South East children connect with countryside

Two thousand three hundred children aged ten and eleven, from 51 schools across Sussex and Surrey, visited the Ardingly Showground [July 18] to discover more about where their food comes from and all aspects of rural life.

At the seventh Connect with the Countryside Day, pupils and their teachers had a brilliant day in the sunshine gaining a better understanding of countryside issues, thanks to over 100 volunteers from the South of England Agricultural Society.

Said Mr Hughes, Assistant Head Teacher of Upper Beeding Primary School, “It’s a brilliant day! We come here every year just for the children to experience rural life and agriculture and this day brings all that – we are a rural school but a lot of our children still don’t come into contact with the surrounding countryside.”

Said Mrs Lewis from Globe Primary in Lancing, “I think it’s useful for the children to see how food is made because they don’t actually know where it comes from.”

“We do now!” chipped in her pupils when she was asked this question!

Four special zones included Livestock, where children met a range of farm animals, from Sussex Beef bulls to chickens; Horticulture and Food, where children learnt about healthy food, tasting local tomatoes, fresh milk and honey and discovering how sausages, bread and butter are made; and two Wildlife and Recreation zones also offered important countryside topics, such as nature conservation, forestry and countryside sports.

The Sheep Show, including sheep shearing, a Pony Club display and a Birds of Prey demonstration also delighted the children.

Said Derek Cleaver, the Society’s Education Committee, “This exciting, interactive day, offered free to schools, captures the very essence of the Society’s charitable and educational aims and we would like to thank all who helped to make it such a success today.” 

Giant Maze opens at Royal Pavilion

A stunning new ‘Selfish Giant Maze’ summer attraction opened on the Eastern Lawns of the Royal Pavilion, Brighton, today with whoops of joy from local children and their parents [July 4].

Ten children from Brighton’s Amaze charity, working with parents and children with special needs, were amongst the lucky ones to try out the maze first.

Inspired by Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Selfish Giant’, a fairy tale about a Giant who doesn’t want to share the garden he loves with children, but learns the error of his ways, the maze has been exclusively made for Brighton by the creators of the Royal Pavilion Ice Rink.

Shella Parkin, MD of Laine Ltd, said: “We wanted to create something amazing for the school summer holidays on the Eastern Lawns, in addition to our popular winter attraction.

“I’ve always loved mazes and felt the Pavilion deserved its own one as there has been a long history of association between historic buildings and mazes. Our aim is to create a maze that looks as though it has always been there but somehow ‘out of view’. Our design is inspired by a story I’ve loved since I was a little girl and have read aloud to my own children.”

The 22m by 22m maze is based on a Roman design and made up of 360 metres of corridors and beautiful hidden garden rooms, evoking the four seasons in the Giant’s Garden.

Sound effects, giant gardening tools, riddles and traditional games, such as Nine Men’s Morris and Fox and Geese, will startle and delight adults and children alike as they try to find their way to the centre of the maze.

Giant ‘reverse graffiti’ footprints also mysteriously appeared overnight on Wednesday morning, leading from Brighton Station down Queen’s Road and Church Road to the Royal Pavilion.

Is there a giant in the centre of the maze? You’ll have to visit to find out! The attraction costs just £4 per person, making it affordable for families with children of all ages to enjoy and hopefully come back to more than once.

Tickets can be purchased from the box office on site only and opening hours are 11am to 7pm, July 4 to September 3, Eastern Lawns Royal Pavilion, Brighton, BN1 1EE. Find out more at Facebook.com/SelfishGiantMaze

Sally Gunnell OBE celebrates with Sussex Food Finalists

Sally Gunnell OBE hosted over a hundred Sussex food and drink business leaders last week at a networking event celebrating the 68 finalists in the Sussex Food and Drink Awards 2013/14, at the Norfolk Pavilion at the South of England Showground in Ardingly, Mid Sussex.

Farmers, butchers, chefs, market organizers, shop keepers, brewers and vintners, from the far reaches of East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove, enjoyed delicious local food and drink and met the sponsor judges, winners from previous years and learnt about what could make them the winner of this year’s coveted trophies.

