ProCon Leicestershire 2011 Award for BSP Consulting scheme

East Midlands civil and structural engineering firm BSP Consulting is celebrating being part of the team behind a project that took the title of Sustainable Development of the Year at the ProCon Leicestershire 2011 Awards.

The award was presented for the development of Oakham Church of England Primary School.

BSP Consulting, with offices in Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and Sheffield, was civil and structural engineer for the £6.2 million scheme, which was a Willmott Dixon project for Rutland County Council.

The news came shortly after another scheme that BSP Consulting worked on – Brookside Meadows in Northampton – was named Sustainable Smaller Housing Project at the Sustainable Housing Awards 2011.

“It is great news for the whole team to hear that the development of Oakham Church of England Primary School has been named Sustainable Development of the Year at the ProCon Leicestershire 2011 Awards,” said BSP business development director Jef Todd.

The building and the engineering system were designed to work as one at the school. Whatever the weather outside, the building makes less demand on heating, ventilation and lighting to keep it pleasant inside. Energy and water-efficient appliances also cut the environmental impact of the school.

The school has space for 280 children, plus 35 pupils with special educational needs and 25 nursery places. Forty square metres of roof area are used for solar heated water. Natural ventilation and occupancy sensing low energy lighting are just two more of the many measures that contribute to the building’s environmental performance and a BREEAM rating of ‘very good’.

BSP Consulting 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.

Its services include civil, structural, environmental, transportation and geotechnical engineering.

The company was launched in Nottingham in 1999 and its offices are in Oxford Street, Nottingham, Pride Park, Derby, De Montfort Street, Leicester and Vincent House, Solly Street, Sheffield.

www.bsp-consulting.co.uk

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Croots Farm Shop strikes gold with sausages, pies and meat products during BPEX roadshow

Derbyshire farm shop Croots has a dozen reasons to celebrate today after scooping 12 awards for its sausages, pies and meat products at the BPEX regional roadshow.

The farm shop near Duffield was awarded three gold, seven silver and two bronze awards at the excellence in pork products event, held at Newark Showground in Nottinghamshire.

Croots Farm Shop owner Steve Croot said he was delighted that every entry put forward by Croots had been given an award at the event, judged by industry experts.

“I am absolutely thrilled for the team,” said Steve. “The products are evaluated by a team of industry experts and points are given for a range of attributes, including appearance, consistency, texture, taste and smell. The judges in the BPEX awards use a set national criteria and so we can quite confidently say that our sausages and pork products are amongst some of the best in the country.”

Croots Farm Shop, based at Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, took gold for its mutton rogan josh, black pudding and black pudding with bacon, silver for its mutton and veg sausage, Cumberland sausage, beef and tomato sausage, as well as its Brian Clough Banger – created especially for British Sausage Week this year – and its pork pie, meatballs and lamb and mint pie.

Bronze awards were awarded for Croots’ pork and Roquefort pie and its game pie.

The accolades are the latest in a long line of awards that the butchery and deli counter at Croots have achieved and come just weeks after its Henry Cooper Sausage won through to the regional final of a contest to find Britain’s best banger held during British Sausage Week.

It picked up a gold star award for its pork pie in the Great Taste Awards 2011, and also scooped four accolades in the British Pie Awards 2011, including a gold award 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.

Produced by the shop’s in-house butchers, all the pork sausages at Croots are made using free range Packington Pork from Barton-under-Needwood near Burton-upon-Trent. Croots has a range of around 40 different flavours of banger, which it sells on a rotating basis.

Entries to the BPEX awards were a team effort, with Croots deputy manager Margaret Robinson creating the pies and the rogan josh, and butchers and deli counter staff Rob Tomkins, Neil Cartledge and Sylvia Maunder producing the sausages and black puddings.

“It was an excellent team effort,” added Steve Croot, who opened Croots Farm Shop in June 2008 and recently welcomed its 250,000th customer.

For more information visit www.croots.co.uk

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.

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Festive fundraiser for LOROS at The Lansdowne, Leicester

Leicester bar The Lansdowne is teaming up with creative local entrepreneurs to stage a Christmas fair that will showcase their products.

Unusual gifts, unique clothes, handmade accessories, lovely lingerie and home-baked cupcakes are just some of the items that will be on sale during the Trinkets and Tinsel event on Saturday December 10th.

Running from 1pm to 6pm at the London Road pub, the event will also raise money for Leicestershire and Rutland hospice LOROS.

