June 2011
Dickinson & Morris has launched a family tree challenge to celebrate its 160th Anniversary. Dickinson & Morris is looking to find living descendants of the business’ founders and has teamed up with Ancestry.co.uk, the UK’s favourite family history website.
Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe was set up by John Dickinson in 1851, and then in 1886 an apprentice, Joseph Morris, was taken on. In 1901 the partnership between John and Joseph was cemented and the business became Dickinson & Morris.
Stephen Hallam, Managing Director of Dickinson & Morris Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe, commented: “We are proud to be celebrating 160 years of pride in our pies. Our pies are not only available from our shop in the heart of Melton Mowbray but also from supermarkets across the country, so we know we are a familiar traditional British brand that food lovers across the country enjoy. We hope to find living descendants of the Dickinson and Morris families amongst our loyal consumers and beyond. It would be a fantastic opportunity to interact with those relatives and celebrate our shared heritage in this special year”.
Annabel Reeves from Ancestory.co.uk commented: “Peering into your past can be a fascinating journey, full of unexpected twists and turns, and even a few surprises! Everyone has an interesting family history and to find out that you have an ancestor who launched a notorious brand with such a rich heritage would be a very exciting discovery!”.
Visit www.porkpie.co.uk/160/ for more details and to participate in the family tree challenge.
Follow Dickinson & Morris on Twitter @160yearsofpies or
Facebook Melton Mowbray Pork Pies - Celebrating 160 years group
May 2011
Brian Stein, Chief Executive of Samworth Brothers, presented the Royal visitors with an enormous Melton Mowbray Pork Pie. Their Royal Highnesses also unveiled a commemorative plaque and signed the Visitors’ Book. Members of staff were also introduced to Their Royal Highnesses.
Stephen Hallam commented: “It has been an absolute honour to receive a Royal visit to Ye Old Pork Pie Shoppe. Dickinson & Morris is celebrating its 160th anniversary this year and a visit from Their Royal Highnesses is a truly remarkable way of celebrating our quintessentially British brand. We appreciate that it is the second Royal visit in the Shop’s history and we hope this is the beginning of many celebrations in this, our Anniversary year. ”
During their visit to the area Their Royal Highnesses also visited Long Clawson Dairy and undertook other local public engagements.
January 2011
Stephen Hallam, baker and managing director of Dickinson and Morris, was the proud recipient of the honour awarded in recognition of his outstanding service to the borough, including his commitment to the town’s food heritage and for putting Melton on the map both nationally and internationally.
This prestigious award was introduced last year to reward those who contribute to the life of the borough
December 2010
Dickinson & Morris, has been commended at the prestigious Quality Food Awards in London last night (10th November). The brand was recognised in the Pies, Pasties & Pizzas category for its flagship product, the authentic Large Melton Mowbray Pork Pie which impressed the rigorous judging panel for its premium quality.
The Quality Food Awards have been running for nearly forty years and are highly recognised in the food industry due to the stringent judging process and its panel of experts. The 50-strong judging panel is comprised of well regarded food experts who examine each product with meticulous testing procedures. The foods are marked on a number of characteristics such as taste, flavour, texture, quality of ingredients and overall presentation.
Stephen Hallam, Managing Director of Dickinson & Morris Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe, comments: “It is a great honour to be recognised at the Quality Food Awards for the fourth consecutive year. The authenticity of our pies is highly appreciated by our consumers and food critics but we understand the high level of judging at these awards and it makes it even more valuable to us. Coming away from such recognised awards with a Commendation for our pies is a great acknowledgement to the passion of our bakery team.”
November 2010
He said: “It is a priority for the Government to ensure that food labelling is as clear as it could be. I’m therefore calling on the industry to work with us to ensure that people can be confident about the origin of the products they buy. Where our food comes from is increasingly important to us. I’m here in Melton Mowbray today to see how their pork pie and Stilton cheese industries have used their protected status to increase sales and consumer interest in their product, and the area it comes from.”
Mr Paice enjoyed making an authentic Melton Mowbray pork pie at Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe.
Matthew O’Callaghan, Chairman of the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association, said: “I’m delighted that within less than two months of taking office the minister has visited Melton to see examples of our local food.”
August 2010
Great Taste one star
D&M Large Melton Mowbray Pork Pie
D&M 6 pack Mini Melton Mowbray Pork Pies
D&M 2 pack Snack Melton Mowbray Pork Pies
Great Taste two stars
D&M Medium Melton Mowbray Pork Pie
The Great Taste Awards, organised by the Guild of Food, is the largest awards scheme for speciality and fine foods. This year the awards received over 6,000 entries which were all blind-tasted by a panel of specialists: top chefs, food critics, restaurateurs and fine food retailers. 1026 received one gold star and 457 received two gold stars.
