Press Section
If you are a journalist and would like information about The National Fruit Collection, Brogdale Collections or to arrange a press visit to Brogdale Farm please contact: Alison Baldwin, Coast Communications, Tel: 01233 503200 email: alison@coastcommunications.co.uk
Or Sally Roger, Brogdale Collections, Tel: 01795 536250
For our latest news see our recent press releases:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00zv25x/Great_British_Food_Revival_James_Martin_on_Apple_and_Matt_Tebbutt_on_Mutton/
Press release: 24 March 2011
PRAISE FOR BROGDALE’S HERITAGE APPLES
The celebrity chef James Martin has praised the work of Brogdale Farm, home of the National Fruit Collections in preserving and encouraging interest in heritage apple varieties in the BBC 2 programme Great British Food Revival which was shown yesterday, Wednesday 23 March 2011 at 8pm.
In the programme James Martin described Brogdale Farm as: “A real treasure trove with 650 varieties of native English apple trees, many of which Brogdale is the only location in the world they are grown.”
He went on to say: “The work they do here at Brogdale is crucial if we are to preserve a living link with our heritage. I love what Brogdale are doing.”
Sally Roger, marketing manager at Brogdale Collections comments: “We are delighted that the work at Brogdale Farm to preserve and encourage the public’s interest in all of the 4,000 heritage fruit varieties grown here, especially the 2,200 varieties of apples is gaining the attention of those who love food.
“The key to encouraging interest in heritage fruit is to get people to try it, use it, buy it or grow it at home.”
“The work at Brogdale Farm includes exploring how heritage varieties of apples can be grown using modern techniques to make them more viable for commercial growers.”
“If anyone was inspired by the programme to take an interest in heritage fruit they can visit Brogdale throughout the year and take a tour of the collections. There are also our special festivals and events which provide a great opportunity to taste and take home seasonal fruit.”
16 -17 April - Blossom weekend, with a fantastic display of pink and white across the 160 acres of orchards.
11- 12 July, the Cherry Festival marks high summer.
24 - 25 September, autumn approaches with the cider festival.
22 - 23 October, the apple festival, with hundreds of varieties to taste.
There are also many smaller event days throughout the growing season including:
24 April - Easter Sunday Easter Egg hunt
26 June - Soft Fruit day
14 August - Plum Day
18 September - Nut Day
There is something for everyone to enjoy at the festivals and events including cookery demonstrations, gardening talks, miniature railway rides, tractor trailer rides,countryside displays, fruit to taste and take home, fruit identification and growing advice plus much more.
Further details on visiting Brogdale Farm can be found at www.brogdalecollections.co.uk
-ends-
Notes to editors:
Brogdale Farm is run by Brogdale Collections, a charity with the principle aim of creating awareness and interest in The National Fruit Collections and to enhance the long term sustainable future for the living collections at Brogdale Farm.
Self-guided walks available 7 days per week during opening hours
General entrance prices
Guided tours £7.00 adults, concessions £6.50, children £3.50, families £17.50
Self-guided walks £5.00 adults, concessions £4.50, children £2.50, families £12.50
For further information contact:
Alison Baldwin
Coast Communications
T. 01233 503200
M. 07949 561489
E: alison@coastcommunications.co.uk
Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge:
 Brogdale Farm, Faversham, has shown itself to be top of the form for educational visits by being awarded a Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge.
Awarded by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, the Quality Badge combines for the first time learning and safety into one easily recognisable badge for all organisations providing learning outside the classroom experiences.
Sally Roger, marketing manager at Brogdale, said “Being awarded the Quality Badge is a real coup for all the staff here as it shows that we offer young people the type of high quality learning experiences they really benefit from. We're thrilled to get official recognition for our efforts and we look forward to welcoming even more children and young people from the local area to Brogdale.”
> Click here for the full press release (Word document, 34kb)
Tourism ExSellence Gold Award 2009:
 The results of the Tourism ExSEllence Awards covering the South East of England were announced on Thursday 22nd October 2009 at the glittering Gala dinner at the Wentworth Club, Surrey. Businesses in Kent received Gold, Silver or Highly Commended Awards in 9 of the 17 categories. The Awards Ceremony was hosted by former Tourism Minister and popular television personality, Gyles Brandreth.
