Wroxham Barns

Wroxham Barns

May 2013

Celebrating 30 successful years

IANLooking RUSSELL MBE back at the business Wroxham Barns in 1983 • The Barns today Praise from VisitEngland • Macmillan Cancer Support • RSPB Send a Cow • Love the Broads • Britain’s Magical Waterland • Scone Competition

www.wroxhambarns.co.uk

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Contents 05. Full of praise

VisitEngland’s Chief Executive congratulates the Barns

06. Back to the future

Ian Russell reflects on the past 30 years

08. That Was Then…

How the site looked in 1983

10. ...This Is Now

What Wroxham Barns has to offer today

13. In The Spotlight

Ian Russell on his likes, dislikes and career to date

17. Worthy Causes: Macmillan Cancer Support RSPB Send a Cow Love the Broads

Cover picture: Top row: Tricia Francis, Tim Foord Bottom Row: Stephanie Vernon, Katy Leckie, Inna Millward Picture by Bob Hobbs.

about on the river 25. Messing Why the Norfolk Broads are good for the soul 26. Back to business

Discover the wonderful craft shops and studios

29. Team talk

News and views from the staff

31. Scones, scones, scones!

Details of this year’s baking competition

33. Heartfelt thanks

A big thank you to our supporters everywhere

Wroxham Barns PUBLISHED BY H2Creative Media Limited, Beacon Innovation Centre, Beacon Park, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR31 7RA 01493 446639 | www.h2creativemedia.co.uk

Wroxham Barns, Tunstead Road, Hoveton, Norfolk, NR12 8QU. Tel: 01603 783762.

Email: info@wroxhambarns.co.uk Website: www.wroxhambarns.co.uk Also on Facebook and Twitter Open every day from 10am to 5pm* *Apart from Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

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t is a great pleasure to be asked to write the foreword for Wroxham Barns’ commemorative magazine and I was delighted to be invited to the 30th anniversary dinner on 23rd May. Since Wroxham Barns first opened its doors in 1983, this tourist attraction has come to embody so many of the values that we champion here at VisitEngland.

From the inspiration of an idea after reading a report from the English Tourist Board identifying shopping as the most popular activity for holidaymakers in England, Ian and his team set out to create an attractive destination offering the shopper a memorable experience. A place where you can not only buy gifts, but see where they are made and chat to the artisans.

A place where you can browse at your leisure, where there’s plenty of free parking and visitors are welcomed but not hurried; in other words, a place where shopping is a joy.

Thirty years on, we know that this pastime is still a big draw for domestic visitors; our research shows that Britons taking day trips in England spent £113 million last year on special items that they would not normally buy.

After opening with just a handful of staff to a crowd of curious customers three decades ago, today Wroxham Barns employs the equivalent of 50 full-time staff, has an annual turnover of £2.1 million and welcomes more than 300,000 visitors a year. VisitEngland’s Annual Survey of Visitor Attractions also shows that Wroxham Barns was the third most popular free attraction in the region in 2011, further demonstrating its enduring popularity and the contribution the business makes to the local community.

Doubtless, this is due in no small part to Ian Russell’s enthusiasm and vision, but the site’s success can also be attributed to some hard and fast tourism rules; a warm welcome, regular research into what the customer wants, inspirational marketing campaigns, up-to-date visitor information and, of course, a quality product.

The result is a high quality visitor experience that offers something for everyone, year round, whatever the weather. By working to diversify its offering and embracing new technology such as social media, Wroxham Barns continues to grow. The team also welcomes regular assessment and accreditation in its constant bid for improvement, having been a member of VisitEngland’s Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme since 1999, embracing the annual visit every year and following the assessors’ recommendations.

The awards say it all, of course, and over the years there have been many, but the major marker of success is that customers keep coming back. Ask someone from Norfolk if they know Wroxham Barns and the answer will undoubtedly be “yes”; those who first came back in 1983 are now visiting the site with their children and grandchildren.

Doubtless, this is due in no small part to Ian Russell’s enthusiasm and vision, but the site’s success can also be attributed to some hard and fast tourism rules; a

Indeed, one of the attraction’s biggest selling points is its cross-generational appeal – from the award-winning restaurant to the mini golf course and Junior Farm, there really is something for all the family.

warm welcome, regular research

Congratulations to Ian and his team on 30 great years and a job well done. Wroxham Barns is a very special place, and a fine example of all that is great about England’s tourism industry. Long may it continue.

inspirational marketing campaigns,

James Berresford

into what the customer wants, up-to-date visitor information and, of course, a quality product.

Chief Executive VisitEngland 05

Ian Russell (left) and Rupert Latham outside the main barn in March 1982.

Below: The tea room in May 1983.

Bottom left: An early promotional poster.

Bottom right: The Steam and Electric Company.

Opposite page (left): Jack Chippendale, Michael Montague and Ian Russell at the official opening on 24th May 1983.

(Right): The gift shop in May 1983.

LOOKING BACK Ian Russell reflects on 30 years in the hospitality business

t all started in a pub - all the best adventures start in a pub! With two colleagues (Rupert Latham who built steam launches and the late Jack Chippendale, legendary dinghy builder), over a pint, day-dreaming over the estate agent’s particulars for Dairy Farm on Tunstead Road in Hoveton.

A hair-brained scheme hatched over pints two, three and four - let’s build boats and let the public see our crafts/craftsmen at work. Maybe we could sell boats there as well? Can you spot the elephant in the room, though? The aforementioned Dairy Barns were a good 20-minute stroll from the nearest water!

Not that a trifling detail like that should deter us. A month or so later, we had assembled the necessary £40,000, with the help of parents and aunts. Years later they were to confide that they were convinced that our plan was most unlikely to succeed! The boat-building idea evolved into something more feasible. Much of our story is down to luck, the first stroke of which was meeting the Development Officer for the English Tourist Board. I was 25 then, as was he. He is now the Chief Executive of Tourism South East; back then he gave me a research report on what holidaymakers liked doing back in 1981 – what was that, I hear you ask? The answer was a big shock – most of all, our lovely holidaymakers loved SHOPPING! So where were they shopping? Wherever it was, it was nowhere special, with due respect to the retailers of the day. So we thought, what about somewhere where you could buy gifts with origin, see where they were made, chat to the artisans? Located in a nice rural setting, such as some lovely restored barns, with somewhere to picnic? Through the summer, the plan came together and, of course, we thought it was bound to succeed – after all, I was 25 and bomb-proof!

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Let’s be proud of Norfolk, of which Wroxham Barns is honoured to be a part

In one of my many trips to pick the brains of my friend at the Tourist Board, I met the Chairman of the English Tourist Board, a lovely fellow called Michael Montague. He showed real interest in what we were doing and asked if he could help in any way. “Yes”, I said, “you can come to Norfolk on May 24th 1983 and open Wroxham Barns.” He did not ask and I did not tell him that I had not yet secured planning permission! I was sure that that would be a mere formality; it was not. In fact, it turned out to be a nightmare. The planners of the day thought our crazy scheme was inappropriate and that there was no perceived demand.

