family run business that has grown from a small garden centre into a destination for quality, home, garden and leisure shopping. Its food hall is an emporium for food lovers.

Anila’s products, which sell through delis, farm shops, garden centres, health food stores and quality food retailers, have recently unveiled new labels to reflect the distinct characteristics of the range and to promote the concentrated nature of the superb Indian curry sauces – adding water doubles the quantity of curry sauce. Behind the labels are guides to making the perfect authentic meal using the ingredients of choice, along with serving suggestions and contact details for even more great recipe ideas.

The curry sauces, chutneys, pickles and dips are also being packaged in chic new jars.

Anila’s has won 11 Great Taste Awards from the Guild of Fine Food for its products. Its Goan Green Curry Sauce was named Best Vegan Product in The Veggie Awards 2011 by Cook Vegetarian! magazine, with the judges saying: “Not only one of the best vegan curry sauces we’ve ever tried but one of the best curry sauces available. Its complexity of flavours makes its taste truly sensational.”

In 2009 Anila’s Spicy Korma Curry Sauce scooped a “Free From” Food Award.

Anila’s Authentic Sauces is based in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, with a unit in Hounslow, and is run by Anila and her husband Dan.

Anila’s products are sold at John Lewis Oxford Street and John Lewis Bluewater, and top quality gourmet stores, such as Harrods, Wholefoods and Planet Organic, plus hundreds of other outlets that include health food stores, garden centres and gift shops, as well as smaller independent stores such as Budgens at Ascot, Shepperton and Crouch End. Anila’s also sells direct to the public at around 20 farmers’ markets across Surrey, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire, including Guildford, Walton, Windsor, Maidenhead, Ascot, Ripley, Reading, Beaconsfield and Farnham, and online via www.anilassauces.com


Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Derbyshire’s Croots Farm Shop celebrates two gold Great Taste Awards

Derbyshire farm shop Croots is celebrating the news that it has been awarded two Great Taste Awards for its traditional pork pie and its lemon oil.

The awards run by the Guild of Fine Food are regarded as the ‘Oscars’ of the food and drink industry. Croots traditional pork pie and its lemon oil were each awarded a one star gold award by the judges, who included chefs, food writers and retailers.

Last year, one of Croots’ ales, Cow Juice Beer, won a gold star rating in the Great Taste Awards, while the previous year the accolade was given to the farm shop’s Black Pudding Sausage.

“We are thrilled that both our pork pie and our lemon oil have been recognised as gold star standard in the Great Taste Awards, which are one of the most highly regarded food and drink award schemes in the UK,” said Steve Croot, who runs the farm shop at Farnah House Farm, in Wirksworth Road near Duffield.

“Both products are popular with our customers, and I’m delighted to hear that the judges of the Great Taste Awards agreed that they are special, and have given them the seal of approval. Judging is based on taste, not marketing, so customers know that a product that’s been awarded a Great Taste Award is going to taste really good.”

More than 7,400 products were entered into the awards, which are regarded as the benchmark in speciality food and drink, but less than a third were granted gold stars status.

The Great Taste Awards are the latest in a number of awards won by Croots over the past few months.

The shop and café, which recently celebrated its third birthday, was last month commended in the Deli of the Year competition after being nominated by customers as part of a national competition, and it also scooped four accolades in the British Pie Awards 2011, including a gold for its popular steak and kidney pie.

In May, Croots took three golds and a silver award for its sausages and pies at the 17th Robin Hood Championship. And in February Croots won 16 awards for its sausages and pies at the BPEX regional roadshow at Newark Showground in Nottinghamshire.

Last year it was a runner-up in the Best UK Independent Food Retailer 2010 category of the Observer Food Monthly Awards. The year before, it was named in The Independent’s top 50 best food shops.

“Our staff work very hard to create top quality products, and it’s extremely gratifying to receive awards,” said Steve. “The awards we have won recently have been based on either feedback from industry experts or from customers, so it’s great to hear that we are hitting the spot with both.”

Croots, based at Farnah House Farm, opened its doors in June 2008 and has gone from strength to strength. As well as the shop and café, it recently opened a plant nursery.