“I want to congratulate all the finalists in this year’s awards and this event is a great opportunity for finalists to discover how to make the most of this competition which is all about boosting the local food market,” said Sally Gunnell OBE, patron of the Sussex Food and Drink Awards.

“Aside from receiving their trophies, Grand Finalists get free tickets to THE Sussex foodie event of the year, the Sussex Food and Drink Awards Banquet, which is a superb seven-course banquet created entirely from local produce, to be held on 30^th January – but most importantly, the winners get huge respect and recognition.”

This year’s awards scheme was launched at the South of England Show VIP opening breakfast on 6 June, with finalists nominated and assessed by an expert panel of judges, overseen by newly appointed chair William Goodwin, following the retirement of Clive Beddall OBE.  All agreed that the standard is incredibly high this year and the competition is going to be extremely tough.

It’s going to be another really exciting year for the awards with some truly excellent candidates including lots of new names, as well as some familiar ones, who have made it onto the shortlist.

We are so lucky that Sussex is blessed with a wealth of glorious food and drink, from the beautiful South Downs and its coastal waters, to the huge number of creative and hard-working producers and manufacturers in the county who are creating award-winning food and drink every day.

This year the awards include:

Sussex Farmer of the Year Award sponsored by Spofforths

Best Sussex Food Producer sponsored by The Southern Co-operative

Best Sussex Eating Experience sponsored by Mayo Wynne Baxter

Best Sussex Farmers Market sponsored by Harveys

Sussex Butcher of the Year sponsored by Natural Farms

Best Sussex Food/Farm Shop sponsored by Cheese Please & Natural PR

Sussex Drink Producer of the Year sponsored by the Sussex Food & Drink Network

Nominations for Sussex Young Chef of the Year remain open until the end of July, when the top six will be announced and go forward as usual for the cook-off in October.

To see who made it onto the shortlist and to vote for your favourite, visit www.sussexfoodanddrinkawards.biz - details of how to text your vote can also be found on the website.

Town and country crowds flock to South of England Show

Town and country came together with crowds of nearly 70,000 at this year’s South of England Show at Ardingly, celebrating the best of the region’s country life.

President of the Agricultural Society, Penelope Keith CBE DL, opened the show with the new World of Poultry exhibit, created by the Arun Valley Poultry Fanciers from Worthing, who also won Best Trade Exhibit for their display of poultry from across the world.

Show organisers were delighted to host the micro-sized Shetland Grand National on Saturday [June 6], with young competitors racing for charity and crowds enjoying a wealth of spectacular displays in the four arenas including showjumping, Young Farmers Club tug of war, duck herding, Bolddog Lings motorcycle stunts and much more.

Every day, visitors were be able to see over 760 examples of beef and dairy cattle, sheep, pigs and goats on display and champions and owners alike had their moment of glory in the livestock parade which took place daily in the Ardingly ring. Nicholas Soames MP also opened public voting for the Sussex Food & Drink Awards 2013/14, seeking the county’s best food and drink businesses from plough to plate.

There was a pitch invasion of children running with the gentle giant foxhound packs in the Ardingly Ring on Saturday and the 150-acre showground was alive with hundreds of competitions, from best cattle, sheep, pig and goat breeds, to countryside skills, including  the Young Craftsman of the Year and the farriers’ horse shoeing competitions.

Said Penelope Keith, President of the South of England Agricultural Society, “The show has been a huge success this year and we are thrilled with the support of people - from both town and country - for our region’s farmers and others in the rural industries.

“We all want to eat quality British food and enjoy our beautiful countryside so we need to support our agricultural community.  During the three days we have also enjoyed celebrating the great traditions of the country, some superb displays and performances, lots of fun and games and great shopping.”

Despite sunny weather forecasts, a freak thunderstorm and torrential rain hit the showground for two hours on Friday morning, though this did not deter the hardy showjumpers.  For the rest of the weekend the sun shone on the showground, helping attract thousands of people from across the South East as well as many international visitors.

