Tuesday 24 May 2011

Croots Farm Shop in Derbyshire blossoms with the opening of a plant nursery


Croots Farm Shop near Duffield, Derbyshire, has branched out to open a new plant nursery as the business continues to expand.

A range of bedding plants, herbs and perennials as well as compost, are now on display in a newly converted area at the farm shop, which is based at Farnah House Farm in Wirksworth Road.

The plant nursery has been designed to allow customers to browse before choosing their plants.

“We’re delighted that we’ve been able to convert the area where we previously grew plants into somewhere that customers can now look around. It has been levelled, fenced off and a ramp has been installed to make it easily accessible,” said shop owner Steve Croot.

“We’ve been growing plants here for many years, but now there is the space for customers to browse before buying, which we are sure will go down well.”

Steve started growing herbs at the farm 12 years ago as part of his business selling flavoured cooking oils and fresh herbs. This developed into the farm shop business, Croots Farm Shop, which he opened in 2008.

As well as selling fruit, vegetables and artisan products, the shop has an award-winning butchery, a cheese and deli counter and a café.

The latest expansion follows the opening of a children’s play area at Croots, which has proved popular since it was launched last year.
For more information visit www.croots.co.uk

Croots Farm Shop & Kitchen is open Sundays from 10am to 4pm (café until 3.45pm), and from Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (café until 4.30pm). It is closed on Mondays.

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Monday 23 May 2011

Innovation support available to East Midlands food and drink firms from the Food and Drink iNet

East Midlands food and drink firms are being urged to come forward if they need support for innovation projects.

The Food and Drink iNet, which operates across the region, has an £85,500 pot of finance available this summer to provide match-funded support for eligible projects, which could be focusing on new products, accessing new markets or looking at new ways of working.

The Food and Drink iNet provides advice, guidance and financial support for innovation projects to eligible small and medium-sized food and drink businesses through its advisors across Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.

Now the organisation, which is funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is looking to work with additional food and drink firms which have innovative ideas in the pipeline.

Food and Drink iNet Director Richard Worrall said: “We are looking forward to supporting food and drink firms across the region with their innovative projects that will help to increase productivity, achieve growth, and improve competitiveness and sustainability.

“The Food and Drink iNet has a successful history of supporting innovation schemes within firms, and our advisors are on hand to ensure that, with Food and Drink iNet support, the food and drink sector in the region continues to grow and thrive.”

The iNet helps East Midlands food and drink firms engage expertise from academia, research institutions and specialist business advice for innovation projects to develop new ideas, new products, new processes and to help companies grow. 50% of the equivalent cash value of the support must be contributed by the company.

A new phase of support has just got underway across the region, and now the iNet is looking for additional firms to work with.

The Food and Drink iNet is one of four regional iNets developed to link academic and private sector expertise and knowledge with local food and drink business innovation needs.

The Food and Drink iNet aims to build on the tradition of innovation in the food and drink industry in the region by helping to create opportunities to develop knowledge and skills, and to help research, develop and implement new products, markets, services and processes. It is managed by a consortium, led by the Food and Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday, Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the University of Nottingham. For more information visit www.eminnovation.org.uk/food

For further information, please contact the Food and Drink iNet on info@foodanddrink-inet.org.uk

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Wildlife charity celebrates after teaming up with ethical website developer Make Hay


Visitor numbers to Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust’s website have nearly tripled since a new online presence was unveiled.

The number of people signing up online for membership has also increased as a result of the new-look website, the charity reports.

Nottingham-based ethical website developer Make Hay, who created the website in conjunction with the environmental charity, said it was delighted by the news, which comes as the website celebrates its second anniversary.

“The web is an incredible medium, which can be used to spread a message far and wide, and it’s crucial that an organisation has a website that reflects its values and its aims, and one which is also easy and convenient to manage and keep up to date,” said Make Hay director Victoria Stevens.