Croots Farm Shop and Kitchen is open Sundays from 10am to 4pm (café until 3.45pm), and from Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (café until 4.30pm). It is closed on Mondays.

For more information visit www.croots.co.uk


Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Food and Drink iNet (Innovation Network) helps East Midlands producers showcase at Borough Market

The Food and Drink iNet (Innovation Network) is flying the flag for East Midlands produce this week at London’s famous Borough Market.

The organisation is showcasing food and drink produced by 15 firms from across the region in the capital on Thursday, Friday and Saturday July 21st, 22nd and 23rd.

The move is part of a pilot project designed to look at how firms can collaborate by working together to achieve goals that wouldn’t be possible on their own. If successful, it could lead to a more regular presence for East Midlands products at the market in south east London, which specialises in quality food with provenance.

“Borough Market is a world-famous market, renowned for its food and drink stalls, but it’s out of reach for many of the small, artisan producers of the East Midlands for a variety of reasons, such as cost and logistics,” said Food and Drink iNet director, Richard Worrall.

“The Food and Drink iNet is bringing 15 of the region’s producers together to showcase their products on an East Midlands stall to see how a collaborative project can help overcome distribution problems and other challenges that they would face if doing something like this on their own.

“It will give us the chance to look at how they can tap into new markets and hopefully grow their businesses. For the vast majority of the firms, it’s their first taste of selling at Borough Market.”

The team also wants to highlight the unique cultural diversity of food and drink in the East Midlands, and has a selection of producers selling a range of items including ethnic foods, chocolate and smoked products.

The iNet, which is funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), is working with Nottingham-based logistics firm 5PL Limited to look into how a collaborative distribution service could work in the future for small firms wishing to sell at London markets.

Firms taking part in the iNet’s Borough Market project are:

From Leicestershire, beef and lamb producer Blackbrook Traditional Meats, from Coalville, cheese producer Sparkenhoe Red Leicester, from Upton, Indian flat breads firm Apni Roti, from Leicester, and fresh curry sauces firm the Tiffin Food Company, from Leicester .

From Lincolnshire, smoked products company Smith’s Smokery, from Boston, cured meat producer Rectory Reserve, from Horncastle, The Chocolate Pizza Company, from Crowland, cold-pressed rapeseed oil producer Mimosa Market, from Grantham, and Lincolnshire plum bread producer Moden’s, from Spilsby.

From Nottinghamshire, curry sauce and accompaniments producer Ghar Ka Khana, from Nottingham, and Mexican food producer Rico Mexican Kitchen, from Southglade Food Park.

From Derbyshire, smoked products company Redwood Smokery, from Bolsover, and truffles producer Bittersweet Chocolates, from Melbourne.

From Rutland, authentic Thai sauce firm Tuk Tuk, from Stamford.

From Northamptonshire, quirky accompaniments producer The Pickled Village, from Bulwick.

The stall at Borough Market will be manned by an independent individual, with support from Food and Drink iNet advisors and staff from East Midlands business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum.

The Food and Drink iNet is one of four regional iNets developed to link academic and private sector expertise and knowledge with local food and drink business innovation needs.

The Food and Drink iNet aims to build on the tradition of innovation in the food and drink industry in the region by helping to create opportunities to develop knowledge and skills, and to help research, develop and implement new products, markets, services and processes. It is managed by a consortium, led by the Food and Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday, Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the University of Nottingham. For more information visit www.eminnovation.org.uk/food

For more information please contact the Food and Drink iNet on info@foodanddrink-inet.org.uk

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Sherwood Truck and Van supplies IMR Transport with six new Iveco Stralis tractor units

Sherwood Truck and Van, the East Midlands commercial vehicle group, has supplied six Iveco Stralis Active Space trucks to haulage firm IMR Transport.

They are now part of IMR’s 50-strong fleet operating from its base in Coventry Lane, Bramcote, near Nottingham.

IMR owner Ian Robertson said the Iveco Stralis AS440S45TXP was an impressive vehicle but he had also been persuaded by South Normanton-based Sherwood Truck and Van’s service, particularly the four-year Peace of Mind Supreme Repair and Maintenance package.

“We rented an Iveco Stralis Active Space during a busy period last year and the drivers were impressed. It also gave us excellent fuel returns,” said Mr Robertson.