We are delighted to announce that Brogdale Collections were awarded a Gold Award in the category 'Flavour of the South East'.
Brogdale's Sally Roger and Kimberly Campion were at the ceremony to receive the award from Gyles Brandreth.
> Click here for the full press release from Tourism South East (Word document, 45kb)
Press release: 6 May 2010
HI HO SILVER AWAY!
Horse riding for Children with Disabilities At Brogdale Farm Faversham
Children with disabilities are now able to enjoy horse riding sessions in the beautiful setting of Brogdale Farm Faversham, home of the National Fruit Collection thanks to a new initiative.
Children and young people with disabilities in Swale and Canterbury are benefiting from a new program of horse riding sessions at Brogdale Farm. The sessions are part of a range of activities being organised by the newly established Brogdale Community Interest Company (CiC). The sessions are being run by Ospringe based Willow Farm, working in conjunction with organisations who support children and young people with disabilities.
“The horse riding gives the children the opportunity to both enjoy themselves and build their self-confidence” said Rebecca O’Neill, Brogdale CiC.
Brogdale CiC is a new community social enterprise which has been established to enable all young people no matter what their disability to participate in leisure and learning. The CiC will be offering fun activities, work experience and employment opportunities. Brogdale Farm has been chosen due to its unique combination of facilities – including the Market Place shops and businesses. St Nicholas School, Canterbury is running a term time shop selling tours of the orchards as well as crafts and other gifts. Future plans include a Saturday morning gardening club and other horticultural activities.
Sally Roger, marketing manager at Brogdale Collections comments: “We are delighted to be able to host the horse riding and many other exciting activities Brogdale CiC has planned. There is around 100 acres of land at Brogdale Farm so we certainly have the space for groups such as this to organise events. There will certainly be plenty of apples for the lucky horses to have a treat at the end of their ride!”
For more details on riding or any of Brogdale CiC’s other activities contact Rebecca O’Neill on 01622 754252/01795 530013 or by e-mail at Rebecca.oneill@individuallearning.co.uk
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Notes to editors:
Brogdale Farm is run by Brogdale Collections, a social enterprise company with the principle aim of creating awareness and interest in The National Fruit Collections and to enhance the long term sustainable future for the living collections at Brogdale Farm.
Brogdale Opening times
10.00am to 5.00pm 7 Days a week
Guided walks are available Tuesday – Sunday at 11.00am, 13.00pm and 14.30pm
Self-guided walks available 7 days per week during opening hours
2010 festivals
Cherry 10 & 11 July
Cider 25 & 26 September
Apple 23 & 24 October
Event Dates
Blossom Weekend 17 & 18 April
Soft Fruit Day 27 June
Plum Day 15 August
Nut Day 19 September
For further information contact:
Alison Baldwin
Coast Communications
T. 01233 503200
M. 07949 561489
E: alison@coastcommunications.co.uk
Or
Sally Roger
Brogdale Collections
T. 01795 536250
M. 07771 545575
E. sallyroger@brogdalecollections.co.uk
Press release: 19 March 2010
ENJOY FRUIT WITH A SEASON TICKET TO BROGDALE FARM
If you like fruit, fresh air and walks in the beautiful Kent countryside you’ll love being a season ticket holder at Brogdale Farm, Faversham, home of the National Fruit Collections.
Brogdale Farm has launched a new annual season ticket, costing £17.50 per person, (reduced to £15 for Friends of Brogdale) or £38 for a family, (two adults and all children under 16). This offers an unlimited number of visits to Brogdale Farm and includes guided walks, entrance to festival days and the special events and access to special offers which currently includes free access and parking at Bedgebury Pinetum.
“If you’re interested in fruit – its history, where it comes from and how to grow your own – becoming a season ticket holder is the perfect way to make the most of all that Brogdale Farm has to offer,” says Sally Roger, Marketing Manager for Brogdale Collections.