“We’re extremely pleased to hear that Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust has been using the online tools created by Make Hay to market and promote the charity so successfully, and that this has been reflected in increased online membership applications and thousands of extra visitors to their website.”

Make Hay, which specialises in green and ethical website design, as well as web hosting which is wind powered, had previously created a website for Attenborough Nature Reserve, which is run by the Wildlife Trust.

The charity, which is the county's leading conservation charity and is part of a national network of 47 local trusts working to protect wildlife, said its new website changed the way the organisation looked at its internet presence.

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust communications and marketing manager Erin McDaid said: “We've seen a tripling of visits to our site, and a rise in the number of online memberships. The new platform makes it far easier for us to promote our work and events.

“We find working with Make Hay a real pleasure. Understanding the technological aspects of creating an attractive and functional website can be quite daunting, but their friendly, straightforward approach makes it a lot easier. Working with Make Hay means that we can concentrate on deciding what we want our website to achieve without having to worry about how to make it work.”

Make Hay, run by Victoria Stevens and Jez Swinscoe, was founded in 2004. Its green web hosting arm was launched in 2006.

Clients include the Uganda Carbon Bureau, Climate East Midlands, Foxglove Covert Local Nature Reserve and London Insight Meditation.

Visit www.makehay.co.uk for information.

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Friday 20 May 2011

Luke Evans Bakery sells 1,200 doughnuts for National Doughnut Week


Luke Evans Bakery customers have raised £100 for a children's charity – by tucking into an incredible 1,200 doughnuts.

The Derbyshire craft baker normally sells about 50 doughnuts a week from its shop in Green Hill Lane, Riddings, near Alfreton.

But trade customers throughout Derbyshire and West Notts joined the push during National Doughnut Week (May 7th to May 14th) and sales shot up to 1,222.

A donation was made for every doughnut sold and the money will go to the Children's Trust, a national charity which particularly helps children who are born with brain injuries or suffer brain damage as a result of accidents or illness.

Proprietor David Yates said: "It was a great opportunity for us to support such a worthwhile cause and we would like to thank everyone who bought doughnuts throughout the special week.

"We normally only sell them through our on-site shop, but our trade customers joined in the effort and sales rocketed.

"And now the week is over they keep coming back – so it looks like people have developed a taste for our doughnuts."

Over the past 19 years the week has raised more than £700,000 nationwide and this year organisers hope the final total will exceed £50,000.

Luke Evans Bakery is a family business established in 1804 and can call on eight generations of baking experience. It supplies around 200 trade customers in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, including shops, schools, delis and Pride Park – the home of Derby County Football Club. It also sells direct to the public from its shop in Green Hill Lane, Riddings.

For more information contact the bakery on 01773 602764 or visit www.lukeevans.co.uk.

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Thursday 19 May 2011

Sherwood Truck and Van supplies trucks to tool giant Snap-on


Sherwood Truck and Van, the East Midlands-based commercial vehicle group, has won a contract to supply ten trucks to worldwide tool giant Snap-on.

Referring to their vans as mobile tool stores, Snap-on franchisees market and sell a range of 19,000 interchangeable sockets, spanners and other components to engineering professionals.

As well as being a tool store, each van has a personal computer system so franchisees can run their business from the vehicle, which means vehicles must be able to cope with a heavy payload.

Now the group has ordered ten new EcoDaily 70C17 trucks from Sherwood Truck and Van, based in South Normanton, Derbyshire, and with sites in Nottingham, Stoke and Sheffield.

“Our franchisees spend almost all their working days in their vehicles,” said Robert Stevens, Snap-on’s UK franchise manager.

“They appreciate something that drives like a car, is easy to handle, sits comfortably on the road and looks after them in comfort and safety. Unlike truck-style products, the Daily does all this - and gives us a seven-tonne gross weight that more than accommodates a Snap-on tool store body.

“Our business is nationwide so we needed a dealer who could work with us and our existing suppliers.