But without enough capital and with no experience of tourism, we set about restoring our lovely barns. Yet more good fortune - we won a grant from the English Tourist Board, with the barns recognised as the first “craft centre” in the UK, and received a much-needed cash injection of £20,000 - the equivalent of a terraced house in those days! Then the rains came and we worked through one of the wettest winters and springs in living memory.

Then there was the task of finding our craftsmen. We managed to fill all of the studios before we opened and gathered a small group of local craftspeople who agreed to supply us on a sale or return basis. We opened a few days before the Whitsun bank holiday and we were completely unprepared for the crowds who came to see us.

I think we then suffered a version of post-traumatic stress that prevents us from recalling some of the cringe-making fixes we got ourselves into! In the intervening years, we have said hello and goodbye to a host of craftsmen and women, some quite outstanding, some less so. But I believe that Wroxham Barns now provides a setting for a quite outstanding group of small craftspeople and businesses,

including Chris Hutchins, our resident artist, who has been with us for 28 years, potter Tricia Francis and stained glass specialist Tim Foord. Indeed, some of our tenant businesses are now in the second generation of owners.

We saw that we needed to widen our appeal to families and in the late 80s and early 90s we added our children’s fair and Junior Farm. Our tearoom has evolved into an award-winning restaurant, and now we have a trendy coffee shop for young families.

In one sense the place looks much the same as it did when we opened back in 1983; look closer, however, and almost every element has evolved – it’s been more a process of evolution than revolution. The changes in retail, tourism and technology over the years have been relentless and extraordinary. Back in 1983 we had no internet, no inkling of sustainable tourism, no pdq machines and no mobile phones, and visitors to the area booked a week’s or a fortnight’s holiday.

Back then we had holiday camps, not holiday parks. B&Bs were popular in Great Yarmouth, but posh B&Bs were yet to be invented. A good night out meant prawn cocktail and steak, or chicken in a basket.

The Broads were overcrowded, noisy and the province of Watneys Red Barrel.

At the time, the good burghers of Norfolk saw tourism as a blight on the county, causing traffic jams and spoiling the landscape, and the tourism businesses felt unloved. Other than Great Yarmouth, there was little being done to promote the destinations or to seek to drive up standards.

We are proud that we have played our part in helping to influence some of those issues. Wroxham Barns is nothing without the hotels, B&Bs, holiday parks and hire boat fleets that attract and accommodate the region’s visitors. And we need

competing attractions like BeWILDerwood, Alby Crafts, Fairhaven Gardens, Hoveton Hall and Thrigby (to name but a few) to create a vibrant destination where there is so much to see and do. We need the Broads to be what it is today - an attractive and compelling destination which gives a halo effect and gives us a sense of place.

Our people have always been central to our story. Many hundreds of young people have had their first experience of employment at Wroxham Barns, and some now bring their young families to visit us today. Some of our rising stars have gone on to be leaders in Norfolk attractions, such as Peter Williamson at Merrivale Model Village, Trevor Waters at Snettisham Park Farm and Imogen Burgoyne at Amazonia Zoo in Cromer. So many good people have helped to shape and develop our extraordinary story.

And throughout the past 30 years, we have always needed our local residents to support us and my word, they have done that! From the start we wanted to open all year round, which meant that we had to be seen as offering more than “tourist tat” (there was a fair bit of that around in 1983, but thankfully it’s very rare these days!).

We had to be somewhere customers would come to shop, eat, mooch and browse, and we really believe in all-year-round tourism, a task which is still a work-in-progress for Norfolk.

The time has flown by and it has been an adventure. Would we do it again? Yes, without doubt.

My parting thought is that we have achieved much through the wonderful support and encouragement of many individuals and businesses. In the cynicism that prevails in the 21st century, let’s encourage the next generation of entrepreneurs, let’s employ young people and let’s be proud of Norfolk, of which Wroxham Barns is honoured to be a part.

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THAT WAS THEN...

Things were very different at Wroxham Barns in the early days, as shown by these pictures from 1982 and 1983.

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09

...THIS IS NOW

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In the spotlight:

Ian Russell Ian Russell MBE has owned Wroxham Barns for 30 years.

To get to know the man behind the business, we asked him 30 questions…

1. Can you tell us about your background?

I’m 56 years old and was born in Hitchin, Herts. I grew up on a farm and then trained as a boatbuilder at Southampton College of Technology.

2. What did you do before you owned Wroxham Barns?

Before college, I worked in two Wroxham boatyards, Moores of Wroxham and Jack Powles. After college, I worked for Powles International, managing their yacht production and working for their marketing team.

3. You also had an advertising agency – can you tell us more about this?

In 1982 I undertook a major career change, purchasing Dairy Farm in Tunstead (now Wroxham Barns) and setting up an events and marketing agency. That agency became the TRO Group, now the UK’s largest experiential marketing agency, with offices in the UK, Germany, India, China and Australia.

I stood down as Executive Chairman in 2002 and sold my shares in 2006. The management team that helped me build the agency to a £20 million-plus turnover business still runs the business today, which is now owned by Omnicom Worldwide, maintaining a significant operational centre at Wymondham.

4. What about your other roles in the tourism industry?

I have always believed that tourism businesses must work together; no one hotel/attraction or holiday park offers the complete holiday experience. By working together, we can promote each other and the destinations of which we are a part.

My first involvement was to help establish the Norfolk Tourist Attractions Association in 1989. From there I went on to serve as the founding Chairman of Norfolk Tourism and VisitNorwich.

I also served as a director of the Forum Trust, when it was being developed, and the regional tourist board. I am currently a director of VisitEastAnglia and a committee member of the Norfolk Tourist Attractions Association.

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I genuinely enjoy being in the service industry, being a servant

5.

6.

7.

Can you tell us about your personal life?

I’m married to Sue and we have five children between us. Katie, 29, and Jess, 25, work in London, in public affairs and property respectively. Alastair, 25, is training as a teacher, Harry, 22, is studying Tourism and Hospitality at Bournemouth, Philly, 25, is studying at Newcastle University.

What do you like most about owning and working at Wroxham Barns?

To have created a place which many people chose to visit and spend their valued leisure time is very rewarding, but not without its responsibility. I hope that we contribute to the local community as a job creator, an attractor and an influencer. What could be nicer than spending your days seeing people enjoy what you have helped to create? I genuinely enjoy being in the service industry, being a servant.

What have been the highlights over the years?

Too many to name, but I am proud of the many hundreds of young people who enjoyed their first experience of working at Wroxham Barns. We have a number of awards, and the recognition of our peers is always a good experience. But more important is to see customers who continue to visit us, be they local residents or holidaymakers.

