News
10 March 2010
Windsor Celebrates Five Years!
TV Chef and Patron of TVFM, Antony Worrall Thompson visited Windsor Farmers' Market on Saturday. Antony, a passionate advocate of fresh local produce, which he uses in all his restaurants, came to cut the birthday cake and chat to customers. The day turned fine and there was a great atmosphere as people jostled to have a taste of the cake, made by one of the producers, Give Me Cake.
The market has now become well established in St Leonard's Road, near the Windsor Firestation Arts Centre, an area which is home to a number of small independent shops, including the Windsor Larder and Windsor Grill, both owned by Antony.
Councillor Colin Rayner, local farmer and chair of the Windsor & Eton Town Partnership is pictured with Antony. Councillor Rayner endorses the market as "very much part of the Windsor shopping scene and a welcome attraction for visitors as well as a regular venue for local shoppers. It brings the countryside into Windsor and supports farmers as well as local businesses".
Also pictured, behind Antony, is Paul Roach, Town Centre Manager. Image courtesy Royal Borough Observer.
16 March 2010
Chipping Norton Farmers' Market is FIVE!
Chipping Norton Mayor Cllr Mike Dixon will celebrate the fifth Birthday of Chipping Norton Farmers’ Market on Saturday 20 March in the town’s Market Square.
Among the stallholders celebrating the birthday will be renowned local chef Nick Pullen from Wild Thyme restaurant barbequing produce from the market.
Chipping Norton Town Crier Anthony Church will be ‘crying’ on Saturday morning to add traditional market sounds to the celebrations.
Peter Williams who manages Chipping Norton Farmers' Market on behalf of Thames Valley Farmers' Market Cooperative says: "In the last five years this has developed into one of the best farmers' markets in Oxfordshire. It deserved nomination recently as one of the Most Improved Farmers' Markets in the Cotswold Food & Drink Awards and we’ll be competing again this year."
Mayor of Chipping Norton Cllr Mike Dixon will meet farmers and producers at the market before cutting the Birthday Cake at 10.30am.
16 March 2010
Ascot Ales does it again!
Ascot Ales has taken a Silver Award in the National Beer Competition held by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA). The winners were announced last week in Stratford-on-Avon.
The brewery’s Anastasia's Imperial Stout 8%, described as dangerously smooth with lush chocolate & coffee notes, won the Award in the Champion Porters, Strong Milds, Old Ales & Stouts category. It was one of just 27 beers to win a national title, from the 1,400 that entered the initial stages of the competition. To succeed, Ascot Ales Anastasia's Imperial Stout had to come through one of seven regional heats, followed by a final judging in Nottingham last month for the short-listed 63 beers.
Chris Gill says, "We are very proud of our beers and delighted to win this Award, ahead of some of the finest brewers in the country. We’re grateful to everyone at SIBA, and to the many people locally who have supported us by drinking and enjoying our beer. We promise to continue doing so for many more years, and hope that this Award will help us to bring our beers to many more people."
19 February 2010
Ascot Ales in the News!
Ascot Ales featured on the BBC News website: Small brewers taking on the global giants. Click here for the full story.
22 February 2010
The Farmers' markets are now on Twitter!
For regular updates on market dates, information on new members and special events why not follow us on Twitter
Christmas Prize Draw
Congratulations to all our winners who took part in our Christmas Voucher promotion.
All winners should have received their vouchers by now. We hope you enjoy spending them at our markets.
The special prize draw has also been completed and market managers have the prizes for the winners to collect at the markets. A big thank you to all our customers who support our markets throughout the year. If you haven’t won this year perhaps next year you will be lucky.
Thank you to all our market managers for running this promotion during the busiest time of the year. We know just how much hard work has been involved. A special thank you to Pete Williams and Diane Harker the market managers who managed to collect the most vouchers at their markets – well done.
Thank you to Robin Bolton of Grove Technology Park and Nicola Kerry (pictured), our very own bookkeeper, for pulling out the winning tickets.
Christmas Prize Draw
Congratulations to all our winners who took part in our Christmas Voucher promotion.
All winners should have received their vouchers by now. We hope you enjoy spending them at our markets.
The special prize draw has also been completed and market managers have the prizes for the winners to collect at the markets. A big thank you to all our customers who support our markets throughout the year. If you haven’t won this year perhaps next year you will be lucky.
Thank you to all our market managers for running this promotion during the busiest time of the year. We know just how much hard work has been involved. A special thank you to Pete Williams and Diane Harker the market managers who managed to collect the most vouchers at their markets – well done.
Thank you to Robin Bolton of Grove Technology Park and Nicola Kerry (pictured), our very own bookkeeper, for pulling out the winning tickets.
| Windsor Farmers' Market: Manager Vacancy | ||
| Do you have an interest in helping to bring local food to local people? We need an organised and active individual to manage Windsor Farmers’ Market. This position requires commitment, adaptability and enthusiasm. The person must have good communication, administration and PC skills, be self motivated and willing to work outdoors in all weathers and on their own initiative, within the support structure of the Co-operative. This is an exciting part-time job with plenty of variety! To discuss this role in more detail, please contact Diane Harker in the first instance on 01628 670272. Alternatively, please contact the TVFM office on 01235 227266 or via email: info@tvfm.org.uk . The closing date for this vacancy is 26 March. |
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What's happening down on the farm?