Quality is a way of life here at Dickinson & Morris!
July 2010
Melton Mowbray Golf Club had a tremendous day on Sunday 6th June when it’s annual Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Open took place. This is an annual event that has been sponsored by Dickinson and Morris for fourteen years. Each competitor received a large Melton Mowbray Pork Pie after their game and Dickinson & Morris also provided a variety of hampers as prizes plus delicious bacon cobs, served by the ladies section at the Halfway House. £450 was raised for the Air Ambulance - a great result.
Over 200 players from as far away as Portadown and seven of the English counties took part in a close competition whcih resulted in there being only two points between 1st and 9th place. For the full results visit the Melton Mowbray Golf Club website.
A successful and delicious golfing day for all!
June 2010
The British Pie Awards took place in the magnificent St Mary’s Church in Melton Mowbray and was a huge success. The event attracted over 700 product entries and more than 60 bakery / food experts and celebrity judges including Tamasin Day Lewis, author of Queen of Tarts, Daily Telegraph food writer Xanthe Clay, TV chefs Phil Vickery, Rosemary Shrager, Rachel Green and TV presenter Julia Bradbury.
May 2010
Dickinson & Morris is celebrating after scooping a prestigious Gold award at The Grocer Food & Drink Awards 2010, held in London on 17th February. The brand impressed the judges with its flagship product, the Large Melton Mowbray Pork Pie, in the ‘Chilled Savoury’ category. Last year, the Dickinson & Morris six pack mini Melton Mowbray Pork Pies landed the top spot in the ‘Chilled Foods – Savoury Cold’ category.
Products were assessed by a rigorous judging process, first by a consumer panel and then by expert judges on taste, content, packaging, shelf visibility, brand impact and labelling.
February 2010
The awards, now in their sixteenth year, organised by the Guild of Fine Foods, are held to recognise and honour foods of the finest quality that are made in the UK and have steadily become a highly desirable accolade for British food producers. The pies underwent rigorous taste testing by various teams of experts and went on to the final stage of the competition. The supreme judging panel on the final night included celebrity chef, Antony Worrall Thompson, Thomasina Miers from Masterchef and a surprise appearance from, BBC Radio 2’s Chris Evans.
Stephen Hallam, Managing Director of Dickinson & Morris Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe, says: “We were absolutely delighted when we previously received a three gold star award for our mini pork pies. But receiving the top accolade in the East Midlands region for the quality and taste of our pork pies is one of the best awards any food producer could ask for. I’m really happy because our Melton Mowbray pork pies are at the top of the list in traditional British produce and that is fantastic news for both our business and town.”
Dickinson & Morris Mini Melton Mowbray Pork Pies was one of only 83 food products in the country to be awarded three gold stars and has joined other regional winners such as Chase Distillery, The Lyme Bay Winery and Nevis Bakery Ltd as representatives of some of Britain’s finest foods.
Sept 2009
Organised by the Guild of Fine Foods, the awards are recognised as the definitive accreditation of quality for speciality food and drink. This year’s judging process was more scrupulous than ever, with two specialist teams simultaneously judging the entries, followed by judging from the supreme panel made up of leading chefs, food writers and buyers.
Stephen Hallam, Managing Director of Dickinson & Morris Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe, comments: “To be awarded with Gold awards for four years running is a great honour for us. Winning awards for the quality of our products help us to put Melton Mowbray on the food map and that’s something we are very proud of. Since securing the PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) status for Melton Mowbray pork pies, we have experienced even more interest in our pies and we are delighted that the Great Taste Awards have once again valued the quality and authenticity of our pies.”
July 2009
We were pleased to receive a visit from the Minister for Europe Caroline Flint MP. As a part of her tour of Leicestershire, the Minister enjoyed a visit to Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe where she discovered how products, such as the Melton Mowbray pork pie, are benefiting from European protected food name schemes and even tried her hand at making an authentic Melton Mowbray pork pie.
Alongside discussing the positive effect the scheme has for food producers with Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe’s Managing Director, Stephen Hallam, the Minister also met members of the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association. The Melton Mowbray pork pie has been guaranteed protected status from the European Commission, giving it similar status to Champagne, Parma Ham, Cornish Clotted Cream, Welsh Lamb and Scottish Farmed Salmon.