“We have our own workshops but it is easier and far more cost-effective to have our trucks looked after by Sherwood.

“Like anyone with a mixed fleet, we get to know the strengths and weaknesses of the various manufacturers and their dealers very quickly.

“And I have to say we’re happy with Iveco and we’re delighted with the support we’ve had from Sherwood. They understand what running tractors is all about.”

Sherwood’s ‘Peace of Mind’ Repair and Maintenance package offers three levels of cover, ranging from the basic legal requirements of service and inspections, through to the full cover. This includes the legal requirements plus preventative maintenance inspections, clutch and brake wear, repairs arising from material or manufacturing defects, plus 24-hour emergency roadside assistance and recovery.

Sherwood Truck and Van, part of West Bromwich-based Ian Guest Holdings, one of the UK’s largest independently owned commercial vehicle dealers, has branches in Lenton, Nottingham, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, South Normanton near Alfreton, and Highfield Lane, Sheffield.

The group covers an area that includes the West Midlands, North Wales, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire.

Regional director responsible for the four Sherwood locations, Helen Waterfall, said: “We understand how critical reliability is for our customers. That’s why we work so hard on our repair and maintenance packages. It’s good to know that they are paying off with deals like this from IMR.”

Sherwood is a leading supplier of new and used commercial vehicles, established in 1978. The company also maintains, services and repairs commercial vehicles across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire and most of Cheshire.

IMR Transport was set up as a one-man operation 17 years ago and is now a thriving haulage business run by Ian Robertson and his wife Lynne. It has 20,000sq ft of warehousing at its Bramcote base and a loyal customer base.

www.sherwoodtruckandvan.com

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Three Peaks Challenge for the Andy Thomas Foundation

Family and friends of therapist Andy Thomas have raised more than £2,000 for a fund set up in his memory by completing the Three Peaks Challenge.

The money raised for the Andy Thomas Foundation will be used to help the charitable causes that were supported by Andy, who died aged 65 in March.

The eight-strong team completed the challenge, which involved scaling the highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales, in 23 hours and two minutes.

They hope that by the time all the sponsorship comes in they will have raised £2,500 in memory of Andy, from West Bridgford, who died of cancer.

“It was our first major fund-raising event for the Andy Thomas Foundation,” said his wife Liz Thomas. “It was a magnificent effort, and I am very proud of the family and friends who took part. I’d like to thank everyone for their donations which will help us to carry on the good work that Andy felt so passionate about.”

Andy, a yoga teacher and therapist, who lived in Melton Road, loved the natural world, was passionate about spiritual development, dedicated to healing, and flexible in body and mind. He supported a number of charities and was particularly keen on sustainable living.

Before he died he was involved in a project to create a community orchard at a farm at Car Colston, near Bingham, where more than 100 new fruit trees have now been planted. The Andy Thomas Foundation plans to make its first donation to support the farm’s ‘seed to sandwich’ scheme that will educate city youngsters about farming and where food comes from.

The Three Peaks Challenge was organised by business and training consultancy firm the PDW Group, based in Colwick, which is run by Andy’s son Jim and his wife Elan, who both took part in the event, which involved scaling Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon.

They were joined by two of Andy’s other grown-up children, students Sam, 18, and Hannah, 20, as well as friends Alex Gillies-Loach, from Burton Joyce, Josh O'Dwyer, from Wollaton, Liam Malson, from West Bridgford, and Roger Harrison, from Nottingham.

“The journey was not without its complications, with the A595 from Carlisle being closed for the night and all of our legs feeling they had been beaten, but we made it through and are delighted to have raised so much money for the foundation,” said Jim, 42.

The money raised by the Three Peaks Challenge will be added to the approximately £6,000 collected for the Andy Thomas Foundation following Andy’s funeral in March and used to support a number of causes that were close to Andy’s heart.

Donations can be made via www.andythomasfoundation.co.uk


Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

City of London Honour for Luke Evans Bakery's David Yates

Derbyshire baker David Yates has become a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Bakers, one of the oldest guilds in the City of London.