Over 1,500 horses and ponies took part in the equestrian showcase that forms an enormous part of the three-day extravaganza. From the impressive heavy horse turnouts to the fast paced inter-hunt relay, spectacular show jumping to beautiful hackneys  – there was something there for everyone.

Education is echoed throughout the showground and is at the heart of the South of England Agricultural Society’s charity work, with the Knowledge Box for children, helping them learning about different animals and where their food comes from. Pupils from Bolnore Village Primary School, a Forest School, gave inspiring demonstrations of woodland conservation in the Round House in the Wildlife, Farming and Forestry.

Find out more at www.seas.org.uk and vote in the Sussex Food & Drink Awards at www.sussexfoodawards.biz

Follow the Society on Facebook: ‘SouthofEnglandShowground’, Twitter @ sofeshowground and read the Blog at SouthofEnglandShowground.

Sussex Food Awards open for votes

Nicholas Soames MP opened public voting for finalists in the Sussex Food & Drink Awards 2013/14 at the South of England Show VIP opening breakfast hosted by Penelope Keith CBE DL, with speakers including Peter Kendall, president of the NFU, Jane King, editor of Farmers Weekly, and Andy Marshall, poultry expert, on the topic of food provenance [June 6].

The 68 finalists in this year’s awards were nominated by the public and assessed by an expert panel of judges along with newly appointed chair William Goodwin and are published on www.sussexfoodawards.biz, where people can vote online.  All agreed that the standard is incredibly high this year and the competition is going to be extremely tough.

Said Paula Seager, co-director of Natural Partnerships CIC, who runs the awards with Hilary Knight, “It’s going to be another really exciting year for the awards with some truly excellent candidates including lots of new names, as well as some familiar ones, who have made it onto the shortlist.

“We are so lucky that Sussex is blessed with a wealth of glorious food and drink, from the beautiful South Downs and its coastal waters, to the huge number of creative and hard-working producers and manufacturers in the county who are creating award-winning food and drink every day.”

The Sussex Food and Drink Awards, now in their eighth year, are the only awards that highlight, recognise and support Sussex farmers and producers and the businesses that sell and promote their produce.  Olympic gold medal winner, Sally Gunnell OBE, is patron to the awards and a great supporter of locally produced food believing that it is the way forward for a healthy lifestyle.

This year they include:

Sussex Farmer of the Year Award sponsored by Spofforths

Best Sussex Food Producer sponsored by The Southern Co-operative

Best Sussex Eating Experience sponsored by Mayo Wynne Baxter

Best Sussex Farmers Market sponsored by Harveys

Sussex Butcher of the Year sponsored by Natural Farms

Best Sussex Food/Farm Shop sponsored by Cheese Please & Natural PR

Sussex Drink Producer of the Year sponsored by the Sussex Food & Drink Network

A slight change this year is that the nominations for The Sussex Young Chef of the Year will remain open until the end of July, when the top six will be announced and go forward as usual for the cook-off in the autumn.

Voting for these prestigious awards is open until September 13 and the top three which receive the most votes in each category and re-considered by the awards judges, will become grand finalists.  These will be announced in November and all grand finalists will be invited to THE foodie event of the year, the Sussex Food & Drink Awards banquet at the American Express Community Stadium on Thursday 30th January 2014.

To see who made it onto the shortlist and to vote for your favourite, visit www.sussexfoodanddrinkawards.biz - details of how to text your vote can also be found on the website.

The Sussex breakfast at the launch was created by Jimmy Gray, current Sussex Young Chef of the Year, and the team from Jeremy’s at Borde Hill. 

Farmers out in force at South of England Show

Despite having faced the worst winter and spring weather on record, the strength of character of the farming community from across the South East will be in evidence at this year’s South of England Show on 6, 7 & 8 June.

Said Carole Hayward, Chairman of the South of England Show Committee, “The quality of British husbandry and farming is superb and the South of England Show offers the opportunity for members of the public to come and see first hand the work and dedication of our farmers who continue to prove that ‘British is Best’. 