Stephen Hallam, Managing Director of Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe, commented: “For the Minister for Europe to choose to visit us shows how Melton Mowbray pork pies are putting the town on the map. The tradition of the Melton Mowbray pork pie is something which is important to protect and we are pleased to have received recognition from Europe for it. Her trip confirms how our pies are helping to raise Melton Mowbray’s status as the rural capital of food.”
Europe Minister Caroline Flint MP said:
"It has been fantastic to speak to food producers and find out how Europe is having a positive impact on their businesses. British food producers have a wonderful heritage and officially recognising and protecting the names of our finest regional products can bring huge benefits including publicity and access to new markets. And soon with the opening of a direct rail link from Melton Mowbray to London, there will be even more opportunities for local businesses to tap into the European market."
April 2009
The Special Olympics Footballers (East Midlands) are looking forward to the National Competition which takes place in Leicester from 25th – 31st July. The Special Olympics Organisation gives opportunities for anyone who has a learning difficulty to take part in not only football, but numerous other sports, encouraging all athletes participating to enhance their social skills, health and well being and also to realise their potential through participation in sport.
Dickinson & Morris has donated £2600 towards the footballers’ goal of £8000. Mary Rudkin and Ian Smith, Head Coaches for the two football squads were absolutely delighted with the generous gesture from the bakery.
Judith Constable, Dickinson & Morris Brand Manager, commented ‘As a company that has been at the heart of the Leicester community for over 150 years, we are a keen supporter of local projects and events. The enthusiasm that this type of activity brings to the region is fantastic and we feel proud to be able to support such a worthy cause. We wish the players huge amounts of success for their matches, and hope they do well at the Games held in their home city.’
February 2009
Dickinson & Morris is celebrating after winning a prestigious award at The Grocer Branded Excellence Awards. The six pack mini Melton Mowbray pork pies landed the top spot in the ‘Chilled Foods – Savoury Cold’ category, whilst another Dickinson & Morris product, the Ultimate Cranberry Topped Pork Pie, was also commended by being shortlisted for the same award.
The annual awards, held at London’s Park Lane Hotel on Wednesday 18th February, recognised the most outstanding products in the branded food category. A panel of industry experts and consumers judged products on their taste, appearance, packaging, content, value for money and clarity of labelling.
February 2009
Dickinson & Morris won three separate Gold star awards at the 2008 Great Taste Awards. Organised by the Guild of Fine Food, these prestigious awards honour only the finest quality foods throughout the
The Melton Mowbray pork pie is to be registered as a protected product by receiving the protected geographical status (PGI) by the European Commission. The Commission has today (04.04.08) published details of the registration in the Official European Union Journal. This will allow only authentic makers of the pies to use the term 'Melton Mowbray' in the branding and marketing of their products.
The application for PGI status was originally submitted by a small group of authentic pork pie makers, known as The Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association (MMPPA), to preserve the art of making a Melton Mowbray pork pie and to stop a growing number of producers cashing in on the commercial value of the Melton Mowbray name by simply labelling generic products and charging a higher price.
Over the last ten years the application has gathered significant public backing with thousands of people signing a petition and sending letters of support. Local Melton Mowbray Councillor and Chairman of the Association, Matthew O'Callaghan has led the campaign and firmly believes that the PGI status will have immediate economic and consumer benefit.
He comments; "The award of PGI for Melton Mowbray pork pies safeguards our regional food heritage, protects our local jobs and gives the consumer value for money. Fundamentally, it stops people using the name and reputation of Melton Mowbray for commercial gain alone and ensures that the market is not devalued. This is not about creating artificial barriers or preventing competitiveness within domestic markets, in fact it's the opposite, it's about encouraging investment in local economies as well as protecting the consumer. I don’t think it unreasonable to ask companies to honestly label their products so that a product's level of quality, recipe and origin are guaranteed for consumers. I hope that this move encourages other regional producers to seek the recognition they deserve for their distinctive products. This is good news for all regional foods in Britain, they now have a bright future ahead of them."
A Melton Mowbray Pork Pie has high meat content, uses fresh uncured pork which is grey in colour and is baked unsupported without the use of a hoop which gives it an unmistakeable saggy, bow shaped appearance. The easiest way to tell if you have been sold a genuine Melton Mowbray Pork Pie is to unwrap it and cut it open.