“Sherwood pitched to us on the practicality of the EcoDaily, but then supported this with the strongest promise of customer service and ongoing support. And with all ten vehicles now in service, we’re more than happy with the reality of that promise.”

Snap-on’s history dates from the 1920s in the USA and began trading in the UK in 1965. It now has a network of 430 franchisees in this country – part of a total of 4,700 operating in more than 150 countries.

Sherwood Truck and Van regional director Helen Waterfall said: “Snap-on franchisees ask a lot of their vehicles but we were more than happy to supply the EcoDaily with our promise of customer care and after-sales service.

“Snap-on has built partnerships with suppliers all over the world and Sherwood Truck and Van is pleased to have become a part of that.”

Sherwood is a leading supplier of new and used commercial vehicles, established in 1978. The company also maintains, services and repairs commercial vehicles across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire and most of Cheshire. It is part of the Guest Motors Group of Companies.

www.sherwoodtruckandvan.com

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Tuesday 17 May 2011

Croots Farm Shop sausages and pies win Robin Hood’s seal of approval

Sausages and pies from Croots Farm Shop in Derbyshire were on target at the 17th Robin Hood Championship – taking three golds and a silver award during the event run by the Nottinghamshire Council of Retail Meat Traders.

The awards are the latest won by the butchery department at the farm shop in Wirksworth Road, Duffield.

Croots’ Tomato and Basil sausages, the shop’s new Derbyshire Sausages – made from mutton, lemon and herbs – and its Huntsman Pie were top class, according to judges while the Traditional Pork Pie came away with a silver award from the event at the Newark and Nottinghamshire County Show.

Shop owner Steve Croot said: “This is fantastic news for our team. It’s great to get confirmation from industry experts that our products are among the best.

“It confirms what our customers already know, that great ingredients and know-how combine to make all these products stand out, and follows the huge success we had earlier this year at a BPEX regional roadshow when Croots scooped a 16-strong haul of awards for our sausages and pies.”

The Nottinghamshire Council of Retail Meat Traders has been holding the Robin Hood Championship for independent butchers since 1985. It now attracts entries from around the country.

Croots Farm Shop has become renowned for its sausages and other meat products.

In 2009 the shop received a one star gold award in the Great Taste Awards run by the Guild of Fine Food for its black pudding sausage. In November last year the shop won a silver award for its breakfast sausage in a competition held to mark British Sausage Week.

In February, Croots picked up 16 awards at a roadshow run by BPEX, a division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board which works to promote English pork. Its regional roadshow in February attracted entries from all over the East Midlands.

For more information about Croots visit www.croots.co.uk

Croots Farm Shop & Kitchen is open Sundays from 10am to 4pm (café until 3.45pm), and from Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (café until 4.30pm). It is closed on Mondays.

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

East Midlands business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum announces its AGM

More than 100 individuals and companies involved in the East Midlands food and drink sector are expected to attend the annual general meeting of The Food and Drink Forum.

The Forum is one of the largest business support organisations in the region dedicated to the food and drink sector, with members across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.

The annual general meeting and members’ networking supper is the flagship event of the organisation’s calendar and attracts many of the region’s key industry players. It takes place on June 16th at Kelham Hall near Newark, starting from 4pm.

Forum managing director Fiona Anderson said: “The AGM is always a very popular and well-attended event. It gives members the chance to chat about issues in the industry and to make valuable contacts.”

Each year the AGM is followed by the Members’ Supper which this year is being sponsored by recruitment consultants Ambitions Personnel.

Established in 1990, with 17 locations in the East Midlands, and currently supplying over 1500 temporary workers to the food industry on a daily basis, Ambitions Personnel believes that an organisation’s best ingredients should be its people.

Speakers at the event include Sam Sangha, managing director of Nottingham-based importer and wholesaler of oriental foods Asiana Ltd, and his daughter Sandy Lathia, who is the firm’s business development director. They will be speaking about bringing a product to market.

