BSP Consulting raises a glass with business associates

Louise Duffield from Perfect 10 PR with Ian Taylor from Mansell Construction

Civil and structural engineering firm BSP Consulting staged a wine tasting event in conjunction with Nottingham independent wine merchants Weavers.

The company, which is based in Oxford Street, Nottingham, and has offices in Derby, Leicester and Sheffield, invited a number of business associates to the event.

Hosted by Weavers director Philip Trease at Weavers’ premises in Castle Gate, the evening included sampling of wines from around the world, as well as an insight into the history of the building which is regarded as one of the finest Georgian properties in the city.

“We were very pleased to invite a number of our associates and business contacts to the event, which was thoroughly enjoyable and informative,” said BSP business development director Jef Todd. “I’d like to thank Weavers for hosting such a fascinating evening.”

Among the guests were people who work in, or are linked to, the construction and associated sectors.

Weavers is one of Nottingham’s oldest independent businesses. Established in 1844 by Edward Cossal Weaver, it has been run and operated by five generations of the Trease family since George Trease bought the business in 1897. Weavers supplies wines and spirits to private, corporate and trade customers throughout the Midlands and the UK.

BSP Consulting is an award-winning civil, structural, transportation, environmental and geotechnical engineering company, which offers the complete range of consultancy services to the construction industry across the UK.

For more information visit www.bsp-consulting.co.uk

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

Orange Tree pubs say Balls to Cancer with fund-raising menus

Three Leicestershire pubs are raising awareness of testicular cancer during national Balls to Cancer Male Cancer Awareness Week by creating a specials menu to encourage men to check themselves.

The Orange Tree pubs in Leicester and Loughborough, and The Lansdowne in London Road, Leicester, have designed dishes for their specials board which should remind men to keep an eye on what’s happening down below.

And each time a customer chooses one of the dishes - meatballs, fishballs, chicken balls or veggie falafel balls - the pubs will donate £1 to be split between the Balls to Cancer campaign and the Coping with Cancer charity, based in Leicestershire and Rutland.

“Around half of all cases of testicular cancer occur in men under 35 years of age and over 90% occur in men under 55 years,” said Alex Lumley, assistant manager at The Orange Tree in High Street, Leicester.

“Many of our customers fit into this demographic and during Balls to Cancer Male Cancer Awareness Week we want to do our bit to raise awareness of the importance of self-examination.

“The idea is that they check their balls – and then they check ours. We’re hoping that as well as raising awareness, we’ll also collect a good sum for the Balls to Cancer campaign and for the Coping with Cancer charity, which is a local good cause that the Orange Tree pubs and The Lansdowne have supported previously.”

Balls to Cancer’s Male Cancer Awareness Week runs from June 2nd to 9th and is a national campaign which turns the spotlight on male cancers.

The chefs at the pubs have created the special dishes to appeal to a variety of tastes and dietary requirements. They will be available throughout the week.

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

East Midlands food and drink firms prepare for flagship event

Organisers are planning one of the East Midlands’ key food and drink sector trade events of the calendar.

Business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum will stage its annual general meeting and members’ supper at Kelham Hall near Newark on Tuesday 25th June 2013.

The event attracts members and associates from across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland, and is the ideal place for those in the sector to network, renew acquaintances and make new contacts.

The Food and Drink Forum, which was founded in 1998, is working with DNCC to raise awareness about the event, and DNCC plans to invite more than 200 of its members who are buyers within the food and drink industry.

This year’s supper is being sponsored and supported by Campden BRI, the UK's largest independent membership-based organisation carrying out research and development and providing technical support for the food and drinks industry worldwide, Clegg Food Projects, a market leader in providing practical design, engineering and construction solutions for major food and drink operations, and the Food and Drink iNet, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and run by a consortium led by the Food and Drink Forum.

“This is our flagship event of the year, and is highly anticipated by members and associates who work in the food and drink sector in the East Midlands,” said Food and Drink Forum managing director Fiona Anderson.

“We are delighted that this year we are working with DNCC to promote the event, and as a result we expect to see many new faces joining us.”

This year’s speakers include James Pogson, director of Chesterfield-based Northern Tea Merchants, Kamal Dhutia, director at Leicester-based condiments portion control supplier B I (Europe) Limited, and Phil Ellis, from Attimo – an online sales and distribution project.