The fair, which will also feature festive tunes courtesy of the Leicester Chorus Society, is the latest in a number of events staged at The Lansdowne which have raised money for LOROS.

“It’s a great opportunity to support small and fledgling local businesses by providing space for a Christmas fair, and to give our customers the opportunity to buy unusual presents or outfits for Christmas,” said The Lansdowne general manager Kate Owen. “At the same time it gives us a chance to continue our fund-raising efforts for LOROS, which is a charity that we have supported for some time now.”

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Winners announced in the Food and Drink iNet Innovation Awards 2011

A pioneering method to detect fake whisky through the bottle using space technology has been crowned the Food and Drink iNet Innovation Champion 2011.

Developed by The University of Leicester Space Research Centre, the technology was described by the judges as ‘a fascinating project that has huge potential for the food and drink sector’.

“Since news of the research was released earlier this year it has created interest around the world. Not only does it have great potential for fighting the war against counterfeit whisky, wine and other liquids, it also has the potential to transfer to other areas such as airport security,” they said. “It is wonderful to see such ground-breaking research being carried out in the East Midlands which will have such important implications for the food and drink sector.”

As well as receiving the Campden BRI-sponsored Innovation Champion 2011 award, The University of Leicester team, who developed the technology in association with university spin-out company Perpetuity Group, had earlier in the evening also been awarded the title of Most Innovative Research Project.

The accolade for Most Innovative Food and Drink Business went to Nottingham bakery manufacturer Butt Foods, for the way it had shown application and drive by introducing innovative business practices that had achieved 40% sales growth in six months.

The judges said: “The company has demonstrated innovative business practices by giving back to their customers. It has become an example to others of how innovation can impact on business performance.”

Lincolnshire company Libaeration, from Butterwick near Boston, was given the title of Most Innovative Business Supplying into the Food and Drink Sector for the development of the world’s first alcoholic foam. The foam, which is used to enhance coffee, desserts, cocktails and other drinks, is expected to have a wide impact on the bar, catering and hospitality trades as well as drink manufacturers and packaging manufacturers.

The judges said: “This is a new product that has tremendous export potential. It could be huge, as there’s potential for the technology to be applied to other products too.”

The awards were presented by TV presenter, writer and food critic Jay Rayner in front of around 100 guests from across the East Midlands and beyond at a ceremony at Nottingham Conference Centre, Burton Street, Nottingham.

Organised by the Food and Drink iNet, the Innovation Awards aimed to recognise and reward the most exciting ways that businesses and organisations had introduced innovation.

“This is the fourth year we have held the Food and Drink iNet Innovation Awards and once again we have had a really exciting batch of winners,” said Food and Drink iNet director Richard Worrall.

“This demonstrates the world-beating innovations in the food and drink sector that are being developed in the East Midlands. The shortlisted candidates have shown that innovation takes many different forms, and I hope it inspires others to think about ways that innovation could be introduced into their own organisations.”

Part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Food and Drink iNet co-ordinates innovation support for businesses, universities and individuals working in the food and drink sector in the East Midlands. It has developed an effective network to encourage the collaboration of academic expertise and knowledge, and local food and drink business innovation needs.

It 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.

The Food and Drink iNet is managed by a consortium, led by The Food and Drink Forum and including Quotec Ltd (formerly Food Processing Faraday), Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the University of Nottingham. It is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, with advisors covering the East Midlands region.

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Children in Need Rocks at The Orange Tree in Loughborough

The Orange Tree in Loughborough is the venue for the East Midlands Children in Need Rocks event on Friday 18th November.

Hosted by BBC Radio’s Dean Jackson, it will feature live performances from some of the best emerging talent in the UK.

Acts lined up for the event include Leicester artistes By The Rivers, fresh for their tour supporting The Specials, charismatic rising star Martin Luke Brown and singer songwriter Izzy Marie Hall, as well as Nottingham band Atticus Anthem and Derby-based guitar band Rugosa Nevada.

There will be live coverage on BBC Radio Nottingham, Derby and Leicester as part of the Children in Need fundraising extravaganza.

“This is a cracking line-up, as all artists have played on BBC Introducing stages at high profile festivals over last summer and are regarded as being some of the UK’s best emerging talents,” said The Orange Tree’s Suzi Corker. “We’d love to raise as much money as possible for this very deserving cause.”