Mr Yates, proprietor of Luke Evans Bakery based in Riddings, near Alfreton, was admitted to the livery during the company’s July Court meeting at its headquarters in Harp Lane, just 200 yards from London’s Tower Bridge, right in the heart of the City.

He said: “I feel very privileged to have been accepted as a liveryman in this distinguished and ancient London livery, and shall endeavour to do my utmost to embrace and respect all the wonderful traditions and customs of the company, and to offer my support in any way that the Master, Clerk and the Court see fit.

“The sense of history is immense, in an institution that can trace its origins back over 800 years, yet at the same time the Worshipful Company of Bakers is at the forefront of promoting education within the bakery industry, as well as supporting many other charitable activities.

“I first became a freeman of the Worshipful Company of Bakers last year, and then proceeded to become a Freeman of the City of London which in turn entitles you to become a full liveryman of your chosen livery company.“

The Company of Bakers has more than 350 members and many are master bakers or work in allied trades. It is one of the oldest City of London liveries, or trade guilds, with records showing bakers making payments to Henry II as early as 1155.

Today, in a bid to promote education, the company provides scholarships and prizes for young people in the baking industry and is committed to upholding the traditions and history of baking.

Mr Yates was in fine company, when he was admitted as a liveryman, alongside City of London solicitor Polly Joseph, whose father Rex Joseph is a past master of the company.

Luke Evans Bakery supplies around 300 wholesale and trade customers in Derbyshire, East Staffordshire, and Nottinghamshire including shops, schools and delis, as well as Pride Park – the home of Derby County.

Set up in 1804 the bakery can call on eight generations of Evans family baking experience. Mr Yates’ daughter Sarah, 19, joined the business last year. Craft bakers work a shift pattern across 24 hours a day at its base in Green Hill Lane, Riddings, producing breads, cakes and savoury products.

www.lukeevans.co.uk

Nottingham-based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Derbyshire's Croots Farm Shop commended in the Deli of the Year Competition

Croots Farm Shop, near Duffield, has been praised for the way it meets customer requirements and the commitment of its staff.

The shop and café, in Wirksworth Road, has been commended in the Deli of the Year competition after being nominated by customers as part of a national competition.

Judges said Croots was a champion of “deli attitude”, had identified and understood what its customers wanted and that staff knew what they were talking about when it came to food.

The contest is run by Olives Et Al, an artisan food producer in Dorset, and is supported by the Guild of Fine Food and Delicious Magazine. It aims to raise awareness of delis and help owners get feedback from customers.

“Congratulations to Croots,” said organiser Giles Henschel.

“We hope that the team is thrilled to have been nominated by their own customers and commended by the judges.”

Farm shop owner Steve Croot is delighted to be able to add the commendation to a string of recent awards including a haul of gold and silver prizes from a regional Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board event, accolades in the British Pie Awards, and top prizes at the 17th Robin Hood Championship run by the Nottinghamshire Council of Retail Meat Traders.

“It’s good to know that customers appreciate the quality of the service we offer as well as the quality of our products,” he said.

“And it’s gratifying to know that they recognise the knowledge and expertise of our staff, too. We’re very grateful to our customers for the nomination and pleased to have received a commendation in this national award.”

Croots, based at Farnah House Farm, opened its doors three years ago and has gone from strength to strength. As well as the shop and café, it recently opened a plant nursery.

Last year it was a runner-up in the Best UK Independent Food Retailer 2010 category of the Observer Food Monthly Awards. The year before, it was named in The Independent’s top 50 best food shops.

Croots Farm Shop and Kitchen is open Sundays from 10am to 4pm (café until 3.45pm), and from Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (café until 4.30pm). It is closed on Mondays.

For more information visit www.croots.co.uk

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Meet the Shire Horse Day at Croots Farm Shop in Derbyshire

Visitors have the chance to find out more about the gentle giants of the horse world when Croots Farm Shop stages a Meet the Shire Horse Day later this month.

The event at Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, near Duffield, takes place on Sunday July 17th.

The farm has been home to Shire horses for around 45 years, and has bred many award-winning animals. Foals born at the farm have moved to countries all over the world.

The event, which runs from 11am to 2pm, features plaiting displays and the chance to talk to Shire horse owner and judge Jim Yates to find out how the horses are cared for. There will also be horse-related activities for children.

