FOOD & DRINK
Reap what you sow in 2012 A VIP Year – Sarah Lyon proposes that you make a conscious decision to get involved in one of these Very Important Projects and help to sustain and support your local food and farming community Virtuous Bread; Become a Bread Angel – Home baking course and social enterprise Virtuous….Virtue, says Jane Mason of Virtuous Bread, “is lived out in the set of behaviours we use when we are building and maintaining positive relationships. Because nobody is perfect, the cycle of apology and forgiveness is central to virtue. This requires that we see from someone else’s point of view.” Bread…Jane adds, “when we eat well we are more patient, tolerant and kind and more likely to think clearly and act respectfully.” “There is nothing that builds angelic camaraderie quite like kneading together or your first attempt at shaping a loaf.” Improve your bread-making skills and learn more about running a small home-based food business. A three day course that combines amazing steps in developing bread-making confidence with clear, practical and up-to-date information about the business of baking bread at home and delivering it locally to your neighbours, local cafés, delis, day centres, schools and farmers’ markets. After the course when you have your ‘bread wings’ you have the option of continuing your relationship with virtuousbread.com, for business and moral support. Consider becoming a Bread Angel Trainer and teach others to become a part of this ‘host of angels’. London courses with Jane Mason (Tel: 07711 267 278); Leicester and Norfolk courses with Rosie Clark (Tel: 07894 232543), rosie@virtuousbread.com, www.virtuousbread.com
Capers Caterers Gives Back! Sally Birrell of Capers is a caterer who provides a bespoke catering service nurturing and guiding her clients every step of the way. “Capers can encompass any theme and create any style. We believe that every meal is our only meal and in doing so we take full responsibility for the event and venue. The A1 motorway is a fantastic corridor for us. Our fleet of five refrigerated vans ensures that food travels in the safest environment.” After a trip to Northern Mozambique Sally has chosen to focus on and support NEMA’s School Feeding project whose aim is to reduce child malnutrition, to improve school attendance and to improve concentration levels at school. Sally invites clients to make a donation through their invoice of just 20 pence per head which in return gives NEMA the ability to feed one child for one day, providing that child with a full belly. Capers Catering, Sandy, Bedfordshire – Tel: 01767 631700 www.nemafoundation.org
Chater Valley Farm Rent-a-Porker Scheme “The pigs are born free range and woodland reared. All the animals, both pigs and cattle, are produced in an environment that focuses on their welfare.” The animal breeds are also chosen for their docility and good temperament. This is important for another reason; future plans include the provision of an educational and support environment for children and families including those who are living with autism. The Rent-a-Porker Scheme is for those who would like to have a pig for their freezer but don’t have their own land. At £45 a month for six months, it’s more expensive that supermarket meat, but you can follow your pig’s progress with visits to the farm and you finish up with delicious rare breed pork and sausages from a trustworthy source. If a whole pig is too much, consider going halves or thirds with friends. Chater Valley Farm – Pinfold Lane, Pilton, Oakham, Rutland LE15 9PA, Tel: 01780 720660
Follow the Herd Sponsor a Cow Scheme with The Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust where Shetland and Longhorn cattle are grazing life back into our nature reserves Careful grazing is a critical part of grassland management, creating the right conditions for wildlife to flourish by keeping down coarse vegetation which would overwhelm rarer, more delicate plants. The trust manages a variety of important grassland sites including heath land and wild flower rich meadows. Your sponsorship helps care for the cattle that graze the land. Simply choose which breed of cow you would like to sponsor and complete a form. In return you will be rich in the knowledge that you are helping to sustain and preserve our nature reserves, you will receive a sponsorship certificate for your cow, a soft toy ring, two newsletters updating you on your cow’s progress and an invitation to meet the cattle at one of the trust’s nature reserves. Go to www.lrwt.org.uk/support-us/sponsor-cow STAMFORD LIVING JANUARY 2012
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