8.

Any disasters that you’re willing to share with us?

Again, too many to mention, but none that I would regret. We have always learnt from our mistakes and are better off having experienced them. But running out of milk on our first busy Sunday and being told later that we had been serving watereddown condensed milk still stands out after all these years!

9.

What’s changed most since you bought the site back in 1983?

Our staff and our tenant businesses. The expectation of customers is rightly much higher than 30 years ago and to create a team capable of excellent service is our greatest task and maybe our greatest achievement. Of course, the buildings and the facilities have evolved too, with our family investing £800,000 in the last six years.

10. What do you like to do on a day off?

Walk the dogs on the beach at Winterton and Holkham, eat out in Norwich and out and about – there are some brilliant pubs. Mooch in Norwich and Holt. Walk by the river - The Ant at Ludham Bridge, Horning Staithe and Salhouse. Sadly I am not great when on a day off; I can’t turn off and Sue gets cross when I critique and analyse everything everywhere; it drives her mad!

11.

Where would you choose to eat out?

Byfords in Holt, The Pigs in Edgefield, The Belgian Monk in Norwich, The Hoste Arms in Burnham Market, The Lavender House in Brundall and the Bure River Cottage Restaurant (fish restaurant) in Horning.

12. Who does the cooking in your house?

Sue! If pushed, I can do a good steak or the inevitable spag bol!

13. Do you have any interests outside work?

My family (they keep me young), sailing, our-much loved Westies, Harvey and Nicks, and being a member of The Worshipful Company of Leathersellers, a livery company in the City of London. I am Chairman of the Leathersellers’ School, Colfe’s; an independent, co-educational day school with 1,000 pupils in South London.

14. What sort of music do you listen to?

A broad/strange mix of Katherine Jenkins, popular classical music, Beyoncé, Adele, Bruno Mars and Chris Rea. What are your favourite TV programmes?

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Crime drama, documentaries, current affairs. I am also a serious Archers’ fan.

15. What are you reading at the moment?

I recently acquired a Kindle and enjoy reading crime thrillers but also Max Hastings’ All Hell Let Loose.

16. Where did you last go on holiday?

Sailing in the Adriatic.

17. Do you live in the county?

We have a house in Warwickshire and are in the process of renovating a house near the Barns.

18. What do you most like about working in the Norfolk Broads?

The Broads have been my spiritual home since I was a small boy, and I have worked on and around the Broads for the last 40 years. This is a unique part of the world, with a warm and very capable community of businesses and people.

19. Who helped you get where you are today?

From my early days trying to get a job with boats when I was 15, John Williams and Leslie Trafford at Jack Powles, and Robert and Ralph Moore at Moores of Wroxham. Also the late Jack Chippendale, with whom I worked for most of the last 40 years - he was an outstanding exemplar of business ethics. The late Fred Roy was kind and generous in his encouragement.

Robert and Diane Harber with whom I have worked for many years, in particular doing so much to lay the foundations for the Wroxham Barns that you see today. Since then, so many colleagues within the tourism industry who have been kind enough to share their experiences, offer help and be a source of encouragement.

20. Can you tell us about your MBE? Yes, I was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours 2002 and received my medal from Prince Charles, but I have no idea how it happened or who to thank! The citation is for ‘Services to Tourism in Norfolk’ and I was and am extremely honoured and have continued to do all I can to support our industry and my colleagues.

21. Would you change anything about the last 30 years?

I am a firm believer in “don’t look back”; the only thing that matters is how we will look after the next customer!

22. Can you tell us about the developments at the Barns this year?

We are really pleased with the extended Pantry shop and the new Pantry Coffee Shop. Also, Sue Windley’s new ‘Made By You’ art studio is just brilliant; it’s so good to see children and grownups having a chance to get creative.

The new RSPB information hub will be really popular with our visitors, and we are thrilled to be working with the RSPB, especially with the Swallowcam on the Junior Farm attracting so much interest.

Our extension to the restaurant is also proving very popular with customers, particularly for family Sunday lunches.

Gretel Brice’s new S’Animer Health and Holistic Beauty Clinic is attracting a new group of local customers who are loving the lovely clinic and treatments and everything else we have to offer.

23. Where else would you recommend that holidaymakers go?

How much time have you got?! There is so much to do in Norfolk, with a higher standard and wider choice than any other destination in the UK. But the stand-outs would be BeWILDerwood, Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden, Pensthorpe, Banham Zoo, The Dinosaur Adventure Park, Merrivale Model Village, Holkham, Thursford, the RSPB reserves, The Broads Museum, the National Trust properties at Blickling and Felbrigg, all that Norwich has to offer and, of course, the

What could be nicer than spending your days seeing people enjoy what you have helped to create?

Broads - Britain’s Magical Waterland!

24. Can you sum yourself up in five words?

Happy, busy, optimistic, getting old!

25. What advice would you give future entrepreneurs?

Approach everything with a positive frame of mind, more people will support you than you might imagine and doors will open more often than you might think - just try the handle!

Understand your customer. Trust your team and delegate. Don’t do blame, just learn from mistakes. Enjoy what you do; if you are happy, you are probably doing a good job.

26. Of which element at Wroxham Barns are you most proud?

The jobs we have created, the independent businesses that have made their home here and the team that has grown up in the business, both now and over the past 30 years.

27. Where do you see Wroxham Barns in 30 years’ time?

Developing and growing as our customers wish us to.

Continuing to develop organically and sustainably. Still striving to deliver a quality experience. And still being a part of a vibrant and successful destination.

28. Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions?

I have had enormous luck and great fun over the past 30 years. I’m just happy to grab challenges, but even happier to let my team have their head and show that I am surplus to requirements!

29. What are your plans for the future?

For the business, I would like us to continue to develop our reputation as a food and drink destination and as an all-yearround, all-weather, kids’ and grown-up place to visit. For me personally, I have a completely open mind but being happy is mandatory!

Ian and Sue’s beloved Westies: Harvey and Nicks (left) Ian Russell’s mother, Mrs Jo Ansell, Ian Russell and Jack Chippendale on 24th May 2007 (below left).

Ian and Sue Russell (below right).

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Practical, emotional and financial support for people in Norfolk

All in agood cause At Wroxham Barns, we’re proud to support a number of different charities, helping a range of causes with which the team and customers identify. Our work with Macmillan Cancer Support is personal, recognising that we have all lost valued work colleagues, friends and family to cancer, and so we are proud to announce the Wroxham Barns’ Macmillan 30 Appeal, aiming to raise enough money to pay for a Macmillan nurse for 30 days. e’ve been raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support for a number of years and in a number of different ways. In 2011 our resident potter, Tricia Francis, raised well over £1,000 by collecting donations and making and selling cards and brooches, and last year we raised £2,500 via a range of fundraising initiatives such as raffles, concerts and our Monster Mince Pie Munch.