Members of The Food and Drink Forum are eligible for free tickets to the event, with the number dependent on their membership level. Additional tickets cost £75 plus vat, with membership discount also available.

Sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities are also available, offering an ideal showcase for any company that works within the food and drink sector. These include the chance for producers to run sampling sessions and for consultants to promote their services.

A networking, buffet supper rounds off the event – featuring some of the region’s finest food and drink products.

Campden BRI business development manager Daphne Llewellyn Davies said: “Campden BRI is delighted to have been given the opportunity to support local food and drink manufacturing in this region. As an organisation, we have taken part in the event for several years and we look forward to an exciting future of continuing to take a key role in the sector in the East Midlands.”

John Moxon, business development director at Clegg Food Projects, said: “This is an event I always look forward to attending. It provides a great opportunity to meet interesting people directly involved at the sharp end of food and drink manufacture and sale.“

The Food and Drink Forum, which operates across the East Midlands and beyond, is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham. It is a not-for-profit, membership-led organisation which aims to stimulate and support the sustainable growth and development of the food and drink industry in the region.

It provides a range of support for firms working in the sector in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland, including technical services, accreditation, compliance, packaging and shelf-life advice, and marketing.

The Forum is also the lead partner in the Food and Drink iNet, a project part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) which encourages innovation in the region’s food and drink industry.

For information about joining The Food and Drink Forum, tickets to the AGM and members’ supper or exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities, please call 0115 9758810.

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

Cherizena Coffee launches Father’s Day range

Mail order coffee supplier Cherizena has unveiled three different designs for its Father’s Day coffee.

The Leicestershire-based company, which supplies premium, speciality and flavoured coffees, has created three bespoke labels for its special blend.

Customers have the option to choose which label they prefer when selecting the Father’s Day coffee from www.cherizena.co.uk

So forget ties and socks this year – and get your coffee-loving Dad something he’ll really enjoy!

The 115g of premium Breakfast Blend coffee costs £3 and is specially ground for filters and cafetieres.

Choose from an ‘I love you Dad’, ‘World’s Best Dad’ or ‘Happy Father’s Day’ label.

Why not add a Cherizena cafetiere to your gift? Prices start from £12.50.

Visit www.cherizena.co.uk and browse the gift section for further details. Father's Day is on June 16th 2013.

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

Food and Drink Forum stages Meet the Buyer event

Specialist food and drink producers from across the East Midlands are being invited to take part in an event to showcase their products to buyers in the independent pub trade, catering, hospitality and retail sectors.

Trade association The Food and Drink Forum has teamed up with Everards Brewery to stage the Meet the Buyer event on June 5th at The Griffin Inn, Swithland, in Leicestershire.

It offers the opportunity for producers to promote their food and drink to potential new customers, and at the same time the chance for buyers to discover the latest trends in catering, source new ingredients and gain ideas for revamping their recipes and menus.

The event runs from 10am to 4pm and includes exhibition stands, cookery demonstrations, company presentations, as well as lunch and networking opportunities.

It is being organised as part of the Leicester Food Specialist project, which is providing business support to food and drink manufacturers in Leicester. The Meet the Buyer event, however, is open to food and drink producers and to buyers from the independent pub trade, and the catering, hospitality and retail sectors, from across the East Midlands.

“Meet the Buyer events are an excellent way for producers to showcase their products and for buyers to source new suppliers,” said Fiona Anderson, managing director of the Food and Drink Forum.

“We’re very pleased to be working with Everards Brewery on this event, and hope that both producers and buyers will seize the opportunity to come together for their mutual benefit.”

The event is free to attend for buyers. Food and drink producers in certain areas of Leicester that are part of the Leicester Food Specialist project can also attend free of charge. Contact the Food and Drink Forum for details about eligibility.

The cost of attendance for members of the Food and Drink Forum is £30 plus vat. Other food and drink suppliers can attend the day’s event for £60 plus vat. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

For more information or to book, please email enquiries@foodanddrinkforum.co.uk or call 0115 9758810. 

The Leicester Food Project is being run by the Food and Drink Forum, and is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Food and Drink Forum and Leicester City Council through the Working Neighbourhood Fund.

Visit www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Focus Consultants stages golf day for charity

Golfers got into the swing of things for charity and raised £240 for Marie Curie Cancer Care at the Focus Consultants’ annual charity golf day.