Head of marketing at Pork Farms Ltd, Andy Napthine, will be talking about Pork Farms’ brand relaunch, which comes as the brand marks its 80th anniversary. The firm supplies chilled savoury pastry products for retail.

The Food and Drink Forum is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, and is a membership organisation that supports the sustainable growth of the food and drink sector across the East Midlands.

Its AGM is open to members only, with the networking supper open to members and invited guests. Anyone interested in finding out more about the benefits of joining The Food and Drink Forum should call 0115 9758810 or visit www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Monday 16 May 2011

Sherwood Truck and Van supplies kit for school’s trip to basketball finals


A Sheffield school basketball team has brand new shirts thanks to Sherwood Truck and Van Ltd.

Youngsters at Brunswick Community Primary School, in Woodhouse, were kitted out by the commercial vehicle supplier before taking part in a finals tournament with schools from across Sheffield.

Extended schools co-ordinator Julie Dennison said the mixed team of year five youngsters – aged 10 and 11 – did really well, finishing fifth in the competition.

“It was excellent that they could compete using the bibs provided by Sherwood Truck and Van. The team played really well. For some children these school competitions are the only opportunity they have to take part in sport,” she said.

“This helps to raise their self-esteem and confidence. It is fantastic that the company provided this support.”

The link with the school came about through Sherwood Truck and Van employee Terry Craig, who is married to teaching assistant Caroline Craig.

Helen Waterfall, regional director of Sherwood Truck and Van, which has a dealership in Highfield Lane, Sheffield, said: “Sport is such an important part of growing up, we were more than happy to help. I’m delighted the children had such an enjoyable day out at the finals.”

Sherwood is a leading supplier of new and used commercial vehicles, established in 1978. The company also maintains, services and repairs commercial vehicles across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire and most of Cheshire.

It is now best known as a dealership for Iveco trucks and vans – the second largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in Europe. It recently became part of the Guest Motors Group of Companies.

Sherwood prides itself on its service pedigree with a stock holding of more than 15,000 lines, a fully equipped accident repair centre and 24-hour roadside support.

www.sherwoodtruckandvan.com

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Major food companies hire Nottingham architects Cox Freeman for key projects



Nottingham architects Cox Freeman have been cooking up new premises for some of the biggest names in the food sector.

Work is now being completed on the 22,000 sq ft refurbishment of a pizza manufacturing unit for Northern Foods at Lenton Lane, Nottingham.

Work is also due to be finished in early summer on an extension and refurbishment for Samworth Brothers at Bradgate Bakery in Leicester.

Meanwhile, planning permission has recently been granted for a 85,000 sq ft development for bakery giant Greggs in Wiltshire, while a major 75,000 sq ft extension and refurbishment for Greggs in Newcastle is currently underway.

All four schemes were designed by Cox Freeman, which is based in Stoney Street in The Lace Market, and is a leading specialist in the food and associated process industries.

The Newcastle Greggs scheme followed a similar project for the bakery company in Manchester completed in 2009, which was also designed by Cox Freeman.

“We are very pleased to be actively working with a number of major operators in the food and drink sector on a range of projects,” said managing director Chris Boffin.

“Our expertise in this specialist field, where hygiene and healthcare are paramount, has been honed over many years, and these contracts follow earlier work with all three companies. “

Cox Freeman has strengthened its management team in recent times with the appointment of Michael Chrich, Mike Webster and Paul Roberts as associates.

The company, which was established in 1980, works across many sectors including food and drink, education, commercial centres and on private residential projects.

(The accompanying image shows the completed Greggs scheme in Manchester).

www.coxfreeman.com

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Thursday 12 May 2011

Anila's Authentic Sauces gains Health Store listing


Award-winning premium curry sauce and accompaniments producer Anila’s Authentic Sauces has gained a listing with cooperative wholesaler The Health Store, one of the UK’s leading health food wholesalers.