So far this year we’ve seen the wonderful Wymondham Old Timers’ classic car rally and the pro-am mini golf event at Wroxham Barns in May. Plus, all sorts of other fundraising activities are planned, such as concerts and customer days (please see the website at: www.wroxhambarns.co.uk for details).

A big thank you to everyone who’s supported us so far and please keep giving, as the funds make a big difference to cancer patients and their families, as Helen Chapman, Area Fundraising Manager, Norfolk & Suffolk, for Macmillan Cancer Support (pictured right), explains:

“Macmillan Cancer Support improves the lives of people affected by cancer by providing a range of medical, practical, emotional and financial support. The charity helps with all the things that people affected by cancer want and need, and also helps carers, families and communities, guiding people through the system, supporting them every step of the way. Macmillan believes that no-one should face cancer alone and with your help, they may not have to.”

How you can help:

Health Care Professionals: Norfolk has over 50 Macmillan health professionals working to make life better for people affected by cancer in hospitals and in the community. Macmillan nurses, dieticians, radiologists and other health professionals work across Norfolk.

There are a range of Macmillan nursing positions from a Haematology Nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Skin Cancer Nurses and Community Palliative Care Nurses.

Information Services: Macmillan holds the latest, up-to-date information leaflets at the recently refurbished Macmillan Cancer Care Treatment Centre, based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn and at the Cancer Information Centre based at the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital. Macmillan funded £400,000 of the recent work at the Cancer Care Treatment Centre in King’s Lynn. Due to Norfolk being such a rural area, in 2011 Macmillan teamed up with the Norfolk Library Service to bring information into the community so it’s easily accessible.

Mobile Information Centre: The Mobile Macmillan Cancer Information Unit travels across East Anglia so that people have better access to cancer information and support and it has visited many towns and shows across the area including regular visits to Norwich, Great Yarmouth, the Cromer Carnival and the Royal Norfolk Show.

Emotional Support: The charity also gives emotional support over the phone via its emotional support helpline on 0808 808 00 00. These services help people find the answers to their questions about cancer, join support groups or just talk to someone who understands.

Financial Support: Macmillan provides Welfare Benefits Advice to people across Norfolk via its helpline. Cancer patients are often entitled to welfare benefits which, at a time of increased expenses, can provide significant relief. The advisers help people navigate the welfare system and claim the support they need.

The charity has been providing financial grants to cancer patients since it was started by Douglas Macmillan in 1911, from help with fuel costs, hospital car parking, new bed sheets and liquidisers.

More information:

• •

• • • • • •

Attend one of Wroxham Barns’ Macmillan fundraising events in 2013!

Take part in the charity’s biggest and easiest fundraising event: The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning on Friday 27 September 2013 and on the last Friday of September each year.

Join this year’s Starlight Walk in Norwich on June 21st.

Hold your own fundraising event or seek sponsorship to do something funny!

Organise a dress down or dress green day at your workplace or school.

Leave a legacy to Macmillan.

Start up a Macmillan Tribute Fund in memory of a loved one.

Run in this year’s Norwich Half Marathon for Macmillan, on Sunday 24th November.

Over 95% of Macmillan’s work is funded by voluntary donations, so the charity can only provide its services to people in Norfolk through the generosity of its supporters. In 2013 Macmillan Cancer Support in Norfolk needs to raise one million pounds to help support local people affected by cancer.

For further information, please see: www.macmillan.org.uk or contact your Norfolk Fundraising Team: Nathalie Marshall and Helen Chapman on: 0300 1000 200.

Macmillan Cancer Support would like to thank Ian Russell and the team at Wroxham Barns for another year of support.

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Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) currently operational for commercial systems. Expected to be announced for Domestic applications for Summer 2013.

green

Welcoming our Feathered Friends Wroxham Barns has a long-established relationship with the RSPB to help visitors discover and protect the wildlife of the Broads. Now a new RSPB information centre has opened on site, offering visitors even more... t Wroxham Barns we’re well aware of the fantastic work that the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) does on a daily basis to help people discover and protect the amazing wildlife around us. If you’ve visited Wroxham Barns over the past year or so, you may have seen the RSPB team giving out leaflets and other information and helping youngsters with fun activities such as mask-making, creating bird-feeders and felt animals, and planting seeds.

Our visitors have always been fascinated by the RSPB’s activities and so this year we’ve taken things one step further with the opening of a permanent RSPB information centre as you come into the Barns.

Managed by Nikki Thurston, the aim of this new unit is to provide fun activities for families at Wroxham Barns throughout the year so that visitors can learn more about local wildlife and find out where to go to explore the stunning landscapes and wildlife of the Broads.

Take a look inside the unit on your next visit to see what’s on offer and to collect one of the Wildlife Challenge Sheets – take this with you around the site to see what wildlife you can spot and, if you complete it all, simply return it to the RSPB unit or Gallery gift shop to collect a small prize.

This is just one of the fun things on offer for visitors to Wroxham Barns who are interested in the birds and other wildlife around them. Of course, there are also the swallows, who nest in the barns on our Junior Farm each summer and whose antics are captured by the ‘Swallowcam’ which relays live footage of their activities on to the giant screen in the Small Animal Centre.

Meanwhile, the Broads is the UK’s largest wetland and is home to an incredible wealth of wildlife. The RSPB manages over 2,000 hectares of land for wildlife across the Broads, which is the equivalent of 16,000

Olympic swimming pools! In addition to the fun to be had at Wroxham Barns, there are numerous RSPB nature reserves in the Broads - at Strumpshaw Fen, Buckenham and Cantley Marshes, Berney Marshes and Breydon Water, Surlingham Church Marsh and Rockland Marsh. Strumpshaw Fen is the best of these for family visits and to see the full range of Broadland habitats and wildlife.

So why not pick up a leaflet from the new RSPB unit and then plan a relaxing stroll through woodlands, reed beds and summer meadows brimming with wildflowers?

Strumpshaw Fen is one of the best places in the country to spot wild otters, marsh harriers, kingfishers and the UK’s biggest butterfly – the swallowtail – and you can borrow nets to go pond-dipping, pick up a wildlife spotting sheet, or even borrow a Wildlife Explorer’s rucksack complete with binoculars, a magnifying pot and wildlife guides.

Many wildlife species in the Broads are declining due to habitat loss and changes in farming techniques. However, the RSPB is restoring habitats for wildlife, working with farmers to encourage wildlife-friendly farming, and helping people to create homes for wildlife in their own gardens and school grounds.

The RSPB has also continued the centuries-old Broadland traditions of reedcutting, hay mowing and cattle-grazing and these historical practices help wildlife to flourish. At Strumpshaw Fen you’ll see the herd of Highland cows that help to keep the meadows blooming with rare orchids.