Following the European Commission's procedures, if no objections are received by 4th October from other member states - no objections are now permitted from within the UK - the product will join the other 34 UK products registered under the European Protected scheme. Melton Mowbray pork pies will then only be labelled as such if they are made in a traditional manner, to an age-old recipe and importantly, in the vicinity of the Leicestershire town Melton Mowbray.
Dickinson & Morris, has started the year on an award-winning note by scooping the 'Favourite Local Food' award at the prestigious Good Housekeeping Food Awards ceremony.
The annual awards, held in London, are all about honouring the very best in food and drink and entries are nominated by Good Housekeeping magazine's food-loving readers, which makes the awards extra special. Following reader nomination, the winners for the category were then chosen by an expert panel which this year included Prue Leith, Jane Asher, Peter Gordon and members of the Good Housekeeping editorial team. The panel tasted the finalists' produce and voted for the winner based on the heritage, quality and flavour of the product. Dickinson & Morris' Melton Mowbray Pork Pie won the award ahead of Rodda's Clotted Cream, Cornish Yarg and Loch Fyne Classic Smoked Salmon.
Louise Chunn, Editor of Good Housekeeping magazine comments, 'This year's Food Awards have been the biggest yet and are an indication of the passion consumers have for their favourite food, ingredients and establishments. Food has been at the heart of Good Housekeeping since its launch in 1922, and the magazine is proud to be involved with some of the best new products and initiatives in the industry today, helping everyone to get the best out of food.'
Melton Mowbray pork pie baker Dickinson & Morris has been crowned with a top quality award from leading food industry experts. Dickinson & Morris received the award for best pie at the Quality Food Awards at a prestigious ceremony held in London.
The Quality Food Awards have been running for 28 years and distinguish the crème de la crème in the food and drinks industry. Judges on this year’s 60 member panel included top chefs, nutritionists as well as food and drink consultants and with over 700 entries to this year’s awards, Dickinson & Morris large Melton Mowbray pork pie was recognised as the best in the pies and pasties category.
However, this is not new for the local bakery since this is the second time in three years that its large pork pie has received the top quality accolade.
Described by one of the judges as “the epitome of the English pork pie” is high praise indeed and unsurprisingly Stephen Hallam, Managing Director at Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe is delighted with the remark. He comments: “We believe we bake the best Melton Mowbray Pork Pies on the market and this Quality Food award is high recognition of that. To win this once was fantastic but twice is just such an exceptional achievement and in particular, to be recognised and chosen against the largest retailer and supermarket brand names is outstanding. The judges are all food professionals including top chefs who are used to the best and only the best of food, and that in itself is rewarding for anyone working in our industry.”
Dickinson & Morris has plenty of reasons to be celebrating since this is the third award they have collected this year having previously won a gold star award at the Great Taste Awards and an Outstanding Customer Service Award at the East Midlands Enjoy England Excellence Awards. The company also received a highly commendation at the Baking Industry Awards from the hands of special guest Joanna Lumley earlier in September.
Stephen Hallam adds: “Authentic Melton Mowbray pork pies are a truly traditional British product and we take pride in raising its national profile. Winning all these awards not only gives us a boost to continue with what we are passionate about but it’s an honour for all British food lovers who see traditional food produce being rewarded.”
November 2007
For the second year running we are proud to be supporting the British Legion Poppy Appeal with a donation to this very respected charity for every pork pie sold during November. Look out for our specially labelled pies instore now.
The Royal British Legion provides financial, social and emotional support to millions who have served and are currently serving in the Armed Forces, and their dependants. Currently, nearly 10.5 million people are eligible for our support and we receive thousands of calls for help every year.
October 2007
Melton Mowbray pork pie bakers, Dickinson & Morris, has for the third year running reached the final of the Baking Industry Awards receiving a highly commended award from the judges.
Dickinson & Morris are proud to have received a highly commended within the Marketing category at the recent Baking Industry Awards. Previously they have received similar commendations for Baker of the Year and Customer Focus.
Stephen Hallam, Managing Director at Dickinson & Morris Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe comments: “It’s an honour for us to once again be a finalist at the Oscars of the baking industry. To be awarded highly commended in various categories over the past three years is a privilege. It recognises not only our bakery skills but also the service given to our customers and the way we present ourselves and our produce.’
The Baking Industry Awards presentation dinner took place in London last week and was organised by British Baker magazine. Finalists collected their prizes from special guest Joanna Lumley. “The James Bond theme made the night a particularly special celebration and having someone fabulous like Joanna Lumley to host the event gave it an even more glamorous touch” says Stephen Hallam.
