Northumberland Honey & Sovereign Nectar Meadery given “Highly Commended” by Countryside Alliance.

The Northumberland Honey and Sovereign Nectar Meadery in Haltwhistle has been given a “Highly Commended” as a new business by the Countryside Alliance.

Now, the Northumberland Honey Company has been deemed a HIGHLY COMMENDED business in the “Local Food” category. The Countryside Alliance received over 7,500 nominations in the five categories this year, so their success is testament to their tremendous contribution to our local community.

On hearing this news, I went, with local councillor Ian Hutchinson, to visit the Northumberland Honey Company (http://www.northumberlandhoney.co.uk/) and met with Luke and Suzie on Friday 24 February. They are an incredibly pleasant couple with a brilliant business. I hope that everyone will flock to Haltwhistle, experience something new and support one of the many fantastic local businesses in our constituency.

The Rural Oscars were devised by the Countryside Alliance as a way of celebrating our communities, skills, and produce through those who work so hard to keep rural life ticking. Regional winners have now been announced: https://countrysideallianceawards.org.uk/caa/article/2016-rural-oscars-regional-champions-for-the-north.

Please continue to support our local businesses and, in turn, our local rural community. 

Will it be third time lucky for the winners at Humshaugh Village Shop?

Big society, community action, or just local people taking control of their lives and their village - the Huimshaugh Village Shop is simply the best. The shop was closing and this dedicated band of locals simply decided they were going to run it themselves as a community venture - and in doing so they have transformed the village.
For two years I have welcomed them to Westminster for the prestigious Countryside Alliance Village Shop of the Year.  Last year Humshaugh was pipped into second place by Ludwell post office stores near Shaftesbury, Dorset. The year before it was Yarpole Community Shop Association in Herefordshire who took the honours.
The shop at Humshaugh, Northumberland, which was rescued from closure by volunteers four years ago, has once again taken the top regional accolade as top shop in the CA Village Shop category for the North East, ahead of the highly commended Belsay Shop, also in Northumberland.
And delighted chairman of directors Dick Moules declared: “Obviously we are thrilled. It is real recognition that we are moving up and not standing still.
“It’s great to be recognised again – this is three in a row. Now we are hoping for third time lucky in the national category, though at this stage we don’t know who we are up against.”
But in a year when Humshaugh Community Ventures Ltd has introduced a free-hire electric car for the village and renovated the village hall kitchen, it’s hoped the CA judges will finally tip their hats to the shop
If you have not been I urge you to go - it has local people turning their village around day by day, month by month. I look forward to congratulating them on winning on March 13 in westminster