Lambing weekends at Little Wittenham – 20th & 21st March and 27th & 28th March
Our girls start lambing on the 15th March and we would like to invite you down to the farm to see some of their little woolly offspring! You may even be lucky to see one of them being born! There will be plenty for children to see and do, including lots of lambs to cuddle.
We will be open between 10am and 4pm and we will be selling our lamb burgers for you to taste and enjoy. We are sharing the weekends with our landlords the Northmoor Trust, therefore there will be an entrance fee to cover costs etc.
For more information please see our website www.camillaandroly.co.ukand have a look at our blog to see what we’ve been up to http://www.camillaandroly.blogspot.com/
Hill Farm, Little Wittenham, Oxford OX14 4QZ
Foxbury Farm
Saturday 27th March: Three Children's Easter workshops; 11-12, 1-2, 3-4. ‘Become a little chef' followed by ‘become a little farmer'. Maximum of 20 children per session.
Saturday 10th April (10-3): Meet Foxbury's new babies. Children can meet our new born lambs and chicks first hand.
Foxbury Farm (oxon) Ltd, Burford Road, Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, OX18 3NX
01993 844141 (office) 01993 867385 (shop) shop@foxburyfarm.co.uk
www.foxburyfarm.co.uk
2 November 2009
Delia endorses Sussex Food Producer
Local food producer Bookham Fine Foods is gearing up for a surge in demand as Delia Smith’s latest book hits the shelves for the festive season.
‘Delia’s Happy Christmas’ is the long awaited sequel to ‘Delia Smith’s Christmas’, first published over 20 years ago. In her new book, Delia champions 18 Fine Food Suppliers, including Sussex based, family run Bookham Fine Foods.
MD Rob Bookham says "We are delighted to be recognised by a culinary giant as well respected as Delia. Getting her seal of approval is a real honour. 2009 has already been an amazing year for us – we became suppliers to the National Trust and Waitrose and were also featured on BBC 2’s Hairy Bikers – but this is the icing on the cake. We have taken on more staff and ordered new vans in order to keep pace with the extra demand that this endorsement will bring."
'Delia’s Happy Christmas’ is set to be a top seller; it is described as the once-and-for-all definitive guide to preparing meals for the festive season, containing a mixture of old favourites and new recipes.
Bookham’s product range includes a Vegetarian version of Parmesan called ‘Not Just a Pasta Cheese’, formerly known as Twineham Grange. Their other cheese is Sussex Charmer, a Cheddar Parmesan cross, the result of a joint venture with R.Harrisons & Sons, dairy farmers from Rudgwick in West Sussex. In its very first season, Sussex Charmer won Best New Dairy Product 2008 at Nantwich, the world’s largest cheese awards. Their South Downs Butter has won Gold at The Great Taste Awards for a record breaking 5 years in a row and is likely to be on the shelves of Harrods within weeks.
Bookham’s are also well known for their range of Fresh/Dried Pasta and Pasta Sauces, traditionally made using simple and natural ingredients. They are long term supporters of Farmers’ Markets and are committed to working with other producers to help sustain British Farming. Their products can be found at Farmers’ Markets, delis and farm shops, as well as in selected stores of Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Budgens and Coop. See www.bookhams.com
14 September 2009
Reading celebrates tenth birthday!
Reading Farmers' Market celebrated its tenth birthday on 5 September. Reading Mayor, Cllr Fred Pugh came to congratulate the market on reaching this milestone. The Mayor is seen with Jane Bowler, Chair of TVFMC about to cut the birthday cake being filmed by BBC TV South Today.
The market was heaving with shoppers, including some who had not been born at the time it first started! More pictures on Reading 1 page.
The market was originally launched as an initiative of Reading Town Council in September 1999 when producers were few and far between. Later TVFMC took over management and it has since grown and attracts many farmers, growers and producers from Berkshire and Oxfordshire.
BBC Radio Oxford visits our farmers' markets - read all about it!
16 June 2009
Students' award-winning marketing plan for Newbury Farmers' Market
Pupils from Newbury's Mary Hare School were runners-up in the Farming, Environment and Sustainability Challenge 2009 with their project to create a marketing plan for Newbury Farmers' Market.
At the Final, organised by West Berkshire Education Business Partnership on 2 June, a team of eight representing the Year 9 pupils from Mary Hare School made their presentations.
The pupils set out to identify why the second market in Newbury (on the third Sunday of the month) is not as well supported as the first market, which is held on the first Sunday of the month.
They interviewed customers, found out how far people travelled to get to the market, and their favourite purchases. They also compared the range of products at the two markets.
Most people shopping were between 40 and 60 years old and more than 80% said they liked to buy locally produced food. Many customers travel from outside Newbury to come to the market.
Customers said there should be more advertising, so team member Chloe designed the eye-catching logo of a cartoon cow with the initials FM and printed it on an eco-friendly cotton bag.
The pupils also wrote to Newbury MP Richard Benyon and Newbury Town Council to seek their ideas for improving the marketing and advertising of the farmers' market
Pete Williams, pictured here with Chloe and the special logo she designed, said: "The children have spent a lot of time and effort on this project and produced a great new logo for the market. I'll take their recommendations to the Board and follow them up."
Thames Valley Farmers' Market Co-operative Ltd is very pleased to have worked with pupils from Mary Hare School taking part in the Farming, Environment and Sustainability Challenge 2009.