Patchwork raises awareness of beekeeping in the UK
The Patchwork Traditional Food Company, producer of pâtés and other handmade foods, recently held a volunteer day for the South Clwyd Beekeepers’ Association.
The Patchwork team joined forces with apiary manager, John Bevan, at the association’s Centre at Llysfasi College on Friday 7 March. They planted over 200 trees and laid 200 square metres of cardboard which they covered with straw for mulching purposes. Patchwork volunteers also painted fences, built a 15 metre ‘dead hedge’ using branches and logs from the site and cleared unwanted sticks and stones from over 1000sq m of land.
The aim of the volunteering day was to help South Clwyd Beekeepers build their centre of excellence for pollinators. This has been partially funded by Cadwyn Clwyd and will be used by schools and colleges to educate students about the importance of pollinators in line with the Welsh governments Action Plan for Pollinators. Pollination contributes an estimated €22bn to the European economy annually. However, bee population has decreased rapidly in recent years, leading the UK Government to order an "urgent and comprehensive" review of the decline of pollinating insects.
The South Clwyd Beekeepers’ Association trains, teaches and supports new and experienced beekeepers as they strive to preserve honeybees.
Speaking after the volunteering day, Jenny Whitham, Director of Patchwork said: “Working with South Clwyd Beekeepers’ Association taught us a great deal about beekeepers, pollen and the decline of bees across the world. We enjoyed doing our bit to defend the invaluable work bees do. Hopefully more people will understand what needs to be done to preserve these fascinating creatures.”
The volunteering day allowed the Patchwork team to give the Dolly Dorma, the company’s bespoke VW campervan, an outing. The Dolly Dorma had recently completed a UK customer service tour for Patchwork Pâté. This covered over 7,000 miles, travelling between delis, farm shops, butchers and other independent retailers who sell The Patchwork Traditional Food company’s products.
The Patchwork Traditional Food Company was founded in 1982 by Margaret Carter with a start-up fund of £9, invested from her housekeeping funds. In these early days Margaret would prepare pâtés in her home near Llangollen, North Wales and supply them to local pubs and restaurants.
Today the company occupies purpose built kitchens in nearby Ruthin where it employs 20 people.
Patchwork has won over 100 awards for its products and enlightened business ethos.
To view The Patchwork Traditional Food Company’s products, visit: www.patchwork-pate.co.uk
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For more information contact:
Emma De Maio
Call: 07921 160134
Email: emma@redheadpr.co.uk
The Patchwork Traditional Food Company Backgrounder
The Patchwork Traditional Food Company is an award winning company founded in 1982 by Margaret Carter.
A family business, the company began with a start-up fund of £9, invested from then single mother Margaret's housekeeping funds. In these early days Margaret would prepare pâtés in her home near Llangollen, North Wales and supply them to local pubs and restaurants.
Today the company occupies purpose built kitchens in nearby Ruthin where it employs 20 people.
Margaret's son, Rufus shares the same passion as his mother and now that Rufus is the managing director of the company he ensures that all the products are still made to Margaret's original recipes.
Now The Patchwork Traditional Food Company's range of products extends beyond pâtés and comprises of over seventy different items.
The pâté range itself includes chicken liver, game liver, fish, cheese and vegetarian, including seasonal limited editions. Traditional flavours are skilfully blended with the unexpected to produce unique tastes such as Chicken Liver, Chilli & Lemongrass.
Other Products produced by Patchwork include ranges of Hummus, Chocolate Terrines, Chutneys and Soups.
Under the Patchwork brand there is also a range of Spelt Oat Fingers, Spelt Blinis and a range of Ice Cream for Grownups. The Ice Cream is a range of handmade ice cream made with cream, milk, raw cane sugar and egg yolks. Three of the range has alcohol soaked fruits creating flavour combinations like Apple & Calvados and Tequila & Cranberry. Like all of Patchwork's products the Ice Cream for Grown Ups is made with no additives, stabilisers or preservatives.
On the Patchwork Traditional Food Company's web site there are offers of themed hampers in stylish bags or wooden cases. These include the Christmas at Home Hamper containing the limited edition Festive Duck Pâté and Stilton & Cranberry pâtés as well as Baileys Chocolate Terrine. Selected hampers are provided complete with ramekins and slate platters for presentation. The themed hamper range caters for all tastes and budgets.
All Patchwork's products are free from artificial additives, preservatives or hydrogenated fats and made using only the highest quality ingredients. The company hand makes its products on a scale small enough to ensure their textures and flavours remain faithful to Margaret's original recipes but large enough to cope with the ever increasing demand.
The Patchwork Traditional Food Company has won more than 100 awards in recognition of its products and business ethos.
In 2010 Patchwork's Vanilla Ice Cream with Anglesey Sea Salted Caramel won the Silver Award in the True Taste Awards: this award is presented to the outstanding food and drink from the people of Wales.
Most recently, Patchwork participated in the famous Great Taste Awards. These awards, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, is the acknowledged benchmark for speciality food and drink, it has also been described as the 'Oscars' of the food world. Two products have joined Patchwork's other award winners this year with a Gold Star Award for Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Chutney with Unicorn Ale and Apricot & Orange Chutney with Wychcraft Ale.
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To view all of our products, please visit: www.patchwork-pate.co.uk
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