The event kicks off at The Orange Tree in Bedford Square at 8pm. Entry is free, but a donation of £2 is suggested to help raise as much as possible for the annual Children in Need event, organised by the BBC charity that makes a difference to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people across the UK.

www.orangetree.co.uk

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Croots Farm Shop in Derbyshire welcomes its 250,000th customer

Derbyshire farm shop Croots has welcomed its 250,000th customer with a bottle of bubbly and a gift.

Owner Steve Croot marked the occasion by presenting David and Ann Wayne with a picnic hamper and a bottle of sparkling wine as they became the quarter of a millionth customer to go through the tills of the farm shop in Wirksworth Road, near Duffield.

“I am very pleased to congratulate Mr and Mrs Wayne on becoming our 250,000th customer at Croots Farm Shop,” said Steve, who opened the shop in June 2008. “When we realised we were getting close to such a significant figure we started keeping an eye on the numbers on the till roll and were ready when they arrived at the tills.

“It’s been great for Croots to have such a loyal band of customers, and I’d like to thank them all for their support over the last three and a half years.”

Croots Farm Shop & Kitchen, based at Farnah House Farm, now employs 21 staff, and sells products from around 40 suppliers and producers within a 50-mile radius of the shop.

“When we opened Croots, it was always our intention to help support the local economy, as well as creating a place to shop for great-tasting food and drink,” said Steve.

David and Ann, who live in Ambergate, first shopped at Croots shortly after it opened. They had popped in for lunch at Croots Kitchen before buying a few items in the shop, and were very pleased when they discovered the significance of their visit.

“I was bemused at first then pleasantly surprised,” said David.
T
he couple have a number of favourite items at Croots, and especially like the cheese scones.

“We like pretty much everything there from joints of meat to sausages and bacon,” added David

Croots Farm Shop is renowned for its quality sausages and pies, and has won numerous awards. 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

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Food and Drink Forum launches new service after strengthening its technical team

Business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum has launched a new service dedicated to packaging advice and support for small and medium-sized food and drink companies after appointing Kasia Chapman as assistant to food technical manager Richard Wigley.

Kasia will be offering specialist advice to smaller companies on suitable packaging solutions that provide the best shelf-life options.

Her appointment will also allow The Forum to support additional food and drink companies across the East Midlands and beyond with a range of consultancy services, including advice on technical accreditations, quality assurance, and food hygiene and safety.

Kasia has worked in the food and drink sector for more than 27 years and has extensive experience in packaging, food technology, quality assurance and new product development for major retailers in the food sector.

She will be operating across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.

“Kasia’s appointment is the result of increased demand from food and drink companies in the East Midlands for advice and support on key industry issues, such as packaging and technical accreditations,” said Fiona Anderson, managing director of The Food and Drink Forum, which is based at The Business Centre, Southglade Food Park, Gala Way in Nottingham.

“Gaining accreditations can help open doors to new markets, which is important in a challenging economic environment. The Forum has a long and successful history of helping food and drink companies with training, advice and support, and I am pleased that we have strengthened our team with the arrival of Kasia, and also been able to launch a service dedicated to packaging solutions.”

The Food and Drink Forum was launched in 1998 as a not-for-profit membership-led organisation to stimulate and support the sustainable growth and development of the food and drink industry in the East Midlands.

It aims to:

• Champion the food and drink sector in the East Midlands.

• Develop strategic influencing partnerships within and outside the East Midlands.

• Act as a centre for information and knowledge on all subjects relating to the food and drink sector in the region.

• Stimulate and facilitate sustainable change within companies of all sizes across the food chain.

• Generate income and secure resources to meet the needs of a high-quality service.

• Promote the food and drink sector to future employees through education and the raising of skills.

For more information about the services offered by The Food and Drink Forum visit www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk


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BSP Consulting celebrates green award scheme

East Midlands-based civil and structural engineering company BSP Consulting is celebrating the news that a project the firm worked on has won an accolade in the Sustainable Housing Awards 2011.

Brookside Meadows in Northampton was named Sustainable Smaller Housing Project of the Year at the Inside Housing award ceremony.

BSP Consulting, which is based at Oxford Street, Nottingham, and with offices in Derby, Leicester and Sheffield, was civil and structural engineer for the development of eight rented family homes – the first council housing scheme built by Northampton Borough Council for decades.

Built to level five of the Code for Sustainable Homes, the three and four-bedroom houses include a range of ‘green’ features, such as photovoltaic panels on the roofs to provide renewable energy, heat recovery systems, triple glazing and rainwater harvesting.