September 2007
Melton Mowbray pork pie champion Dickinson & Morris is celebrating after winning a prestigious Great Taste Award for a second year running. The pork pie baker has received gold awards in the past two years for its large pork pie at the organised by the Guild of Fine Food..
Regarded as the industry Oscars, the Great Taste Awards recognise the finest quality products in the UK. The products are blind tasted by a team of experts involving over 400 independent judges who taste more than 4,000 foods.
Stephen Hallam, Managing Director at Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe, comments: “Our main objective has always been to produce authentic Melton Mowbray pork pies and that’s what we are famous for in the town. It’s very rewarding to receive an award that recognises the quality of our pies and we are extremely proud of winning two consecutive awards from the Guild of Fine Food.”
Dickinson & Morris has been baking authentic Melton Mowbray pork pies since 1851 and have become synonymous of quality and tradition. Its top class credentials have also been recognised by being shortlisted to the finals at the national Baking Industry Awards that will be presented in September.
Dickinson & Morris pork pies are baked using a time honoured recipe and in a traditional manner giving them a distinctive appearance and taste. Dickinson & Morris pork pies use high quality ingredients including the finest, fresh British uncured pork, seasoned with a special blend of spices and wrapped in hot water crust pastry. The pies are baked to perfection without a supporting tin or hoop to give the classic bow-sided shape.
July 2007
You can see a Dickinson & Morris advert on youtube...
... and you can also hear our latest advertisement on Smooth Radio by clicking below:
May 2007
Dickinson & Morris' Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe has been included in a new book entitled 'Far From The Sodding Crowd', a celebratory tour of the curious, the unusual and the plain silly – it will take you to places you’ve never (but should have) been before.
Robin Halstead, Jason Hazeley, Alex Morris and Joel Morris are the creators and writers of the spoof online newspaper The Framley Examiner, which spawned two bestselling books, and 'Bollocks to Alton Towers', which had the good manners to also be a bestselling book.
Below are some extracts from their 'Pork Pie Pilgrimage', culminating in a visit to Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe:
The half-timbered and whitewashed building is the temple of the master pie-makers, where you will be able to enjoy a fifteen-minute demonstration of the art of hand-raising pork pies. It is best to book ahead, and if you can get an eighteen or more-strong gang together, there is also the option of shelling out for the far more in-depth Pork Pie Experience. This lasts for a couple of hours and by the end of it you'll have made your own pie which will be baked and jellied for you, to be collected from the shop the next day.
Hand-raising has nothing to do with the way that the pork was reared; rather it's the act of manipulating the pastry casing up the side of a glass bottle or a wooden dolly to give it its shape. Red-wrapper Dickinson and Morris pies are sold in stores throughout Britain and they are scrumptious enough - but the white-wrapper pies are hand-raised, and they are only available in this one shop. Knowing that someone has lovingly crafted your own pie gives it a piquancy that's strong enough to taste.
The Melton Mowbray pie must be cooked on trays with no support, meaning that it bows out to the sides, bulging like one of the stomachs it intends to fill. Be warned, however, that, as you are shown the process of turning the raw ingredients into a bake able pie, your attention may wander to the temptingly ready-to-eat slices at the front of the teaching area. The urge to grab the slices and make a run for it is to be resisted. All good things do eventually come, even to those who hate to wait.
Stephen Hallam, the hands-on managing director of Dickinson and Morris, is a baker. He is not a butcher and he is most definitely not a cook. A cook is able to finely tune a dish right up until it hits the plate; Hallam's pies need to be perfect from the moment the lid is sealed. The seasoning mix is tried and tested and top secret. Hallam appears to be winking as he claims not to be able to remember the two very specific types of white pepper used in their own particular blend. (He might have some in his eye.) The gloriously tickly afterburn left in the throat by the pie would be too ferocious were it not for the month that the ground pepper mixture is made to stand in the naughty corner to consider the potential consequences of its behaviour. Preparation and patience are key to the craft of the pie. Like a decent bottle of red, a Melton Mowbray should always be chambred for at least an hour before one commences the stuffing of one's face. The pie needs to be relaxed in its last moments on earth or the flavours won't come through properly.
'Far From The Sodding Crowd: More Uncommonly British Days Out' is now available.
May 2007
Dickinson & Morris are supporting two sports enthusiasts, Piers Dryden and Neil Godber, who are spending their Easter break taking part in the Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race. They are hoping to raise up to £4,000 for the Samaritans.