Sally continues: “Like any garden Brogdale changes with the seasons so there is something different to see throughout the year, from the beautiful display of blossom during April, to the different stages of fruit ripening and harvest. It is a great way to introduce children to a variety of different fruit and an interest in where their food comes from.”
The National Fruit Collection contains nearly 4,000 fruit varieties, including 2,200 varieties of apple, 550 varieties of pear, 350 varieties of plum and 320 of cherry, from all over the world.
Festival and special events taking place in 2010 include:
Blossom Weekend 17-18 April
Soft Fruit Day 27 June
Cherry Festival 10-11 July
Plum Day 15 August
Nut Day 19 September
Cider Festival 25-26 September
Apple Festival 23-24 October
During the festivals, you will be able to taste cherries that were enjoyed by the Romans or a pear variety on the menu at Henry II’s coronation breakfast. You will also be able to find out how to grow fruit at home during gardening demonstrations, talks or by picking the brains of the Farm’s fruit experts.
As well as the festivals, smaller events taking place at Brogdale in 2010 include a chance in April to walk through the thousands of fruit trees covered in beautiful blossom, an Easter Sunday special and a plum day in August.
To find out more about becoming a season ticket holder and special events taking place throughout 2010, visit www.brogdalecollections.co.uk or call 01795 536250.
-ends-
Note to Editors:
Brogdale Farm is run by Brogdale Collections, a social enterprise company with the principle aim of creating awareness and interest in The National Fruit Collections and to enhance the long term sustainable future for the living collections at Brogdale Farm. www.brogdalecollections.co.uk
Opening times are 10.00 to 17:00, 7 Days a week
Guided walks are available Tuesday – Sunday at 11.00, 13.00 and 14.30.
Self-guided walks are available 7 days per week during opening hours
General entrance prices
Guided tours £7.00 adults, concessions £6.50, children £3.50, families £17.50
Self-guided walks £5.00 adults, concessions £4.50, children £2.50, families £12.50
Entrance prices on festival days are £8 for adults, £4 for children, £20 for families or £7.50 for members of groups of 10 and more. Free entrance to Gift Shop, The Cafe and Marketplace shops which sell a variety of local produce and gifts. Visit the award winning Butcher of Brogdale and Grow, the garden centre selling a large range of trees from the Collections.
For further information contact:
Alison Baldwin
Coast Communications
T. 01233 503200
M. 07949 561489
E: alison@coastcommunications.co.uk
Or
Sally Roger
Brogdale Collections
T. 01795 536250
M. 07771 545575
E. sallyroger@brogdalecollections.co.uk
Press release: 14 May 2010
Snail invasion at The National Fruit Collections!
Most gardeners try to keep snails out of the garden but they are being celebrated at Brogdale Farm Faversham, home of the National Fruit Collections with the opening of the Slow Summer Snail Farm. The snail farm will open to the public at Brogdale’s Grow Garden Centre, from Saturday 29th May.
The snails are provided by Kent’s H&RH Escargots farm and these edible snails are normally sold to the gourmet food market through local restaurants, gastropubs, farm shops and farmer’s markets. They also feature on the menus of some of the most famous restaurants in the country.
Slow Summer Snail Farm is a working farm designed for snails but with children and families in mind. The snails are happy to be handled, but they are delicate living things and must be treated with respect.
So have a go and handle the snails and feel them gently exploring your fingers. Tempt them with different kinds of food to find out what they like to eat best. Watch how the snails use their antennae to see, taste and feel. See how they use their muscles to move slowly. Find out about the history of snail farming and learn all about the edible snail.
Helen Howard of the Snail Farm comments: “Snails are largely considered a pest in the UK however unlike their garden cousins these are edible and delicious and we would love to encourage more people to try them. The idea behind the farm is to encourage people to taste them and to learn more about them from handling them. They are safe to handle and the slime is thought to have antibacterial properties; indeed snail slime is used to manufacture skin creams!”
And for the gastronomes there will be cooked snails in garlic butter to take away from the farm gate.