The RSPB has around 100 volunteers working in the Norfolk Broads who help with everything from physical habitat work and wildlife surveys to school visits, family events, office work and greeting visitors to reserves. There’s also a year-round programme of events to help people of all ages get close to nature in the Broads.

Summer events include dragonfly and butterfly walks, bat and moth evenings, and family activity days with pond-dipping, bug hunts and quiz trails.

For more details on visiting RSPB reserves in the Broads, volunteering and special events, visit www.rspb. org.uk/strumpshawfen or pop in to see the team at the new RSPB unit at Wroxham Barns.

And if you have a young family, you may like to know that the RSPB is inspiring young people to care about nature and wildlife, via a monthly wildlife club for children (the Norwich Nuthatches) that meets at Strumpshaw Fen and other wild places around the Broads – see www.rspb.org.uk/groups/ norwichnuthatches.

There’s also an RSPB education programme for schools to visit Strumpshaw Fen and take part in hands-on wildlife activities, so please visit the RSPB unit soon to find out more.

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Ethiopia, 2007

HELPING AFRICANS HELP THEMSELVES Junior Farm Manager Eileen Calverley explains why Send a Cow is one of Wroxham Barns’ chosen charities. t’s not only Wroxham Barns that is celebrating an important milestone this year: Send a Cow, one of the charities that we support, is 25 years old.

I became involved with the charity in 2005 and became an Ambassador in 2006. The practical and well thought-out ways of helping African families improve their lives and utilise their resources impressed me.

The charity provides livestock, training seeds and support to poor families who learn the skills they need to build new lives free from poverty and hunger.

In turn these families then pass on young livestock, seeds or training to others. And so on and so on. This pass-on principle not only builds stronger communities but allows the charity to help even more

back in 2007. I had never been to Africa and only knew about Ethiopia from the television coverage of the famines and droughts. What a wonderful surprise I had - the country is absolutely beautiful, with lots of mountains, plains and lakes.

The people are welcoming, gracious and so very grateful for the help we can give.

The amount of hard work the families are willing to do put me to shame.

We visited lots of families in the SAC programme from all parts of the country and I was amazed at the different ways in which the people used the animals they received. One lady was given a donkey and she used him to transport fruit and vegetables out of her district to get better prices at the markets. Another group formed a co-operative where they collect

This pass-on principle not on builds stronger communities but allows the charity to help even more people to develop skills, confidence and self-respect people to develop skills, confidence and self-respect.

Giving a cow, goat, chickens or sheep will provide the family with milk and protein to enrich their diet. Plus they’ll have manure to compost and fertilise their barren soil, and all recipients are taught sustainable agriculture to improve the soil so that they can grow better fruit and vegetables.

I was lucky enough to go on a study tour to Ethiopia to see Send a Cow (SAC) projects in action for myself – this was

milk on a motorbike and make yoghurt in their dairy, while other families sold some home-grown fruit and vegetables from their houses.

SAC has staff in each of the nine African countries; these are local people who can target the areas and people in most need. They provide training in animal wellbeing, sustainable organic farming, natural resource management and various other subjects such as gender equality, health and hygiene and HIV/Aids awareness.

SAC doesn’t provide a quick fix but a more sustainable, holistic approach with remarkable results.

I have seen for myself the benefits families have received through Send a Cow and how much hard work they have to undertake in order to obtain a better life for themselves and their families. I met a lovely lady who was amazed that people so far away were helping her to provide for her family and the orphans she had taken in. I was amazed and humbled by her generosity of providing for her neighbours’ orphaned children as well as her own. I really saw how a little money goes a long way, giving people dignity and respect, and I will continue to raise funds for such a successful and practical way of helping poorer people.

Please visit the website at: www.sendacow.org.uk and read the amazing transformation of people’s lives and outlook. We also have catalogues and information on the Junior Farm and in Wroxham Barns’ Information Centre which you are very welcome to take home.

So finally, Happy Birthday to Wroxham Barns and Send a Cow: I wish everybody involved a happy and prosperous future with many, many more successful years to come.

For more information about Send a Cow, see: www.sendacow.org.uk or call 01225 874222. Alternatively, please collect a leaflet from Wroxham Barns next time you visit.

Calf-feeding on Junior Farm

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WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE the opening of our new en-suite guest rooms. Local contractors have done a great job converting our first and second floors into luxury B&B rooms for leisure or business clients. Facilities include: • Free guest car park • WiFi internet access • 42-inch flat-screen smart TV • En-suite bath/shower rooms • Comfortable king size or twin beds with luxurious cotton sheets

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Broads Love the Broads t Wroxham Barns we’re proud to support the ‘Love the Broads’ scheme which is run by the Broads Trust and which was set up by the Trust in coLoveoperation the with Broads Tourism and the Broads Authority. The scheme is very much a collaborative venture, with the involvement and enthusiasm of all manner of Broadsbased businesses, and the idea is to help the Broads Trust look after the places that we all love to visit.

Broads

The BroadsLove is well-known as Britain’s magical waterland, the Broads but it requires constant care and attention to keep it that way and so the ‘Love the Broads’ scheme was set up to help to raise funds for projects that will protect and preserve it.

The idea behind the campaign is that local businesses ask their customers to help raise money to care for the Broads in a number of different ways, some by adding a small supplement to the things they sell, and others by selling ‘Love the Broads’ pin badges, having collection tins by their tills and by promoting the charity’s Just Giving page at: www.justgiving.com/nsbct. Donations can also be made by text: text NCBT01 then a space, then the amount, and send your message to 70070.

Individual contributions may be small, but they all add up to a very worthwhile sum.

Love the

Broads Love the Broads

Wroxham Barns is helping make tourism more sustainable in the long-term, via the Broads Trust’s commendable fundraising scheme.

Love the Broads

Love the Broads

The ‘Love the Broads’ scheme is administered by the Broads Trust, which is an independent, registered charity with a board of trustees. Each year the money raised goes to a host of projects including: Practical nature conservation Caring for the Broads’ rich biodiversity Improving land access Providing conservation education for the next generation Wildlife also benefits from conservation work, and education, way-marking and other improvements help people to enjoy this special place.

To do your bit to help the Broads, keep an eye out for the ‘Love the Broads’ logo so that you can support the businesses which are backing the Trust and play your part in protecting this very special landscape.

Imagine: if every visitor to the Norfolk Broads were to donate just £1, we would have seven million pounds annually to spend on conservation, environment, community heritage and more.

So if you enjoy visiting the Broads and would like to make a difference, please donate today! And if you’d like more information about ‘Love the Broads’ projects, please contact the Broads Trust via: Picture: Broads Authority

www.broadstrust.org.uk 23

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Britain’s Magical Waterland

The Norfolk Broads is a magical place to unwind and escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. othing is more relaxing than water and the Broads has 125 miles of it. This internationally important wetland, which lies between the beaches of north and east Norfolk, east Suffolk and Norwich, has the status of a national park and is Britain’s third largest navigation area.

Fragile and ethereal, the Broads six meandering rivers and over 60 broads, or shallow lakes, are a boating and angling paradise. Along with the reedfringed rivers, wide open fens, grazing marshes, and wet woodlands, they form a mosaic which is a haven for some of the rarest wildlife in the UK including swallowtail butterflies, otters, water voles, bitterns, marsh harriers, kingfishers and dragonflies.

There are many ways to get afloat. Silent canoes and sailing boats are ideal for absorbing the wild atmosphere and getting close to the wildlife, while motor and electric boats can accommodate you whether you are out for a day or a week. You may like to rent a riverside cottage, or charter a majestic Edwardian wherry, the traditional cargo boat of the Broads.

Because the land is flat, the Broads are popular for cycling and bikes can be hired at a network of centres.

The late Norfolk naturalist Ted Ellis described the Broads as “a breathing space for the cure of souls.”

They certainly provide a much needed source of renewable energy for the modern generation.

For more information, contact the Broads Authority on 01603 610734, visit www.enjoythebroads.com or pick up a free Broadcaster magazine from Broads’ information centres.

Pictures: Broads Authority

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More than the sum of its parts Wroxham Barns is a great place for shopping and learning, thanks to its wealth of independent craft shops and studios.

1. Bill LeGrice Rose Shop & Plant Centre info@rosebuddies.com 01603 784466 Bill LeGrice: “We have been at Wroxham Barns for five years and have been mail order rose specialists since 1921. We show at The British Rose Festival held at the Hampton Court Show, with a plant centre at Wroxham Barns offering a wide range of locally sourced plants, from perennials to herbs, fruit to hedging, plus over 300 varieties of roses.

We offer a full landscape service based on over 40 years’ local experience. We enjoy the variety and range of visitors at Wroxham 4. P & J Amusements Barns and currently have a turtle dove (children’s funfair) nesting in full view in a planter within funfair@wroxhambarns.co.uk 18 inches of our back door!”

01603 784118 (Picture: Debbie Thompson, Theatre Director, Phil Wheatley: “We are a family business, Dame Judi Dench and Bill LeGrice launching Phil Wheatley (senior and junior) and Jay the Drama Queen rose for Sheringham Little Theatre at The Hampton Court Flower Show). Wheatley. We run fairs in Warwick and Rotherham and golf courses in Birmingham 2. Coastal Stained Glass and Thorpe Park. We took over the coastalstainedglass@wroxhambarns.co.uk Wroxham Barns’ Children’s Funfair in 2004 01603 784825 from Peter Williamson who established the fair here in 1991; he now runs the Merrivale Tim Foord: “I have been at Wroxham Barns Model Village in Great Yarmouth. We for about 18 years and specialise in working developed the Mini Adventure Golf Course with Tiffany glass, making a wide range of in 2007. David Packham (whose wife runs giftware, from stained glass mirrors, lamps Sugar and Spice) is our “man on the spot” and clocks, through to window mobiles, who looks after the fair every day. It offers coasters and trinket boxes. A large part of fun, but our golf course is very popular the business is bespoke work, particularly with players of all ages! The BMGA Golf themed window panels and Tiffany lamps; Championships here have been brilliant - to customers relate strongly to the creation have our course recognised by the UK’s of an item that is specific to themselves. best players is great. And it is always lovely I also run one-day workshops to allow to receive nice comments when visitors students to get an insight into the full send in their customer comment cards.” range of techniques needed in order to create a satisfying end product. I believe 5. Pat’s Wooden Crafts & Engraving that Wroxham Barns owes its success to woodencrafts@tiscali.co.uk its ability to adjust to changes in customer 01603 784245 requirements, staying fresh and maintaining

Wroxham Barns continues to be successful because it has something to offer everyone, from granny to toddler, sole visitor to group party

momentum.”

3. Norfolk Sketches norfolksketches@lineone.net 01603 784221 Chris Hutchins: “My wife Sue and I have run Norfolk Sketches Gallery for 29 years, arriving at Wroxham Barns in 1984 with a lot of enthusiasm but not a lot of money!

Sue was expecting our second baby, Rachel, so the move was quite a gamble. It proved to be a great success and my style of highly detailed pencil drawings of local scenes has been very popular. Both Rachel and her brother, Howard, grew up with Wroxham Barns as a strong part of their lives. As teenagers they both spent summers working at the Barns, Howard on the fair and Rachel for Stephen Fisher’s Apple Shop and they have very fond memories of their time here. There has always been a strong feeling of community at Wroxham Barns; Ian Russell has always been a positive influence and his enthusiasm and willingness to promote the Barns and back good ideas with financial input has been a model for us all.”

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Pat Trett: “This year is my 10th anniversary at Wroxham Barns. Mel, Gemma and I sell products mostly made from wood, specialising in woodturning, and we prefer using recycled timbers where possible. Also lovely ornamental carvings, a stylish assortment of wooden jewellery, traditional wooden toys, reclaimed disused items recycled into lamps, timers, games, personalised house names, signs, door plaques and so on. With the engraving side, we not only personalise our wooden products but branch out to tankards, hip flasks, pens, pet discs and even trophies and corporate awards. The best thing about working at the Barns is the satisfaction of making one-off individual items, knowing they are appreciated and are sent all over the world and bought for special occasions. One of the reasons Wroxham Barns is so successful is because of the personal, individual service you get from the specialised crafts.”

6.S’Animer Complementary Health and Holistic Beauty Clinic info@sanimer.co.uk 01603 280627 Gretel Brice: “S’Animer” is the French verb “to animate/to bring yourself to life”, which is the essence behind all my treatments. They include therapeutic massage, reflexology, energy balance-Reiki, coaching-NLP, facials, manicures, pedicures, wedding/special occasion make-up and health and well-being workshops. Having run my business for several years in other parts of Norfolk, I am very excited to have joined the Wroxham Barns family this year; it has been a joy, with everyone making me feel so welcome. I have been a customer for the last 20 years and have enjoyed every experience it offers, from bringing my babies to the wonderful animal farm to enjoying Sunday lunches now they are teenagers. Wroxham Barns offers easy shopping all year round without the stress of Norwich parking and you can always find a unique present for that special someone.

It offers something for everyone, whatever the weather or day, with staff who really care about every customer.”

7. Sew Creative sales@sewcreativequilts.co.uk 01603 781665 Barbara Kessel: “Steve and I have owned the business since 2011 but the shop has been at Wroxham Barns for many years.

We sell fabric and notions for patchwork and quilting, tapestries, cross stich and our own range of needlecraft kits. In addition we offer a varied selection of courses throughout the year, not just on patchwork quilting but other needlecrafts as well, for beginners as well as more experienced customers, and for children as well as adults. From the shop’s point of view, our best moments are when ladies who weren’t familiar with needlecraft before visiting us produce a fabulous patchwork quilt.

What we also like about working here is the friendly, holiday atmosphere; people are here to enjoy themselves and it’s a pleasant place to work. The environment is relaxed and friendly, quite different from the pressurised shopping malls in towns and cities.”

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8. Sue Windley: Sculptor sculptor.sue@googlemail.com 01603 781700

10. The Norfolk Cider Shop g.fisher@the-apple-shop.co.uk 01603 784876

Geoff Fisher: “I took over the shop at Wroxham Barns in October 2008 from my brother Stephen Fisher, who established it in 1993.

I sell proper Norfolk Cider, pure Norfolk Apple Juice and other apple products.

I like the rural location of the Barns, also the relaxed, friendly atmosphere that pervades amongst the staff and craftspeople.

The highlight of my experience of working at the Barns is undoubtedly the recent media notoriety that I received from the local, national and international press concerning the confusion about my shop name formerly known as ‘The Apple Shop‘ and the global concern ‘Apple Computers’.

The amusing story was broadcast on BBC Radio Norfolk , BBC Radio Humberside and Lincolnshire, BBC Radio 4, Bayerische Rundfunk Munich and KCBS Radio San Francisco. It was printed in the EDP and all 9. Sugar and Spice Children’s Clothes other local newspapers as well as The Daily info@sugarandspiceclothing.co.uk Telegraph, Independent, London Metro 01603 781250 and Dutch De Telegraph and was filmed by BBC Look East and the German national TV Jeanette Packham: The business has been station ZDF. If the world had not heard of here since 1997 and we took over in 2008; Wroxham Barns before, they certainly have Jeanette also worked for the previous owner. now!

We sell children’s clothing and accessories, On several occasions I have been told by providing an alternative to the high street customers that they first came to Wroxham with individual yet highly wearable collections Barns as children and now that they have featuring exciting and innovative statement grown up and have children themselves, pieces. We like meeting lots of lovely people their holiday to Norfolk would not be and have made some good friends. Our complete without visiting the Barns at least fondest memory is meeting at a charity event once during their stay.” for Tunstead Church at Wroxham Barns in 1991; we married shortly after. As for the site’s success, two words: Ian Russell.

Sue Windley: “I have been trading at Wroxham Barns since 2006 and sell sculptures, hand-made gemstone jewellery, minerals and art materials. I also have an area where you can have a go at painting pottery, decopatch and sand art.

I like the independence of working here and the comradeship of all the traders and everyone who works here. It’s also a very peaceful and beautiful environment to work in. My fondest memory is how everyone helped me when was ill with breast cancer; even my customers were understanding.

One of the things that makes me smile is customers saying how much they love my shop. Wroxham Barns’ success is down to nice people in a nice place with great things to do and see and unusual things to buy.

Visitors can take home memories of a great day out.”

11. Tricia Francis Pottery info@triciafrancispottery.co.uk 01603 782171 Trish Francis: “I came to the Barns in October 1989 after having workshops in North Walsham, Thorpe Market and Knapton. I make and sell terracotta pots for the home and garden. All the work is made on the potter’s wheel and hand-decorated and fired in the workshop, which is the only outlet for the things I make. I enjoy working at the Barns, being an independent business alongside other craftsmen and retail outlets, and it is good to have a workshop with a selling area, where I can meet the people who want to buy my pots as well as discuss commissions.

I think the Barns continues to be successful because it has something to offer everyone, from granny to toddler, sole visitor to group party.”

27

Hugh J Boswell

Busy Behind The Scenes Wroxham Barns just wouldn’t succeed without its hard-working team. We catch up with half a dozen of them to see just why they love working here…

Philip Search Food & Beverage Manager “I’ve worked for Wroxham Barns for 18 months and am proud to be part of and responsible for developing one of Norfolk’s top 10 tourist attractions, working and learning from Ian and his vast knowledge and experience from within the sector and tourism nationally. We have a great team of people who strive every day to give the best customer service they can and who are proud and passionate of the food and drink that we serve to our customers, whether it’s a frothy cappuccino, a home-made scone or sausage and mash. The highlight of my time here has been the opening of the new coffee shop this Easter and my fondest memory (besides the haddock chowder and the carrot cake!) is seeing the joy every day of the customers in the different locations on site. I take a lot of the social media pictures and it’s great to see everything from the giant smile a youngster has when holding a day-old chick to the expression on the faces of people as they try Janet’s carrot cake for the first time. As for the reasons for the site’s success, that’s simple: it’s down to Ian’s passion, energy, pride, vision, forward-thinking, focus on quality and focus on service. It’s infectious and enables us all to deliver the best we can to ensure that the customers visiting today tell everyone how great a day they’ve had to all their friends and family who then become our customers of tomorrow.”

Chris Hyde Head Chef

Janet Sharp Pastry Chef/Cook

Wendy Berg Retail Manager/ Buyer

“I’ve worked for Wroxham Barns for over seven years and what I like most about working here are the hours! The highlight of my time here was doing the dinner for the Norfolk Food & Wine Association last year – it was very stressful but hugely rewarding. I think Wroxham Barns is successful because it sets high standards in every area, especially customer care.”

“I’ve worked for Wroxham Barns for 29 years. I enjoy the satisfaction of seeing all my baking meeting the high standards required by the visiting public by the amount that’s regularly made and consumed. The highlight of my time here was the opportunity to visit and participate at the local radio station and its programmes to promote the catering aspects of the Barns.

I think the place is successful because the site is a unique gathering of many types of rural crafts that appeal to the many different interests people have across all age groups. A great time can be had by not just individuals but families and group visits. The balance seems just right.”

“I’ve worked for Wroxham Barns for almost seven years.

No day’s the same, and there’s the opportunity to meet lots of different people. Mine’s an interesting, buzzy, varied job in a great location. The highlight of my time here has been being involved with both the refurbishing of our clothing department in The Gallery and the relocation and extension of our food shop, The Pantry. We offer a wide choice of things to see and do in a friendly, relaxed environment but nevertheless are always seeking to improve on this.”

Rebecca Davidson Retail Supervisor “I’ve worked for Wroxham Barns for two-and-a-half years and I work with a lovely bunch! It’s so reassuring to know that you can rely on everyone to pull together when needed. It has been wonderful to be a part of the team which has seen the re-launch of our food shop, The Pantry. Working on it from the planning stages, through to its recent expansion has given me a great sense of achievement and pride.

I think Wroxham Barns has a fabulous atmosphere. Set in the heart of the beautiful Norfolk countryside, we have something for all generations to enjoy – who wouldn’t want to come and see us again?!”

I think Wroxham Barns has a fabulous atmosphere.

Set in the heart of the beautiful Norfolk countryside, we have something for all generations to enjoy

Eileen Calverley Farm Manager “I’ve worked for Wroxham Barns for 10 years. I love the farm animals and educating people about them and how they should be looked after. The highlight of my time here was my Ethiopia study tour for Send a Cow (find out more on page 21) and having animals born on the farm. I think Wroxham Barns owes its success to offering good value and because it’s excellent for all ages.”