Every day visitors will be able to see over 760 examples of beef & dairy cattle, sheep, pigs and goats on display and champions and owners alike will have their moment of glory in the livestock parade which takes place daily in the Ardingly ring.

As the Society’s chosen theme for 2013, Poultry will also be one of the central highlights of the show.  The official opening ceremony of the show will take place at the new ‘World of Poultry’ exhibition by President of the Society, Penelope Keith CBE DL, who is a great advocate of growing local and owns her own chickens.  She will be joined by President of the NFU, Peter Kendall, Jane King, Editor of Farmers Weekly and Nicholas Soames MP.

This fascinating new exhibition will focus on domestic poultry keeping, which is currently seeing an explosion in popularity in both urban and rural areas.  Visitors will have the opportunity to meet chicken breeds from ten countries, which live in the local area, as well as a large display of British breeds. 

Continued Carole Hayward, “The new ‘World of Poultry’ exhibit is a great opportunity to focus on the great breeding and animal care we have in the UK, of which we should be proud, and we are delighted that Fred Hams and Andy Marshall, leading domestic poultry experts, will be with us to share their expertise with poultry enthusiasts and those who are considering keeping chickens for the first time. Domestic poultry keeping is increasingly providing the education link in urban communities for people to understand where their food comes from.”

Over 1,500 horses and ponies will take part in the equestrian showcase that forms an enormous part of the three-day extravaganza. From the impressive heavy horse turnouts to the fast paced inter-hunt relay, spectacular show jumping to beautiful hackneys – there is something there for everyone.  Organisers are also delighted that the Shetland Grand National will be at this year’s show; many riders in this popular event have gone on to become successful professional jockeys.

The broad appeal of the show, however, hinges on a wide range of attractions outside the central agricultural and equestrian theme, including exciting displays such as daredevil stunts from Bolddog Lings Freestyle Motorcycle team, poultry herding in the main arena from Bob Hogg and his sheepdog and various competitions such as horse shoeing, flower arranging and the ever popular Young Craftsman of the Year competition.

Education is echoed throughout the showground and the Knowledge Box is an area for children and young people to learn about the countryside.  They will be able to quiz the experienced stewards on hand as well as take part in various activities including matching sounds of different kinds of fowl (ducks, guinea fowl, geese, pheasants and cockerel) to pictures, milking Buttercup the cow, listening to the Storyteller and contributing to the annual mural on the back of the marquee.

Children will also be able to learn about where their food comes from in the NFU Meet the Farmer area. Cookery demonstrations and tastings will be available from local farmers and food producers as well as plenty of opportunities to meet farm animals and other small furry friends across the show ground.

Demonstrations on woodland conservation by pupils from Bolnore Village Primary School, a Forest School, will be taking place in the Round House in the Wildlife, Farming and Forestry area will be taking place as well as fly fishing and falcon flying.  On the ‘Village Green’ children will also be able to enjoy a circus workshop, skittle alley and Zumba dancing.

The show offers entertainment, music and shopping galore for all the family and for foodies there is one of the most impressive food halls in the South East as well as a marquee dedicated to regional producers. 

Gates open at 9.00am and close at 6.30pm daily. There is FREE parking at the show and a regular bus shuttle service available from Haywards Heath train station to the showground.

For advance ticket discounts and full details visit www.southofenglandshow.org.uk or telephone 01444 892700.

Follow the Society on Facebook: ‘SouthofEnglandShowground’, Twitter @ sofeshowground and read the Blog at SouthofEnglandShowground.

Celebrities are top dogs at London Pet Show

Four of ITV2’s Top Dog Models and Britain’s Got Talent’s Donelda Guy with her dancing dogs will make appearances as part of the launch ceremony hosted by BBC Radio London dog lovers Jo Good and Anna Webb at London Pet Show 2013 at Earls Court Two on May 11 and 12 and Bruce Forsyth will be at the show to see his daughter win an award for her pet campaign.