The Nottingham-based Health Store, which supplies more than 600 stores throughout the UK, Ireland and parts of Europe, has taken six of Anila’s premium concentrated curry sauces, which are handmade in small batches, as well as six of Anila’s chutneys, pickles and dips which are made with single fruits and vegetables.

The move comes as Anila’s Authentic Sauces launches its stylish new branding with peel and reveal labelling that will inspire customers to create fantastic dishes of their own.

“We are delighted to have gained a listing with The Health Store, and pleased that we can offer our customers many more additional outlets from which to buy our award-winning products,” said Anila Vaghela, who founded Anila’s Authentic Sauces in 1997.

“Our sauces contain only natural ingredients, are free from dairy, gluten, added sugar, onion and garlic, and are suitable for vegans and vegetarians, so they are perfect for a health food cooperative such as The Health Store and ideal for families with differing dietary requirements.”

The Health Store also acts as a supplier to retailers that are not members of its cooperative, providing that orders meet certain criteria.

Tracy MacKenzie, product manager at The Health Store, said: “We were familiar with Anila’s products, having seen them at quite a few trade shows, so when some of our members began asking us to list them we were keen to get them on the shelves. We are very pleased that we can now offer our customers the Anila’s Authentic Sauces range.”

Anila’s products, which sell through delis, farm shops, health food stores and quality food retailers, have recently unveiled new labels to reflect the distinct characteristics of the range and to promote the concentrated nature of the superb Indian curry sauces – adding water doubles the quantity of curry sauce. Behind the labels are guides to making the perfect authentic meal using the ingredients of choice, along with serving suggestions and contact details for even more great recipe ideas.

The curry sauces, chutneys, pickles and dips are also being packaged in chic new jars.

Anila’s has won 11 Great Taste Awards from the Guild of Fine Food for its products. Its Goan Green Curry Sauce was named Best Vegan Product in The Veggie Awards 2011 by Cook Vegetarian! magazine, with the judges saying: “Not only one of the best vegan curry sauces we’ve ever tried but one of the best curry sauces available. Its complexity of flavours makes its taste truly sensational.”

In 2009 Anila’s Spicy Korma Curry Sauce scooped a “Free From” Food Award.

Anila’s Authentic Sauces is based in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, with a unit in Hounslow, and is run by Anila and her husband Dan.

Anila’s products are sold at John Lewis Oxford Street and John Lewis Bluewater, and top quality gourmet stores, such as Harrods, Wholefoods and Planet Organic, plus hundreds of other outlets that include health food stores, garden centres and gift shops, as well as smaller independent stores such as Budgens at Ascot, Shepperton and Crouch End. Anila’s also sells direct to the public at around 20 farmers’ markets across Surrey, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire, including Guildford, Walton, Windsor, Maidenhead, Ascot, Ripley, Reading, Beaconsfield and Farnham, and online via www.anilassauces.com


Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Civil and structural engineer BSP Consulting delighted by award news


BSP Consulting is celebrating the news that a multi-million pound scheme the firm played a key role in has received two accolades in Wakefield Civic Society’s 2011 Design Awards.

Burgage Square, part of the £140 million Merchant Gate development in Wakefield, was one of two schemes to be named Best Build in the awards, which celebrate high quality design in the city.

The apartments at Mulberry House, one of the properties overlooking Burgage Square at Merchant Gate, also received a commendation.

BSP Consulting, which has offices in Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and Sheffield, was the civil and structural engineer for phase one of the project, working for Clegg Construction and alongside architect Carey Jones.

Phase one, with a value of £22 million, featured a range of developments and is part of a multiple-phase plan which is changing the face of the area.

David Sumner, managing director of BSP Consulting, said: “This was a large, mixed-use development, in a prime site in Wakefield, and we are very pleased to hear that the local Civic Society had such good things to say about the scheme. Phase one of the Merchant Gate development featured a five-storey, concrete-frame residential building with retail space underneath, three separate steel-framed commercial/retail buildings and a public square with a water wall feature.