“There’s something quite special about Shire horses. Many of our customers love them and often ask questions about them when they come to the shop,” said Steve Croot, who runs Croots Farm Shop. “We thought it would be nice to have a day where visitors can get to know some of the horses and foals that live at the farm and learn more about them.

“Shire horses have been in the family for generations and have lived at Farnah House Farm for decades. Jim is renowned in the world of Shire horses, and has judged at Shire horse shows in many different countries.”

Croots Farm Shop & Kitchen is open Sundays from 10am to 4pm (café until 3.45pm), and from Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (café until 4.30pm). It is closed on Mondays.

For more information visit www.croots.co.uk

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Food and Drink iNet (Innovation Network) looks into disappearing beer casks problem

The East Midlands microbrewery industry is feeling the cost, as thousands of pounds worth of beer casks go missing every year. Nationally, the British Beer and Pub Association estimates the problem costs the UK brewing industry £50 million annually.

Now researchers at The University of Nottingham are stepping in to help microbrewers in the region by trying to discover the best way to keep track of the casks after being invited to study the problem by the Food and Drink iNet (Innovation Network).

The university’s Food and Biofuel Innovation Centre has been commissioned by the iNet to team up with the Derbyshire Brewers’ Collective under the iNet’s Collaborate to Innovate project, which brings together academic experts and industry to solve specific challenges in the food sector.

The university will liaise with the collective in a bid to pinpoint the best approaches for tracking devices for the casks and ways of raising awareness about the problem in the hope that it will save the microbrewery industry thousands of pounds in the future.

Breweries are believed to lose up to 10% of casks per year.

“Some casks can be stolen but more than likely they are lost – just left in yards, pubs and units, and not returned to their rightful owners. They could be there for ages,” said John Baldock, chairman of the Derbyshire Brewers’ Collective and a director at Derventio Brewery near Ashbourne.

“If you pay £74 to buy a cask and it gets left in someone’s back yard, you can’t use. It’s dead money. It’s not working for your brewery. A lot of breweries rent casks, but if these casks go missing then we are paying rent per month for casks that we can’t use. The upshot is that there are a lot of disgruntled small brewers who haven’t got their own casks in their own yards. A lot of it is down to the fact that many wholesalers, landlords and draymen just aren’t aware of the cost to a brewery of not returning casks.”

The major breweries barcode their casks to keep track of them. But even then, a proportion goes missing.

The University of Nottingham will be working with the Derbyshire Brewers’ Collective – made up of 16 breweries in the county - to come up with cost-effective ideas to help solve the problem.

Food and Drink iNet director, Richard Worrall, said: “The iNet is committed to bringing academics and businesses together so that they can work collectively to solve common problems. When we heard how much money was being lost as a result of disappearing beer casks we wanted to do something to help find a solution which will benefit the microbrewery industry.”

The commission by the iNet is one of the first pieces of research work gained by the new Food and Biofuel Innovation Centre, based at The University of Nottingham’s Sutton Bonington site. The centre is a combination of three interconnected areas – one for brewing science, one for food processing and one for bioenergy production. Each area has the plant and equipment to carry out research, development and teaching.

“We are hoping to provide a range of solutions that will help microbrewers increase their profitability because the loss of casks, whether they are rented or owned by the microbrewers, does represent a loss of profit,” said Dr Jerry Avis, project manager at the Food and Biofuel Innovation Centre.

“A small brewer has to have roughly five times the number of casks he’s going to fill at any one time. If we can help reduce that ratio it’s a big improvement.”

The Food and Drink iNet, which is funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), is one of four regional iNets developed to link academic and private sector expertise and knowledge with local food and drink business innovation needs.

The Food and Drink iNet aims to build on the tradition of innovation in the food and drink industry in the region by helping to create opportunities to develop knowledge and skills, and to help research, develop and implement new products, markets, services and processes. It is managed by a consortium, led by the Food and Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday, Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the University of Nottingham. For more information visit www.eminnovation.org.uk/food

For more information please contact the Food and Drink iNet on info@foodanddrink-inet.org.uk

Nottingham PR consultant Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk