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2011-02-02
Yorkshire’s annual Farmhouse Big Breakfast charity fund-raiser this year realised £3,350.
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| Grub up! Lindsey Hitchen, of St George’s Court B&B, High Grantley, prepares to serve the first of over 200 Yorkshire charity Big Breakfasts. She is joined by, from left, Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s North Yorkshire development officer Tony Doveston; Jean Kennelly, a helper who travelled all the way from Cheshire; Christine Ryder, Scaife Hall Farm B&B, Blubberhouses; Rachael Gate, another Cheshire helper, who runs outside catering business Country Kitchen; Maggie Johnson, group chairman, Mallard Grange B&B, Aldfield; Alison Hickey, Moor End Farm B&B, Littlethorpe; Dave Jones, Barclays’ North of England agricultural manager; ARC-Addington Fund director Ian Bell; and Rosemary Hyslop, Yorkshire Director Farm Stay, who runs Layhead Farm Cottages, Rathmell, Settle. |
A total of 213 breakfasts, both using and promoting locally produced food, were cooked and served up over six sittings at the three-day event, held at St George’s Court B&B, Old Home Farm, High Grantley, Ripon. (Jan 25-27)
Hosted by owners Will and Lindsey Hitchen, it was organised and staged by the Harrogate and Nidderdale Group of Farm Stay UK, the country’s largest network of farm-based accommodation providers.
Over the years, Yorkshire Farmhouse Big Breakfast has raised thousands of pounds for charity. This year’s proceeds are being split between the ARC-Addington Fund’s Strategic Rural Housing Scheme andYorkshire Air Ambulance.
Currently celebrating its 10th anniversary, the ARC-Addington Fund supports hard-hit farming families and communities. In North Yorkshire alone, the charity has distributed 1,400 grants totalling over £680,000.
The majority was handed out both during and after the first foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001/2002, with further grants awarded in 2007 following the floods and second foot and mouth outbreak.
Fund director Ian Bell OBE said: “In addition, since 2008, almost £6,000 has been distributed to help North Yorkshire farmers and their families experiencing financial difficulties completely out of their control.
“We have also purchased seven properties in the area for families needing to retire or exit their farms, who have had no other options available to them. We urge other farming families across the region who may be experiencing similar problems to get in touch with us, as we may well be able to help and support them.
“The financial input we receive from events such as Yorkshire Big Breakfast is invaluable.”
The Yorkshire Air Ambulance provides a life-saving rapid response service to over five million people across the county, flying seven days a week, 365 days a year. It needs to raise £7,200 a day to keep both its ambulances in the air and maintained.
“The generosity we receive is the lifeblood of the charity – without it we would not be able to provide the service we are so proud of,” said Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s North Yorkshire development officer Tony Doveston.
Maggie Johnson, Harrogate and Nidderdale Farm Stay Group chairman, who runs Mallard Grange B&B at Aldfield, said: “It was a great team effort and also proved a valuable networking opportunity for Farm Stay members to foster links with local tourism bodies and attractions who attended the breakfast. Our warm thanks go to all who supported us.”
Main sponsor of the 2011 Big Breakfast was Brian Elsworth, of EuraAudit UK, Ripon. Others sponsors, supporters and food donators included Bleikers Smokehouse, Glasshouses, Harrogate, Harrogate Spa Water,High Callis Organic Farm, Bishop Wilton, York, Chippindale Foods, Harrogate, Paynes Farm Dairies, Boroughbridge, Anna’s Happy Trotters, Howden, Selby, and Longley Farm Yoghurts, Holmfirth.
The ARC-Addington Fund has also received a £900 boost from REAL Food and Farming, the proceeds raised at last year’s annual Kilnsey Show
REAL’s 2010 show village featured a children’s educational area, cookery theatre with local food master classes led by five of Yorkshire’s best-known chefs and a Northern Dales Farmers Markets’ food tent.
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