“It was built on challenging topography, and we are delighted that parts of the scheme have been rewarded with these two recent accolades.”

Speaking of Burgage Square, president of Wakefield Civic Society Kevin Trickett, said: “English Cities Fund, the developers of Merchant Gate, have successfully delivered the first phase of a major project that is helping to change the face of the city. Once the properties are occupied and in use, this square will be an attractive and welcoming feature for people arriving by train.”

The judges felt that Mulberry House, overlooking the square, was an attractive property and also deserved a commendation.

English Cities Fund last year won Large Developer of the Year for the Merchant Gate development at the 2010 Excellence Awards organised by Premier Guarantee- the market leading provider of structural warranties, building control and developer support services.

BSP Consulting provides a comprehensive range of consultancy services across the UK to all sectors of the construction community, from architects, project managers and contractors to developers and estate agents.

www.bsp-consulting.co.uk

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Wednesday 11 May 2011

English as a second language: Nottingham Language Academy launches summer schools

Nottingham Language Academy is expanding by launching its first summer schools.

The academy, which opened its doors last year, will be offering summer school sessions to teach English as a foreign language.

Aimed at people already living in the UK as well as those from overseas, classes will focus on general English, English for young learners and English for people hoping to teach English as a foreign language.

Running throughout June, July and August at the academy’s base in The Ropewalk, Nottingham, classes of no more than ten will learn in a structured and enjoyable way.

Courses include social activities including theatre and film visits as well as trips to London, Cambridge and Oxford. Trips will be tailored to suit individuals in each group, particularly the young learner groups.

For overseas students the academy is also offering to help arrange accommodation – with a local host as part of its Homestay scheme, in a guesthouse or hotel. It can also arrange pick-up services from East Midlands, Birmingham, Luton or Manchester airports.

“Our small class sizes and professional and highly experienced tutors mean students can get the most out of their time with us,” said Linda Walker, who runs the academy.

“We have summer schools to help those learning to teach English for the first time, those wishing to improve their English and youngsters aged from 10 to 17.

“The mix of in-class tuition and social activities will ensure all our students have a great time and staying in a British home can be the perfect way to practise your new language skills.”

The English Teacher Training Summer School offers over-18s 120 hours of tuition over four weeks starting on August 8. The course offers theory, teaching practise and observation. Participation in the whole four-week course is compulsory to achieve academy certification.

The General English Summer School has an ideal balance of structured learning and stimulating activities for the over-18s. It offers 15 hours of tuition and six hours of social activities each week. After initial assessment to place students at the correct level, they will develop all four language skills – reading, writing, listening and speaking – alongside grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation.

The Young Learners Summer School caters for students aged ten to 13 and 14 to 17 from beginner to proficient level. It includes 15 hours of English tuition and 11 hours of social activities each week.

Nottingham Language Academy offers tuition to individuals and businesses, and teaches English as a foreign language, as well as offering classes in the modern languages of French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Greek and Mandarin.

The modern foreign languages courses are linked to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which now forms the basis of language teaching and learning in most European Union countries.

Nottingham Language Academy is based at 8 The Ropewalk, Nottingham. For more information visit www.nottinghamlanguageacademy.co.uk or call 0330 333 6192.

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Monday 9 May 2011

Croots Farm Shop celebrates third birthday with 50-mile charity ‘drive’ for children


Staff at Derbyshire farm shop Croots will be stepping forward for charity to mark the store’s third birthday next month.

The team will walk a total of 50 miles up and down their driveway to raise money for their adopted charity Treats, which helps under-privileged children.

On June 15th, they will be celebrating the shop’s third birthday by marching in relay along the quarter-mile driveway at Croots Farm Shop in Wirksworth Road, near Duffield.