“BSP Consulting is very proud to be associated with a project such as this which has been recognised for its approach to sustainable development,” said BSP Consulting managing director David Sumner.

“We are delighted for the whole team to hear that it has won such a high-profile award.”

The awards, which are organised by Inside Housing and the Chartered Institute of Housing, recognise achievement in sustainable projects across the social housing sector.

Northampton Borough Council worked in partnership with the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), Frank Haslam Milan (FHM), and Orbit Homes on the scheme, which was part of the HCA's Local Authority New Build programme, which funded local authorities to build their own council homes for the first time in decades, benefiting from £450,000 investment. Architects were Baily Garner.

BSP 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.

The company was launched in Nottingham in 1999 and its offices are in Oxford Street, Nottingham, Pride Park, Derby, De Montfort Street, Leicester and Vincent House, Solly Street, Sheffield.

www.bsp-consulting.co.uk

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Nottingham Language Academy makes the grade with the British Council

Staff at Nottingham Language Academy are celebrating after the centre achieved British Council accreditation.

The quality standard has been awarded just over a year after the academy opened its doors at The Ropewalk in the city centre.

It means Nottingham Language Academy is now on a British Council approved list for teaching English as a foreign language.

Linda Walker, who launched the centre in September 2010, said: “We have had excellent feedback from the students who have learnt with us over the past year or so, but it is extremely pleasing to achieve the British Council accreditation.

“It gives Nottingham Language Academy a certain amount of status and kudos, and will also show future students that we are a place of learning that delivers results.”

The news comes as the academy also celebrates a number of new contracts with businesses across the region and abroad. It has been chosen to teach English to a group of French engineers working on a highly specialised project in the UK, to teach French to employees of an international retail organisation in the region, and will soon be teaching English to senior managers from Germany who are to attend intensive business courses at Nottingham Language Academy.

“The demand to learn and master English as a language continues to grow, as more people move abroad for work or leisure,” said Linda Walker. “We are pleased to be able to help our students achieve their goals, and to offer a service to businesses across the East Midlands and beyond who want to support their staff to develop their English or other language skills.”

Nottingham Language Academy provides bespoke ‘English as a Foreign Language’ training to businesses and individuals, as well as regular classes. It also offers English pronunciation classes during the day and the evening, as well as a range of English exam preparation classes such as First Certificate in English (FCE), Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) and International English Language Testing System (IELTS), which are required by many employers and universities.

In addition, the academy provides teaching in eight modern foreign languages, including French, Spanish, German, Italian and Japanese.
Nottingham Language Academy is based at 8 The Ropewalk, Nottingham. For more information visit www.nottinghamlanguageacademy.co.uk or call 0115 9881318.

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Shortlist announced for the Food and Drink iNet Innovation Awards 2011

Organisers of the Food and Drink iNet Innovation Awards 2011 have unveiled the names of the shortlisted East Midlands companies and universities that are in the running to receive a top accolade.

The winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony and dinner at Nottingham Conference Centre, Burton Street, Nottingham, on November 17th where food critic Jay Rayner will be the guest speaker.

More than 100 guests are expected at the event, which has now become a regular date on the calendar for the food and drink sector across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.

“This is the fourth year we have held the Food and Drink iNet Innovation Awards and once again we had an exciting batch of entries, which demonstrates that innovation in the sector is thriving in the East Midlands,” said Food and Drink iNet director Richard Worrall.

“I am very pleased to see such an interesting range of projects in the shortlist, as it illustrates the different forms that innovation can take.”

This year’s Innovation Awards, which are designed to recognise and reward the most exciting developments in the region’s food and drink sector, feature three different categories - Most Innovative Food and Drink Business, Most Innovative Business Supplying into the Food and Drink Sector and Most Innovative Research Project.

The overall Food and Drink iNet Innovation Champion will be chosen from the winners of the three categories.

The shortlisted nominations are:

Most Innovative Food and Drink Business

• Gourmet Spice Company, Weldon, Northamptonshire
Using an experimental approach, the company has developed a range of unique spice blends, infused oils and vinegars, and flavoured salts and sugars, using interesting and exciting ingredients such as rose petals, pomegranate and pure cacao. This has helped to grow the business, which is now seeing early interest from some of the large multiple retailers.