Sally Roger at Brogdale Collections comments: “Most gardeners try to keep snails out of the garden however what better place to see them than in the lovely setting of Brogdale Farm. If snails don’t take your fancy there is plenty to see and do – from shopping, tours of the collections to enjoying afternoon tea in the Courtyard Restaurant.
Special introductory opening offer: admission to the Slow Summer Snail Farm is 50p per child during May and June.
For information on visiting Brogdale Farm go to www.brogdalecollections.co.uk
Notes to editors:
For Slow @ Grow
Call 07811 395974 for opening hours and bookings.
www.snailfarm.org.uk
For food enquiries email: hjhoward@tiscali.co.uk
Brogdale Farm is run by Brogdale Collections, a social enterprise company with the principle aim of creating awareness and interest in The National Fruit Collections and to enhance the long term sustainable future for the living collections at Brogdale Farm.
Brogdale Opening times
10.00am to 5.00pm 7 Days a week
Guided walks are available Tuesday – Sunday at 11.00am, 13.00pm and 14.30pm
Self-guided walks available 7 days per week during opening hours
2010 festivals
Cherry 10 & 11 July
Cider 25 & 26 September
Apple 23 & 24 October
Event Dates
Soft Fruit Day 27 June
Plum Day 15 August
Nut Day 19 September
For further information contact:
Alison Baldwin
Coast Communications
T. 01233 503200
M. 07949 561489
E: alison@coastcommunications.co.uk
Or
Sally Roger
Brogdale Collections
T. 01795 536250
M. 07771 545575
E. sallyroger@brogdalecollections.co.uk
Press release: 24 May 2010
SHAKESPEARE, ART, STORYTELLING AND SOFT FRUIT AT BROGDALE FARM THIS JUNE
Families can enjoy a free afternoon of great entertainment each Sunday in June at Brogdale Farm Faversham, home of the National Fruit Collections. From Sunday 6th June to Sunday 27th June there will be a different weekly creative and interactive activity which will take place at Brogdale’s market place.
- June 6th 2pm-3pm Interactive Shakespeare workshop with Kent Shakespeare Company & clips from The Tempest plus from 1pm-4pm a botanical art exhibition with working artists in the Kent room
- June 13th 1pm -4pm garden art inspired interactive workshop with Animate Art
- 20 June 1pm-4pm music delights
- 27 June 1pm-4pm Storytelling workshop for all the family with Wide Eyed Theatre
There is also Soft Fruit Day on Sunday 27 June where there will be the opportunity to taste and take home many different varieties of soft fruits or learn more about growing. Also guided and non guided tours of the orchards on foot and by tractor trailer plus our experienced guides are on hand to give advice on all aspects of fruit growing.
And if that isn’t enough, Brogdale’s own miniature railway runs on Sunday’s through the orchards, a favourite for smaller visitors and adults alike.
Sally Roger, marketing manager at Brogdale Collections comments: “All of these activities in the market place are free and families can join in and participate as much as they would like. This is a great way to introduce children to a range of the arts and to encourage their creative thinking and to try something new, all in the beautiful setting of Brogdale Farm. Why not make a day of it, bring a picnic and come for a walk around the orchards in the beautiful summer sunshine.”
There is plenty to keep you busy at Brogdale over the summer. As well as enjoying the market place shops, garden centre and The Courtyard restaurant there is throughout May and June the Slow Summer Snail Farm – a chance to handle and find out all about edible snails, which costs 50p per child.
For information on visiting Brogdale Farm go to www.brogdalecollections.co.uk
Notes to editors:
A selection of photographs is available on request.
Brogdale Farm is run by Brogdale Collections, a social enterprise company with the principle aim of creating awareness and interest in The National Fruit Collections and to enhance the long term sustainable future for the living collections at Brogdale Farm.