29

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YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE. Images depict typical Persimmon house types and are for guidance only. All information correct at time of going to press. †Calls to 0843/4 numbers cost 5p per minute from a BT landline. Mobile & other providers' charges may vary as necessary.

A TASTE SENSATION Wroxham Barns is famous for its delicious scones and its annual Scone Competition is a firm fixture for budding bakers. roxham Barns is wellknown for its annual Scone Competition, which will take place on Sunday 29th September this year.

This is the seventh year that this fun baking event has been held, which forms part of the EDP Adnams Norfolk Food and Drink Festival (www. norfolkfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk) and attracts entrants from around the country.

The Scone Competition is made up of five categories: plain, cheese, fruit, freestyle and children’s scones, and entrants simply have to make their scones at home and bring a freshly-baked batch to Wroxham Barns by 2.30pm on Sunday 29th September. Each participant is asked to bring four scones along in each category and can enter as many categories as they like. The children’s category, for those aged 12 and under, is for plain scones only, but these can be any shape or size (last year’s winner entered a fabulous rabbit-shaped scone). Entrants also need to complete an entry form which can be downloaded at: www.wroxhambarns. co.uk, or obtained by calling 01603 783762 or emailing: info@wroxhambarns.co.uk.

The scones will be judged by a panel of local journalists and judging will take place between 3pm and 4pm on the day. Winners and runners-up in each category will receive a special baking-related prize.

Commenting on the competition, Ian Russell said: “As far as we know, this is the only scone-making competition in the country and it’s always great fun. We had some amazing entries last year, all really professional, and in the freestyle category there were all sorts of flavour combinations, including gin and tonic scones! Wroxham Barns’ scones are legendary, but it’s very interesting to see other people’s creations and to hear about their recipes and ideas.

Baking continues to be big news this year, thanks to programmes such as The Great British Bake Off and we’re delighted to be running our Scone Competition again this September.”

Plenty of other activities will take place on Sunday 29th September, with bags of freshly-baked Wroxham Barns’ scones on sale, jam-tasting sessions, free recipe sheets and a prize draw, so make sure the Scone Competition is in your diary this year, too!

TOP TIPS FOR PERFECT SCONES Pastry Chef Janet Sharp (pictured left) has a great deal of experience of making scones, having made well over a million of them during her 29 years at Wroxham Barns. She’s also made 25,000 sponge cakes and 800,000 tray bake slices during that time! Here she shares her recipe for delicious fruit scones:

JANET SAYS: Make sure that you’ve got everything you need in front of you before you start - you’ll need a mixing bowl, wooden spoon, measuring jug, rolling pin, pastry brush, cutters, a baking tray and a wire cooling rack.

Heat the oven to the required temperature before you begin and remember that you can make scones in lots of different shapes and sizes; use different-shaped cutters for small scones, or try making one big scone round with your hands. Practice makes perfect and when making your scone mix you should be aiming for a nice, soft consistency that doesn’t spread when you cut it (if the mixture is too hard, your finished scones will also be hard).

Follow the recipe and, using a two-inch cutter, use enough of the scone dough to bring it up to the top of the cutter – this will result in generous scones.

At Wroxham Barns we use local suppliers whenever possible and swop hen’s eggs for duck eggs for an even lighter scone mix.

Taste the best of Norfolk The EDP Adnams Norfolk Food & Drink Festival will run from Saturday 31st August to Sunday 6th October and is the largest event of its kind in the UK. Held in association with Norfolk County Council, it features hundreds of activities showcasing Norfolk food, drink and producers, and comprises six key weekends, plus many weekday events. The Festival is a collaboration of Norfolk organisations keen to spread the message about the benefits of supporting local food and drink, with businesses promoting their produce, highlighting their talent and demonstrating their commitment to the local economy. For more information and a full list of events, see: www.norfolkfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk.

www.norfolkfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk

FRUIT SCONES Makes approximately 10 scones.

Ingredients 1lb Self-Raising Flour 4oz Margarine 5oz Sultanas 2oz Sugar 1 Egg Up to 200ml milk Method Rub the margarine into the flour and sugar.

Stir in the sultanas then add the egg and milk gradually until it forms a dough (don’t over-mix as the mixture needs to be light).

Cut the dough into scone shapes and brush each one with a little milk for extra colour.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 200C, Gas Mark 6.

Serve warm with Nortons Dairy whipped cream and home-made strawberry jam.

31

NO Ad_Wroxham Barns_190x136_25.04.13_Layout 1 26/04/2013 16:04 Page 1

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HEARTFELT THANKS… hank you for helping us to celebrate our 30th birthday - 30 wonderful years of welcoming visitors to Wroxham Barns. I hope that you’ve enjoyed reading about the Barns of both yesterday and today in this commemorative magazine and I’d like to thank everyone who’s supported us over the years, from you lovely Norfolk folk who come and see us all year round to our happy holidaymakers who include us in their itinerary whenever they’re in the area.

We’re lucky to have a team of wonderful staff, very talented craftspeople and specialist studios as well as some brilliant Norfolk food producers and suppliers. Thanks, too, to the many hoteliers, holiday park, boatyard and cottage owners, who recommend us to their visitors, and to all the fantastic Norfolk B&Bs. We are very proud to work with our fellow visitor attractions to make this county such a fabulous destination to visit and we’d like to thank them, too, along with all of you who, like us, love the Broads, Britain’s Magical Waterland.

We have had great fun over the years welcoming visitors to our shops, studios, Junior Farm, restaurant, mini golf course and children’s funfair and we’re looking forward to many more fun-filled years ahead.

Thank you for celebrating our 30th anniversary - we couldn’t have done it without you!

Ian Russell MBE Director, Wroxham Barns Ps. Huge thanks to Carolyn Bowden for editing this magazine and to H2Creative Media for publishing it.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Don’t forget that we’re open all day, every day, all year round and we’ve got plenty of other exciting events planned. These include our calf-feeding sessions from early June onwards, the return of The Foolhardy Circus in the summer holidays, our Autumn Fashion event from 24th to 29th September, and our annual Scone Competition on Sunday 29th September (see page 31 for details).

Then, of course, it’ll be nearly Christmas and, as always, there’ll be plenty of festive fun. Join us on Friday 28th November for our Christmas Customer Evening and on Sunday 1st December for our Christmas Customer Day and a visit by Santa! Sunday 1st December is also the date for our annual mince pie competition in aid of Macmillan, so please come along then to support us.

Thanks again for supporting us throughout the year and looking forward to seeing you at Wroxham Barns again soon!

33

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HC_P&F_JunAd2013_190x136.qx8_(v) 13/05/2013 08:27 Page 1

30 years young!

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