• Butt Foods Ltd, Lenton Industrial Estate, Nottingham
The speciality bakery producer has achieved 40% sales growth and increased profitability within six months after initiating a range of innovative ideas to improve sales and develop new products. This
has included employing a growth coach, a bakery coach, staging innovation days with customers, holding in-depth interviews with customers about what they want and their challenges, and launching a service to customers to help them solve their bakery problems. As a result, Butt Foods has just launched two new flat breads into a UK multiple retailer, a fruit bread with two major food distributors, two new roll products with a national pub chain and a hot eating roll into a nationwide school supplier.

• The Country Victualler, Winkburn near Newark, Nottinghamshire
As the company, which produces fine hams, pates, terrines, smoked poultry and Christmas puddings, approached its 40th anniversary, it underwent a re-brand that reflected its impressive heritage but brought the business up to date. It used a small budget and although only recent, the re-brand is already bringing results with several new accounts, and existing customers increasing the range of products and packaging sizes that they stock. It marked the first of a number of innovations that the company is introducing, including exploring the use of social media and new product development to help the business develop in the 21st century.

Most Innovative Business Supplying into the Food and Drink Sector

• Libaeration Ltd, Butterwick, Boston, Lincolnshire
Specialising in edible foams for the food and drink industry, Libaeration has developed the world’s first alcoholic foam, which can be added to cocktails, drinks, coffees and desserts. To date this innovative product concept has been licensed to one global brand, the Dutch distiller Lucas Bols. It has been launched in Europe with plans to launch in the USA and around the world as soon as possible. It is expected to have a wide impact on the bar, catering and hospitality trades as well as drink manufacturers and packaging manufacturers. It is also making molecular mixology available to the general public.

• MCE Engineering Ltd, Empire Business Park, Derby
The specialist sheetmetal work and engineering company developed The Little Cheesery, which it believes is the smallest self-sufficient fully hygienic cheese-making facility in the world. Housing its own integrated washroom and the equipment needed to make cheese, the mobile unit was created to help farmers and others explore the feasibility of making their own cheese, either as a diversity project or a new enterprise. In the first two months of launching, it has received positive feedback and the company hopes to sell five units in the first year and add 12.5% to its current turnover and employ two more staff.

• Sherwood Press, Bilborough, Nottingham
The company developed the fully compostable, fully biodegradable Pura® range of environmental, sustainable food packaging which features Pura® barrier coating technology – created by Sherwood Press and Sun Chemical. This is an aqueous coating that has replaced the need for plastic or PE (polyethylene) coated board and greatly increases sustainable packaging for the ‘on the go’ food market. The company has achieved around £1 million in sales of its Pura® environmental food packaging.

Most Innovative Research Project

• The University of Leicester Space Research Centre
Working with University of Leicester spin out company Perpetuity Group, researchers in the Space Research Centre have invented a unique and simple way of detecting counterfeit whisky through the bottle based on space technology. The Scotch whisky industry estimates that the six leading producers lose more than £500m pa through counterfeit crime. The researchers then worked with de Montfort University’s design department to develop a handheld device for testing the authenticity of the contents of bottled drinks. A market launch is expected within months. The technology could be used in the future to detect other counterfeit liquids

• Nottingham Trent University School of Science and Technology
In association with the University of Lincoln Holbeach Campus, researchers in the Nanoscience Laboratory have developed an easy-to-use, bacteria-killing spray that coats kitchen surfaces and food processing equipment. It uses cutting edge nano and biomimetic technology, and is expected to have significant impact on the increase of food shelf life due to reduced spoilage rates, reduction of product wastage, improvement of the efficiency in food production and supply chain processes, a reduction of consumer complaints and an improvement of public health. The technology has the potential to transfer into health care, fuel transport and energy applications

• Nottingham Trent University School of Science and Technology
Researchers have developed a method of detecting offal that’s been added fraudulently to raw and cooked processed meat and products. The team has also developed monoclonal antibodies to detect undeclared blood proteins in meat products. The researchers are already working with major food retailers, manufacturers, enforcement agencies and suppliers - and food testing companies are directing customers to them. Since meat products hold a substantial share of the global food market and since a small in-house survey has revealed that offals and blood are being added to meat products without being declared, the researchers predict their business will expand in the future. Two patents have been filed for the techniques.

Part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Food and Drink iNet co-ordinates innovation support for businesses, universities and individuals working in the food and drink sector in the East Midlands. It has developed an effective network to encourage the collaboration of academic expertise and knowledge, and local food and drink business innovation needs.