The event, which took place at Belton Park Golf Club, Grantham, attracted players from across the East Midlands.

It was organised by Trevor Newton, partner at Focus Consultants’ Lincolnshire offices, and senior building surveyor Craig Gould, who works in Focus Consultants’ head office at Phoenix Business Park, Nottingham.

Twenty four clients, associates and staff took part in the charity day, with Neal Rothwell, head of asset and facilities management at Lincolnshire Police taking the honours in first place. Second was Simon Elkington, from Harvest Associates, and third was Craig Gould, from Focus Consultants.

Prize for the longest drive went to Trevor Newton, from Focus Consultants, with Mark Jones, of Larkfleet, taking the honours for nearest pin. Neal Rothwell also scooped the prize for best under 14 handicap, and hacker of the day went to Andrew Sharp, building surveyor and CDM co-ordinator at Focus Consultants.

Len Hartley and Lee Towsey, from NHS Lincolnshire, and Steve Singleton, from The Manor Academy, Mansfield Woodhouse, took the team prize.

“We were very pleased that a number of our clients in the East Midlands could join us on our annual charity golf day, and delighted to have raised £240 for Marie Curie Cancer Care,” said Trevor Newton.

Focus Consultants, which has offices in Nottingham, Leicester, Boston and Aubourn in Lincolnshire, and in Holborn, London, specialises in funding, research and economic development, project and programme management, construction and property services and energy carbon sustainability services. It works on private and public projects across the UK.

The company decided to support Marie Curie Cancer Care at this year’s golf event after the charity helped a relative of one of its employees before he died last year.

For more information visit www.focus-consultants.co.uk
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Loyal customers and charity supporters officially open Croots Farm Shop's new Shires Eatery in Derbyshire

Derbyshire farm shop Croots has officially opened its new café and restaurant, Shires Eatery.

The honours at the farm shop near Duffield were performed by long-standing loyal customers and local charity supporters John and Jean Griffiths.

The retired couple, who live in Draycott, have been shopping and eating at Croots Farm Shop regularly since it opened in 2008, and regarded their visits as ‘therapy’ after a period of ill-health, said Jean.

She said they were astounded to be asked to cut the ribbon to mark the official opening.

“We were absolutely taken aback,” said Jean. “I thought it would be at least the lady mayoress. It’s a lovely thought.”

Croots Farm Shop owner Steve Croot said: “We are delighted to open our new, expanded Shires Eatery. Our coffee shop was popular from day one and I’m so pleased that we can now welcome and serve more than twice as many people. Hopefully we’ll enjoy a sunny summer this year and we’ll be able to open up our decking area too.

“John and Jean have been loyal customers at Croots and we felt it was very fitting that they should help us celebrate the opening by performing the honours. They do such good work in the community.”

Croots has been working since earlier this year to expand its popular coffee shop to create the 60-seat Shires Eatery, which overlooks fields of Shire horses at Farnah House Farm in Wirksworth Road, as well as having a wider view of the Ecclesbourne Valley.

The new restaurant is serving a more varied menu, including a roast meal every day. New chef Kate Griffin is working alongside the existing hospitality team at Croots, and two new part-time assistants have been hired. Croots is also planning to take on an apprentice chef to help in the kitchen.

The expansion project marks a significant investment for the farm shop which was a runner-up in the Best UK Independent Food Retailer 2010 category of the Observer Food Monthly Awards and named in The Independent’s top 50 best food shops the year before.

Croots sells a range of food and drink produced locally, regionally and from further afield. It stocks products from up to 40 producers from within a 50-mile radius of the shop.

It also produces its own range of products, including sausages, pies and ready meals. Since establishing in 2008, it has built up a strong reputation for its butchers’ fresh meat counter - winning dozens of awards for home-made sausages, home-smoked bacon and other meat products.

John and Jean Griffiths cut a ribbon to mark the official opening of Shires Eatery.

John is patron at Treetops Hospice in Risley and Jean was a volunteer there for 20 years and remains a supporter of the charity.

They began visiting Croots not long after it opened and enjoy regular visits – both to shop and to eat.

“I became ill in 2009 and the staff there were so kind. They sent a card and some lovely flowers. We got quite fond of them all. We used to call Croots our therapy,” added Jean. “We have remained loyal ever since. We find the staff so friendly and so helpful. We have always thoroughly enjoyed the food in the café.”

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

For more information visit www.croots.co.uk

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