The race involves paddling a distance of 125 miles and carrying their 2-man kayak over 77 portages, from one stretch of water to the next. Piers and Neil are aiming to travel non-stop through the night for a time of around 26 hours, thanks to their ‘secret weapon,’ a steady supply of Melton Mowbray Pork Pies to keep up energy levels.
Piers comments, “Canoeing over long distances demands high levels of stamina, and we need food that maintains both our energy levels and our spirits for the trip. It also has to be easy to eat and transport in our canoes. Since we both love pork pies we approached one of the oldest and most famous bakers we knew of, Dickinson & Morris, to find out if they would help our cause and they happily agreed to provide us with some pork pies. They also very generously donated £150 towards our fundraising effort and supplied us with some fleeces to keep us warm en route. We’ve been delighted by their support.”
This isn’t the first time the intrepid duo have raised money for charity, having previously taken part in the London Marathon and Tring to Town Ultramarathon, but it certainly promises to be one of the most gruelling challenges. The canoeists start their marathon fundraising paddle from Devizes at 7.00am on Saturday April 7 and hope to be in Westminster by lunchtime on Sunday.
Anyone wishing to pledge a donation in support of Piers and Neil’s fundraising effort for The Samaritans can do this online at www.justgiving.com/theidiots or by contacting The Samaritans Community Fundraising Assistant Ann Collins on 0208 394 8355.
April 2007
Dickinson & Morris were happy to help out Sileby Town Cricket Club last weekend. As part of the ECB Natwest Cricketforce campaign, over 150 volunteers arrived at Sileby to help prepare the club for the forthcoming season. Projects that were undertaken included the erection of a eremite fence covering over half of the first playing field, a new BBQ, a new well/bench area, a retaining wall and new car park area, new changing room carpets, staining of all the wooden interior of the changing rooms, hedgerows being relaid, hand rollers being given the once over, both the entrance gates sanded down and painted, scorebox numbers repaired, patio fencing put up, and also new hand rails and wooden veranda inserts erected and stained.
We donated 32 of our large Melton Mowbray Pork Pies to help keep the volunteers nourished. They were gratefully received by the hungry hoardes, including England cricketers Ashley Giles and Stuart Broad. Stuart lives close to Melton, and his grandmother regularly comes into Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe to purchase our pies! Members of England Ladies' cricket team were also in attendance, Jenny Gunn, Nicky Shaw and Jane Smit.
April 2007
Congratulations to our competition winners, who each won a Dickinson & Morris hamper on Smooth Radio East Midlands 106.6FM. The winners are listed below:
Monday 26th March: Bob Elder, Oakham
Tuesday 27th March: Adrian Pickton, Nottingham
Wednesday 28th March: Sue Smith, Derbyshire
Thursday 29th March: Mark Allen, Doncaster
Friday 30th March: Zena Morris, Leicester
We are also currently advertising on Smooth Radio, please click here if you would like to hear the advert.
April 2007
A nationwide fundraising appeal by Leicestershire-based pie maker Dickinson & Morris during November's Poppy Appeal has raised £5,000 for the Royal British Legion. The company's products carried the Poppy logo during November and the donation is based on sales of pork pies for the month.
Dickinson & Morris chose to support the British Legion's work because many of its customers and staff, including the managing director of Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe in Melton Mowbray, are either serving or former members of the armed forces. Brand manager Lucy Iddison says: "We are proud to be donating money to such a worthy cause and we hope our new partnership with The Royal British Legion will be a long and fruitful one. Adding the poppy logo to products during November will, we hope, have also encouraged our customers to give generously in the run up to Remembrance Sunday."
Calculating how much money was raised meant delaying the contribution until after the close of the traditional Poppy Appeal, but the company believes news of the donation will remind people that the work of the British Legion, and its need for funds, continues throughout the year. "The Poppy Appeal is an act of remembrance, but the work of the British Legion in helping members and families of the armed forces both past and present doesn't just stop after November 11th".
The £5,000 cheque was presented to the head of the Poppy Appeal, Nick Buckley by Dickinson & Morris Managing Director and Falklands veteran Stephen Hallam, at the barracks of the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery with the kind permission of the commanding officer, Major Erica Bridge RHA.
February 2007
We are proud to announce that Dickinson & Morris have won a Gold Award at The Guild of Fine Food Retailers' Great Taste Awards 2006! Over 4,500 products were entered, and our Large Melton Mowbray Pork Pie was judged to be worthy of a Gold Award. The Great Taste Awards have become a highly coveted accolade, awarded to producers of high quality products as determined by a blind taste panel of 150 judges.
January 2007