It 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.

The Food and Drink iNet is managed by a consortium, led by The Food and Drink Forum and including Quotec Ltd (formerly Food Processing Faraday), Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the University of Nottingham. It is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, with advisors covering the East Midlands region.

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Clothes swap shop at The Lansdowne, Leicester raises cash for LOROS

More than £100 has been raised for Leicestershire and Rutland hospice LOROS after a clothes swap shop event at The Lansdowne pub in Leicester.

Several bags of clothes have also been donated to the charity’s shop following the event at the pub in London Road.

“We raised almost £110 and gave 15 bags of clothes to the Queens Road branch of LOROS,” said event joint organiser Rachel Hurst. “We had lots of swaps and hopefully people were pleased with their new outfits.”

The idea behind the event was to swap unwanted items and freshen up wardrobes by adding new clothes in an inexpensive and environmentally friendly way.

It was the second event of its kind held at The Lansdowne, and others are planned, added Rachel.

The pub will also be supporting LOROS at its Trinkets and Tinsel Christmas Fair on Saturday December 10th, which runs from 1pm to 6pm and will feature stalls selling a range of goodies.

The Leicester Chorus Society will be providing a range of festive tunes.

www.orangetree.co.uk

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Accreditation success for Full Movement Method therapy training

Therapy teaching centre The Full Movement Training School is celebrating after being given official accreditation from the Federation of Holistic Therapists.

FHT is the largest and leading professional association for therapists in the UK and Ireland, and the news means that the Nottinghamshire-based Full Movement Training School has achieved official recognition for its course.

The Full Movement Training School, which teaches therapists a unique technique devised in the East Midlands, has been conferred an accredited course in the Full Movement Method Diploma Level 3.

“This is wonderful news for the team at The Full Movement Training School, as it gives us extra kudos, and will also show future students that we are an organisation that delivers results and that they can be confident in,” said FMTS director Liz Thomas.

The news comes as the Full Movement Training School prepares to launch courses in the New Year, which will be taught in Colwick, Nottingham, and the Eco-centre near Car Colston, Nottinghamshire.

Held roughly once a month at weekends over two years, the courses will teach participants to become therapists in the Full Movement Method, a unique method of resolving muscle and joint pain, immobility and malfunction.

It was developed by Andy Thomas, from West Bridgford, Nottingham, who had treated hundreds of patients over many years, including sportsmen and women, actors and road accident victims.

For many years, Andy trained therapists locally, nationally and abroad to practise FMM, and students have gone on to open FMM clinics in Bournemouth, Sheffield and elsewhere.

Andy, who died in March 2011, also ran the Nottinghamshire-based Shanti Yoga School, which has trained dozens of yoga teachers in Hatha Yoga. The core postures in yoga are at the heart of initial diagnosis for FMM, and Andy saw the flexibility that yoga postures bring as a fundamental key to relieving pain via FMM.

Shanti Yoga School has also recently gained its own official approval - an accreditation from Yoga Alliance UK, which sets standards for yoga, yoga teacher training, yoga teachers, and yoga training providers, and is re-opening in a new home at the eco-centre at Shackerdale Farm, Car Colston, near Bingham, in 2012.

“Now that both organisations have accreditation we are ready to take Andy’s legacy forward, and are looking forward to welcoming new students in the new year, and to teach them how to become therapists in FMM or teachers of yoga,” said Andy’s wife Liz Thomas. “We are also running Continuous Professional Development courses for existing teachers of both disciplines.”

For more information visit www.fullmovementmethod.co.uk or www.shantiyogaschool.co.uk

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Rock legend Noddy Holder tastes a legendary sausage from Croots Farm Shop in Derbyshire

Life-long sausage fan and rock legend Noddy Holder got a taste of one of Croots Farm Shop’s newest sausages during the regional final of a competition to find Britain’s best bangers.

The Henry Cooper Sausage won through to the regional final of the event, held during British Sausage Week.

And Slade frontman Noddy Holder joined the British Sausage Appreciation Society to judge the competition at a Nottingham hotel.

Steve Croot, who runs Croots Farm Shop near Duffield in Derbyshire said: “The theme of this year’s competition was Legendary British Bangers, and we developed our Henry Cooper Sausage in tribute to the boxing champ. Noddy’s a bit of a legend himself, so it was great to meet him.”