2010 festivals
Cherry 10 & 11 July
Cider 25 & 26 September
Apple 23 & 24 October
Event Dates
Soft Fruit Day 27 June
Plum Day 15 August
Nut Day 19 September
Brogdale Opening times
10.00am to 5.00pm 7 Days a week
Guided walks are available Tuesday – Sunday at 11.00am, 13.00pm and 14.30pm
Self-guided walks available 7 days per week during opening hours
General entrance prices
Guided tours £7.00 adults, concessions £6.50, children £3.50, families £17.50
Self-guided walks £5.00 adults, concessions £4.50, children £2.50, families £12.50
Entrance prices on festival days are £8 for adults, £4 for children, £20 for families or £7.50 for members of groups of 10 and more. Free entrance to Gift Shop, The Cafe and Marketplace shops which sell a variety of local produce and gifts. Visit the award winning Butcher of Brogdale and Grow, the garden centre selling a large range of trees from the Collections.
For further information contact:
Alison Baldwin
Coast Communications
T. 01233 503200
M. 07949 561489
E: alison@coastcommunications.co.uk
Or
Sally Roger
Brogdale Collections
T. 01795 536250
M. 07771 545575
E. sallyroger@brogdalecollections.co.uk
Press release: 30 June 2010
PICK OF THE CHERRIES AT BROGDALE FARM
Visit Kent’s biggest cherry festival at Brogdale Farm Faversham, home of the National Fruit Collections which takes place on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 July 2010 to sample over 50 varieties of delicious historic cherry from the UK and around the world.
As well as enjoying delicious cherries at the peak of the British cherry season there is a range of activities and entertainment for all ages including:
Cherry display, tastings & sales, cookery demonstrations with Chef Scott Anderson, horticultural talks with Brogdale’s experienced guides and advice on all aspects of fruit growing, orchard walks, guided tours and tractor trailer and horse drawn tours*, live music, falconry display, archery*, children’s activities including a puppet show and miniature railway*, flower arranging demonstration, craft and produce market and summer BBQ and food court.
Cherries are the taste of British summer time and with varieties such as Roundel heart, a sweet cherry traditionally grown in Kent; Polstead Black a sweet small cherry with intense flavour from Suffolk and North Essex; or Early Birchenhayes, a sweet small black cherry from the Tamar Valley there is something to suit everyone’s taste.
Native cherries were part of our prehistoric ancestor’s diet but it is thanks to the Romans who probably introduced some of the first cultivars. Cherries were popular in medieval times and many may have survived since then thanks to Henry VIII.
Sally Roger Marketing manager from Brogdale Collections comments: “The British cherry season is short but packed with flavour and variety and the largest selection of cherries from Britain and around the world will be celebrated at this year’s festival. There is something for everyone and just one hour from central London Brogdale is a great place to visit in the heart of the Kent countryside.”
For information on visiting Brogdale Farm go to www.brogdalecollections.co.uk
Notes to editors:
A selection of photographs is available on request.
Brogdale Farm is run by Brogdale Collections, a social enterprise company with the principle aim of creating awareness and interest in The National Fruit Collections and to enhance the long term sustainable future for the living collections at Brogdale Farm.
* Separate charge for some activities
2010 festivals
Cherry 10 & 11 July
Cider 25 & 26 September
Apple 23 & 24 October
Event Dates
Soft Fruit Day 27 June
Plum Day 15 August
Nut Day 19 September
Brogdale Opening times
10.00am to 5.00pm 7 Days a week
Guided walks are available Tuesday – Sunday at 11.00am, 13.00pm and 14.30pm
Self-guided walks available 7 days per week during opening hours
General entrance prices
Guided tours £7.00 adults, concessions £6.50, children £3.50, families £17.50
Self-guided walks £5.00 adults, concessions £4.50, children £2.50, families £12.50
Entrance prices on festival days are £8 for adults, £4 for children, £20 for families or £7.50 for members of groups of 10 and more. Free entrance to Gift Shop, The Cafe and Marketplace shops which sell a variety of local produce and gifts. Visit the award winning Butcher of Brogdale and Grow, the garden centre selling a large range of trees from the Collections.
For further information contact:
Alison Baldwin
Coast Communications
T. 01233 503200
M. 07949 561489
E: alison@coastcommunications.co.uk
Or
Sally Roger
Brogdale Collections
T. 01795 536250
M. 07771 545575
E. sallyroger@brogdalecollections.co.uk
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