Small businesses won awards from Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency (CREA) at this year's Lowther Horse Driving Trials and Country Fair as part of the organisation's celebration of the best of the rural economy.
"The event at Lowther is a tremendous opportunity to show a huge audience some of the great things that Cumbrian businesses have to offer," explained Bob Clark, Chief Executive of CREA. "As part of the proceedings on Friday, we invited Sir Don Curry to speak on sustainable rural development at our lunch event. Sir Don also presented our Best Stand awards, theose who won 1 st were The Cumberland Dairy Company, for Best Stand in the Food Hall and to Danny Frost for the best Crafts Stand."
After lunch, John Dunning, President of CREA, reviewed the organisation's past year and Sir Don Curry made the keynote speech, he had visited the CREA offices in the morning and commented that "CREA has an integrated wide range of advice and support for rural businesses which is unique to the Country and should be replicated in other Counties"
Sir Don Curry then presented the John Dunning Best Business Award to Langdale Leisure Ltd, a rural hotel and timeshare business. "We are thrilled with this reward which recognises the hard work required, with the help of CREA, to co-ordinate all environmental impacts of the business on the natural environment and involved every member of staff in it"s implementation". The final award of the event was the 2007 Distinctly Cumbrian New Product award. Celebrity chef, Mark Hix, is an acknowledged expert on the best of British produce and he had tried all the entries during the morning, judging the The Cumberland Dairy Company"s new Blengdale Blue Cheese to be the most distinctively Cumbrian new product on display. "Last year's winner of this award was a gluten-free pudding from Sarah Hunter of Hunter's Puddings," said Pauline Herbert, Programme Manager for Distinctly Cumbrian, "which went on to win several more awards and Sarah was able to extend her number of stockists considerably. I hope that the Cumberland Cheese Company based at Ivegill has the same success or even better in the coming months and that they are able to fly the flag for the best of Cumbrian produce." Full details of CREA's programmes, advice services and activities can be found at www.crea.co.uk . Caption Winner of the 2007 Distinctly Cumbrian New Product award at Lowther Horse Driving Trials and Country Fair with Sir Don Curry, Bob Clarke and the winner Kevin Beaty of the Cumberland Dairy Company Notes The mission of the Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency is to regenerate and strengthen the rural economy by creating sustainable employment.
It was first incorporated in 1987 with a small team based in Kendal but it now has offices in both Kendal and Penrith. CREA has increased its portfolio of services to include Business Advice (Start Up, Existing Businesses), Cumbria Farm Link, Distinctly Cumbrian, the Rural Planning Facilitation Service, Cumbria Organics, the Cumbria Business Environment Network and the Resource Efficiency Programme. www.crea.co.uk
Supplementary information on Best Stand Award winners : Food Hall : 1 st The Cumberland Dairy Company from Ivegill - Cheese
2 nd The Village Bakery from Melmerby - Organic cakes and breads
3 rd Katie Cooks from Wilmslow, Cheshire - Home made pate Crafts: 1 st Danny Frost from Bothel - Furniture designer and maker
2 nd Manocia's Handmade Designs from Longburgh, Carlisle - Handbag designer
3 rd Nicki B Ltd from Dalston - Children's wear Sir Don Curry CBE is Chairman of the NFU Mutual Insurance Company and a Crown Estate Commissioner. He chaired the Meat and Livestock Commission from 1993-2001 and the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food that reported to Government in 2002. Sir Don is currently chairing the Delivery Group for Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy as well as farming 250 acres in Northumberland.
Mark Hix is the celebrated chef from London's Ivy restaurant as well as being a TV chef, author and advocate of great British food and a winner in the BBC Best of British Food Programme.
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