Rural Oscars – The Countryside Alliance Awards

We’d be extremely grateful if you took the time and effort to nominate Stansted Park Farm Shop for this year’s Countryside Alliance Awards.  You can nominate us for Local Food/Drink or for the Butcher.  You can either do this online via this link or you can sign up at the butchery counter the next time you are in the shop.

Your efforts will help us to generate much-needed publicity and generate more footfall and visitors; it would be hugely appreciated.  We are all feeling the considerable burden from the rise in the cost of living, so it’s important to emphasize why local shops that provide seasonal food and drink from nearby farms and businesses, that support local employment and provide great service are more important than ever.

At Stansted Farm Shop we stock over 100 Hampshire and Sussex food and drink producers.  So when you spend your money with us, a large proportion goes directly to those producers who rear, grow and make the food and drink you enjoy.  Many of them are one-person or family operations that rely on farm shops and local stores to keep their business going.  They provide outstanding quality and variety, but will need our support this year more than ever.  Your money supports them and then circulates again through the local economy.  Your money does not go to global institutional shareholders, and CEO bonuses, but supports local families and businesses.

We have a great team at the farm shop, from Lee and Sarah in the butchery, Tom in the shop and cheese counter, Vicky in the deli and kitchen and Simon making Ice Cream and Pizza in the courtyard.  We also have our wonderful part-time team who are always cheerful, willing to help and enthusiastic.  (By the way, we are looking for Sunday staff).  Again, you are supporting skilled staff who offer a personal service that you can no longer find in supermarkets.  Want to know how to cook your brisket, make a sauce with Damson plums, or choose which cheese to go with your apple pie, then ask one of the team.

Local food and drink benefit you as well.  With low food miles, high welfare, grass-fed meat and game, and using food in season, we ensure that your food is healthy, nutritious and of superb quality. Eat a good variety of local, seasonal produce that you cook at home and keep the doctor away.  It is also good for the long-term future of our immediate environment and helps protect the landscape of the South Downs.

We want to act as a hub between you and your food, as it’s crucial to know where your food comes from, and how it is cared for and produced.  We will be running Christmas producer markets this year, and we will be introducing you to new producers  By continuing to shop with us, you encourage us to keep seeking out innovative new food and drink producers with amazing new products.

Thank you to all our customers for your support over the last 10 years.  If you appreciate the value that local shops and businesses provide, then we hope you can continue to support us in any way possible.  Please do nominate us if you have enjoyed shopping here this year, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

Fred and Sam