Money raised will go to Treats, a charity set up 25 years ago by professional businesswomen to help children in Derbyshire.

“Since first opening our doors three years ago we have had so much support from so many loyal customers. Thanks to them we have gone from strength to strength,” said shop owner Steve Croot.

“We have been able to expand and now have an award-winning butchery counter, deli and café, so we thought it would be good to celebrate our third birthday by giving something back to the community.

“Staff will be put through their paces as they walk from the shop to the main road and back again – all for a cause so close to our hearts. We are appealing to our customers to help support our effort, so that we can raise as much money as possible for Treats.”

The shop has set up a collection bottle at the checkout counter and donations can also be made online at www.justgiving.com/Steven-Croot
Croots’ chosen charities for 2011 are Treats and also The Shire Horse Society. The farm shop is based at Farnah House Farm, which has been the home to Shire horses for many years.

“Our customers have a fantastic history of being generous when it comes to fundraising, and thanks to them we’ve raised hundreds of pounds for these two charities in recent years,” added Steve.

For more information visit www.croots.co.uk

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Wednesday 4 May 2011

Derbyshire-based lower fat snack firm Crips launches Crips 99Cals in Morrisons


East Midlands snack company Crips has achieved its first national supermarket roll out after securing a deal to launch its new Crips 99Cals lower fat snacks in 300 Morrisons stores nationwide.

The contract follows the success of Crips 99Cals in 50 Tesco stores in the Midlands and 67 Waitrose stores across the country.

It represents a significant step forward for the business, which is also currently negotiating with a number of other household-name retailers, said managing director Gareth Smith.

The firm, which is based at Ingleby, near Derby, and sprang out of the Leicester-based Orange Tree Group of pubs, is now planning a tasting campaign in 100 Morrisons stores.

“This is good news for the company, and good news for fans of Crips 99Cals who will now have more outlets from which to buy the snacks,” said Gareth.

The award-winning crunchy oven-baked wheat and potato snacks, with 70% less fat than traditional fried potato crisps, have been branded to appeal to consumers looking for healthy products.

The move into Morrisons follows strong and positive feedback from customers to its flavours.

“After they became available in Tesco and Waitrose we were constantly being asked why they weren’t on sale more widely,” said Gareth Smith.

“People were telling us they would buy Crips 99Cals more frequently if they were more easily available so we are delighted that we have secured a listing with Morrisons, which is our first national supermarket roll out.”

A spokesman for Morrisons said: “We are pleased that we can now offer our customers Crips 99Cals snacks. This is part of our ongoing commitment to working with individual companies that can provide innovative brands and help satisfy our customers’ demands.”

The inspiration for Crips snacks came from Gareth’s father Brian Smith, from Ingleby, who has been at the forefront of innovation in the food sector for 40 years. Five years ago he shared his ideas for a healthier, oven-baked crisp with Gareth, who jointly runs the Orange Tree Group, which has pubs in Leicester, Nottingham and Loughborough.

Putting together a team of technical experts, the partnership launched Crips in April 2008. It launched its latest brand, Crips 99Cals, in August last year. Available in three flavours - sea salt and balsamic vinegar, mature cheddar cheese and spring onion, and Thai sweet chilli – the 22.5g packs contain just 99 calories.

As well as coming top in independently conducted blind taste tests, beating five leading-brand healthy option snacks on taste, texture and appearance, Crips have also scooped an innovation award from The Food & Drink Forum and an Enterprise Award from the Home-Grown Cereals Authority.

Crips are also sold in Selfridges, Fortnum and Mason and Harvey Nichols, and a range of independent cafés, bars, delicatessens and farm shops across the UK. They are served as club class snacks by British Airways and the firm also exports to Germany, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland and Denmark.

Visit www.cripsnacks.com

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Tuesday 3 May 2011

Nottingham Language Academy supports the Nottingham European Arts and Theatre Festival 2011

Nottingham Language Academy is supporting the first ever Nottingham European Arts and Theatre Festival.