The Henry Cooper Sausage created by Croots’ butchers especially for the event features three different types of pork – free range Packington Pork, wild boar and Gloucestershire Old Spot - plus a secret blend of spices, which pack a punch.

It’s one of two legendary sausages developed by Croots for British Sausage Week, which runs until Sunday November 6th. The other is the Brian Clough Banger, which pays tribute to the legendary football manager, and features a dash of Old Big ‘Ead beer from Buxton Brewery and Croots Cow Juice ale.

Croots Farm Shop, in Wirksworth Road, will be holding a sausage festival on Saturday November 5th as part of its celebrations for British Sausage Week, with special deals over that weekend. Samples will be available on November 5th and the butchers will be on hand to offer advice about how to get the best from your bangers.

Two additional new sausages – beef and tomato and lamb and vegetables – have also been developed to mark British Sausage Week.

“We’ve totted up how many different types of sausages our butchers have developed since we opened just over three years ago and it’s an amazing 63,” said Steve Croot. “We don’t sell them all at any one time, but tend to rotate them. It just goes to show how popular sausages are, and how versatile the flavours can be.”

The farm shop is renowned for its quality sausages and pies, and has won numerous awards. 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.

“British Sausage Week is an excellent time to celebrate one of the nation’s favourite foods,” added Steve Croot.

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


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Business is booming at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham

Southglade Food Park is fully occupied once more after one new tenant moved onto the pioneering business park in Nottingham and a second company currently on the site has expanded to take an additional unit.

A waiting list of firms interested in securing premises on the site remains, said Fiona Anderson, managing director of The Food and Drink Forum which is based at the business park in Gala Way.

“Since opening in 2005, Southglade Food Park has been popular with food and drink firms, and we are delighted to welcome the latest tenant and to hear of the expansion plans of an existing tenant,” said Fiona Anderson.

“Southglade was designed to provide different-sized high-grade food manufacturing premises for firms at different stages of development, with the opportunity for companies to move into larger units as they grow.

“That vision has turned into reality with the business park proving popular with food and drink companies due to the quality of the premises, the presence of the on-site business centre, the food industry experienced support from The Food and Drink Forum, its convenient location, and the fact that the park is dedicated to firms all working in the same sector.

“I am very pleased to see that Southglade Food Park is full once more, and it is heartening to hear that other companies are keen to move in when suitable premises become available.”

Distributor TransFresh, which recently moved off the site to larger premises in Wigwam Lane, Hucknall, is the perfect example of how Southglade Food Park was designed to work, she said.

“The firm moved into an incubator unit at Southglade in early 2007. When it grew, it took additional space. Now fully established, TransFresh has moved to its own larger premises elsewhere – freeing up space for new and growing businesses to move in to Southglade,” said Fiona.

The new tenant of Southglade Food Park is gluten-free, dairy-free and additive-free cooking sauces and condiments company Dovedale Foods, which manufactures the brand Sauces of Choice and which has moved into one of the smallest-sized units on the park – 433 sq m premises known as nursery units. The firm, run by directors Ian Noakes and his partner Leah Montgomery, and Ian’s mother Ann Noakes, supplies to farm shops, delis and direct to the public via its website www.saucesofchoice.co.uk

“The unit is purpose-built and perfect for small companies such as ourselves,” said Ian. “The proximity to The Food and Drink Forum and the facilities in the Business Centre that we can tap into are also extremely useful.”

Existing Southglade Food Park tenant luxury baker Cake and Biscuits LLP has also taken a nursery unit to accommodate expansion plans.

“The moves show that Southglade Food Park is operating just as it was planned, with firms occupying different sized units as they grow and develop,” said The Forum’s Food Technical Manager Richard Wigley. “We are very pleased to welcome a new company onto the park, and to help Cake and Biscuits LLP with their development, and wish them well for the future.”

When it opened, the £4.7 million Southglade Food Park was the first business park of its kind in the UK dedicated to food and drink production and containing an on-site business centre offering support to firms.

The build and first three years of operation were funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Nottingham City Council. Since then the park has been self sustaining.

At the heart of the food park community is a Business Support Centre run by The Food and Drink Forum, which maintains an on-site presence and manages the park services. It features meeting rooms, a new product development kitchen and other facilities for firms both on and off the park. Tenancies are managed by Nottingham City Council.

There are plans to expand Southglade Food Park to offer additional units when funds become available.

www.southglade.co.uk

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