Ribble Valley food trail in line for major award

11:28am Thursday 13th November 2008

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A COUNCIL initiative aimed at promoting food producers and retailers has been nominated for a major award just four months after its launch.

Ribble Valley Food Trail has been nominated in the rural enterprise category for the north west round of the Countryside Alliance Awards.

And it has been joined in the awards by Dolphinholme Post Office, Forest of Bowland, which is up for the village shop/Post Office award.

The food trail is the brainchild of Ribble Valley Council and chief executive David Morris believes nomination for the award was testament to the hard work of all those involved.

He said: “To be shortlisted is fantastic.

“The Ribble Valley Food Trail has been a huge success and the council has shown that, despite limited resources, it is capable of outstanding work.”

Thirty-six retailers, producers and restaurateurs are listed on the food trail and by doing so the council hopes to turn Ribble Valley into one of the country’s premier food destinations.

Its competitors in the awards will be Walk Mill, Tarvin, Cheshire; Growing with Grace Farm Shop, Clapham, Lanca-shire and Common Barn Farm, Rainow, Cheshire.

It has also been shortlisted in the Best Low Budget Campaign section of the 2008 PRide Awards, organised by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.

Dolphinholme Post Office will go up against Ashley Village Store, Ashley, Cheshire; Granthams of Alderley Edge, Alderley Edge, Cheshire.

Countryside Alliance north west regional director Richard Dodd said: “We have some cracking finalists in this line up and I am very confident that we can go on to take some national titles.”

The national winners will be announced at a House of Lords reception on March 18.