The language school is sponsoring NEAT 2011 - a cultural celebration involving Nottingham’s major arts venues, which runs from May 26th to June 12th.

The festival will celebrate and showcase the very best European theatre, music, performance, film and visual art for adults and children, and features artists from a range of different countries, including Norway, Denmark, Germany and Poland.

“Nottingham European Arts and Theatre Festival 2011 is a cultural celebration of the arts in many different forms, and Nottingham Language Academy is very pleased to support this inaugural festival,” said Linda Walker, who runs the academy, based in The Ropewalk, Nottingham.

“As an organisation that is very much involved with Europe through our modern language courses and our English as a foreign language courses, it was very appropriate that we should back an event like this, and we are very much looking forward to it.”

Giles Croft, artistic director of the festival, said: “It is always pleasing when a sponsor and a project are as perfectly matched as this. We are delighted that the NLA have joined us as partners in neat11.”

Nottingham Language Academy offers tuition to individuals and businesses, and teaches English as a foreign language, as well as offering classes in the modern languages of French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Greek and Mandarin.

Classes are run during the day, evenings and at weekends, and are designed for people who want to improve their job prospects, travel and see the world, live and work abroad, gain a place at university or learn something new for the fun of it.

The modern foreign languages courses are linked to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which now forms the basis of language teaching and learning in most European Union countries.

Nottingham Language Academy is based at 8 The Ropewalk, Nottingham. For more information visit www.nottinghamlanguageacademy.co.uk or call 0330 333 6192.

Nottingham European Arts and Theatre Festival www.neatfestival.co.uk


Nottingham PR firm Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Monday 2 May 2011

Commercial vehicle group Sherwood Truck and Van appoints new workshop manager and workshop controller


Commercial vehicle group Sherwood Truck & Van Ltd has appointed Darren Hill as its new workshop manager at its headquarters at Blackwell, near Alfreton.

Darren, who lives in Nottingham, has 28 years of motor trade experience, spending 14 years with a Ford main dealer and 14 years with an Iveco dealer before joining Sherwood Truck & Van, which also has dealership sites at Lenton in Nottingham, at Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, and in Highfield Lane, Sheffield.

Taking over the running of the workshop and leading a 16-strong team of technicians, he is being supported by workshop controller Philip Pastuszka, 44, who has worked in the motor trade since he was 16 and who also recently joined Sherwood Truck & Van.

Philip, from Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, began his career working for a waste disposal company with a fleet of trucks and other vehicles where he qualified as a technician. He then spent several years with a car dealership before making the move back to trucks.

Sherwood Truck & Van recently became part of the Guest Group. Regional director responsible for the four Sherwood locations, Helen Waterfall, said: “I am delighted to welcome Darren and Philip.

“They bring a wealth of motor trade experience to our business and I know they, and their team, will ensure the workshop runs efficiently and to schedule and continues to provide excellent service to our customers.”

Darren has replaced Ryan Hemp, who has moved to pastures new.

The acquisition of Sherwood by Ian Guest Holdings confirmed the West-Bromwich-based dealer group’s position as one of the largest independently owned commercial vehicle dealers and the single largest Iveco distributor in the UK.

The Guest Group now covers an area of responsibility for Iveco, which includes the West Midlands, North Wales, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire. Its network includes 12 full service Iveco dealerships, supported by local agreements with an additional eight authorised Iveco repairers.

Sherwood is a leading supplier of new and used commercial vehicles, established in 1978. The company also maintains, services and repairs commercial vehicles across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire and most of Cheshire.

It is now best known as a dealership for Iveco trucks and vans – the second largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in Europe.

Sherwood prides itself on its service pedigree with a stock holding of more than 15,000 lines, a fully equipped accident repair centre and 24-hour roadside support.

www.sherwoodtruckandvan.com

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