At the show’s glamorous launch, visitors can meet Britain’s favourite dog models, Simba the Leonburger, Lucky the Chihuahua, Scarlett the Rottweiler and Sparky, the little mixed-breed trickster.  Donelda Guy will also show off her latest dance routine with collies Mega and Millie.

Jo Good and Anna Webb, never seen without famous bulldog Matilda and bull terrier Molly, will also launch their first book, ‘Barking Blondes – how two bitches taught two bitches to survive without men’, at the show offering the first sales and book signing of what promises to be a very popular book for pet fans.                                                                                                                                           

Bruce Forsyth will also be there on Saturday afternoon to see his daughter Debbie Matthews receive an Endal Award for creating the Halo Scanner through her Vets Get Scanning campaign to help owners find their stolen and lost pets.

Alongside dozens of breeds of dogs, cats, small furry animals, reptiles, exotics and aquatics the show is also offering visitors some unique attractions, including rabbit showjumping, skateboarding chickens, racing micro-pigs, duck herding and top heelwork to music ‘doggy dancing’ displays.

From ponies to pooches and parrots to pygmy hedgehogs, the London Pet Show features creatures great and small, offering a fun day out for families and pet enthusiasts alike and top animal charities including RSPCA, Cats Protection, Wood Green and the Rabbit Welfare Association will be helping to promote the show’s message of responsible pet ownership.

Additional information:

The Show will be divided into four zones, Discover Dogs, Discover Cats, Discover Small Furries and Discover Animals, featuring aquatics and exotics, each with its own feature area with demonstrations, talks and activities. Some of the UK’s leading animal experts will also be on hand to advise on pet care and choosing the right furry, feathered or scaly friend to suit individual lifestyles. There are also plenty of opportunities for shopping with all the latest goodies and gadgets for pets.

Dog lovers will be spoiled for choice with plenty of canine related activities in the Discover Dogs zone, sponsored by pet food manufacturer James Wellbeloved. More than 50 dog breeds will be on display with a packed all-day programme of events in the Kennel Club Dog Activity Ring, showcasing the speed, grace and intelligence of man's best friend. Displays include agility, obedience and doggy acrobatics.

The spotlight will fall on crossbreed pooches at the Show's own Scruffts heat with dogs competing for the most handsome dog, prettiest bitch, child’s best friend and golden oldie awards. The show will also host the Endal Awards ceremony, honouring canines which have overcome adversity or whose loving support has improved the lives of their owners for the better.

The Discover Cats zone, sponsored by Royal Canin, is a unique opportunity to meet dozens of breeds at the ‘World of Cats’ display brought to the show by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) and sponsored by Zoflora. There will also be demonstrations and talks on how to groom and care for different breeds.

Those who prefer palm-sized pets can get up close to guinea pigs, hamsters, pygmy hedgehogs, rats, gerbils, rabbits and chinchillas at the Discover Small Furries section, sponsored by Burgess Pet Care. There’s a whole range of exciting activities for adults and children to see, including the famous Swedish show jumping rabbits, competing over high jumps several times each day of the show.

For more exotic tastes, visit the Discover Animals zone, sponsored by Exo Terra, Fluval and Laguna, to meet all sorts of weird and wonderful creatures, from Bearded Dragons to Corn Snakes, tortoises to poison arrow frogs, which can all be kept as pets. New attractions this year include a walk-through aquarium, chameleon feeding station, nature pond area and magnificent displays of parrots and birds of prey.

The Animal Action Arena, sponsored by Zoflora, will this year feature tiered seating, allowing even more people to enjoy fun displays and extraordinary animal feats including duck herding and miniature horses, measuring a maximum of 28 inches tall, who will demonstrate that small truly is beautiful in an entertaining display which includes tricks, training and jumping.

Look no further for a brilliant spring day out for families and pet lovers.

Tickets are on sale at www.londonpetshow.co.uk or by phone on 0844 873 7332 and cost £14 for adults, £9.50 for children and under fives go free. Family tickets and concession for seniors are also available.