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Win a Chilterns Christmas Hamper worth over £450

Our annual Chilterns Christmas Hamper competition is back, and this time we are offering you the chance to win our most extravagant hamper yet in another prize draw!

Once again, we have been overwhelmed by the generosity of local Chilterns food and drink producers who have donated some seriously delicious items for this year’s hamper. We would like to thank them for their support.

To enter the prize draw, please click here.  Each entry costs £5.00. All funds raised will help our ongoing work to protect and preserve the Chilterns landscape. 

The lucky winner of the hamper will undoubtedly be thrilled with the wonderful variety of goodies and decadent treats that it contains. Please see below the list of delicacies donated this year and a little background information about each of the local producers who have contributed…

Auberge Du Chocolat – 3 large bars of chocolate 

A unique artisan family business with a passion for chocolate, ice cream and fudge, Anne and Ian Scott have been making chocolate in the Chilterns since 2005. Now based in Chesham and firmly established as a maker of premium luxury chocolate, the awards have come flooding in. They also run workshops, parties and corporate events. 

Beechwood Fine Foods – A jar of chutney & a jar of marmalade 

Beechwood is a farm shop and café in Frogmore Street, Tring.  One of the star products is their excellent range of chutneys and jams, homemade by the shop’s owner Sarah.  Their other locally-sourced produce includes fresh bread, cakes, hand-raised pork pies, and a range of cheeses. 

Burgers Artisan Bakery – A beautiful Christmas cake 

Burgers is a craft bakery and tearoom in the heart of Marlow.  The Burger family have been baking their artisan breads fresh every day and creating their fabulous chocolates since 1942.  They have a wide range of delicious loaves which helped them win a Chiltern Society Award for real bread in 2016. 

Chess Valley Lamb – £50 voucher 

Chess Valley Lamb is part of Chess Valley Livestock, which was set up by Scott Horton and Paul Jennings in 2012 and moved to Raans Farm in Amersham in 2013. They sell their fresh delicious lamb directly to the public and to many local high-end restaurant businesses. Their generous donation of a £50 gift voucher means that the lucky winner of our hamper will have the opportunity to enjoy some of the best lamb available in our region. 

Chiltern Brewery – A Christmas pudding and 2 bottles of Cream Porter 

Another local business that has gained an enviable nationwide reputation, Chiltern is the oldest independent brewery in the region. A family-run business located on an old working farm in the heart of the Chiltern Hills at Terrick, the emphasis has always been on producing natural, wholesome beers using the best British malt and hops. Their excellent farm shop features many products made using Chiltern beer.

Chiltern Charcuterie – A selection of handmade cured meats 

From their curing kitchen on a small farm in North Dean, Chiltern Charcuterie produces award-winning salamis and air-dried meat products. Made from free-range pork, grass-fed beef and lamb, as well as ethically sourced venison, all their meat is sourced from local independent farms. An award-winner at the 2018 Great Taste awards, their charcuterie brings a taste of the continent to the Chilterns.

Chiltern Cold Pressed – Gift Pack of 5 flavoured oils 

The Mead family has been farming in the Chilterns since 1860. They began making Chiltern Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Rapeseed oil in 2009 and have since extended their collection to include a range of infused oils, salad dressings, sauces and marinades. Their oils have won many national food awards and have even featured in an episode of the BBC’s Escape To The Country.

Chiltern Natural Foods – Premium nuts
Based in High Wycombe, Chiltern Natural Foods manufactures hand roasted, healthy flavoured, nuts and seeds and a range of whole grain, no salt, no wheat, low sugar granolas. Their mission is to make premium foods – including many gluten–free products – which are all natural but still taste great. After the excesses of Christmas Day what better than a healthy, natural, Boxing Day breakfast? 

Chiltern Ridge – 2 bottles of apple juice and 2 bottles of dry apple cider 

‘Pure 100% apple juice with nothing added’ is the credo behind this Chartridge based producer. A family run business, Chiltern Ridge juice is now available in many local farm shops as well as Budgens supermarkets. In addition to producing their own juice, Chiltern Ridge will press your apples into a delicious pasteurised juice. Their farm shop also sells pork and lamb and they even have B&B accommodation on site.

Chiltern Society – Scented Candle 

Bring nature indoors with our English Bluebell scented candle which emits a fresh floral fragrance of beautiful bluebells in bloom. Our candles are handmade locally using made using premium soy wax, 100% cotton wicks. Stylishly presented in locally sourced packaging, each candle is truly unique and will cast an atmospheric light on these dark winter evenings. 

Daws Hill Vineyard – Sparkling apple cider  

Christmas would not be Christmas without a drop of something fizzy, and at Daws Hill Vineyard in Radnage they specialise in making it! Founded in 2004, Daws Hill now produces a range of brut and rose sparkling wine and an excellent bottle-fermented sparkling cider. International awards have included a bronze medal, won at the prestigious Effervescents Du Monde competition in France.

Dizzy Bee Kitchen – 2 packets of granola    

Set up five years ago by Nicky Halloran, Dizzy Bee Kitchen produces healthy, additive-free granolas packed with nutritious ingredients such as lucuma, pumpkin, sunflower, chia, hemp, seeds, flax seeds, nuts, quinoa, oats and bran. A winner of five Great Taste awards, Nicky still makes all her batches of granola by hand. A delicious way to add essential nutrients to your Christmas diet.

Horsebox Coffee Co. – 2 packs of ground coffee 

Horsebox Coffee Company is an independent coffee roastery based on a quiet working farm in South Oxfordshire. They source sustainably cultivated green coffee from individual farms and cooperatives. Using the latest roasting technology, they consistently develop each coffee’s unique character. Alongside their much–loved signature blends from ethical farmers and co-operatives, they also offer an evolving range of seasonal single estate speciality coffees for those looking for a coffee adventure…

Jim and Jules Big Adventure – 3 jars of chutney 

This husband and wife team has been making chutney since 2008. Their ‘big adventure’ began when they needed to raise money to fund their wedding and chose chutney-making because Jim’s parents had a massive apple tree on their farm! From these unusual beginnings, they now make a range of chutneys and piccalilli. Their Scrummy apple chutney is a personal favourite and makes a great glaze for pork.

Knead Wood Fired Pizza – Voucher for 2 pizzas 

Knead Pizza is brainchild of husband and wife team, Simon and Olivia. The gift of a pizza oven is where it all started, that and their passion for all things Italian. Cue waking at 6am to make dough for pizza parties (as demanded by friends!) and experimenting with all the toppings you can think of. Then came the spark of an idea. Why not just take what they love and share it with others? They purchased a beautiful classic van, gave her a facelift, fitted her out with a wonderful wood–fired pizza oven and hit the road ready to delight the public with their delicious pizzas. They also offer events catering.

Laceys Family Farm Shop – Steak and stilton pie 

Based in Lane End, this farm shop has a great range of meat, dairy products and deli items, many of which come from the family farm.

Malt The Brewery – 3 assorted bottles of ale

Brewing since 2012, this brewery is set in the heart of the Chilterns in Great Missenden.  They pride themselves on their use of quality natural ingredients and traditional brewing.

Mama Dor’s Kitchen – A gift box of Indian spices 

Mama Dor’s Kitchen offers a wide range of spice blends that enable you to make authentic Indian food at home in a simple and healthy way. As well as being totally delicious, all the spice blends are sugar & gluten free, suitable for vegans and work beautifully with a wide variety of diets. Each blend is provided in an environmentally friendly, refillable glass spice jar. On top of that, every blend comes with a simple, easy to follow, laminated recipe card. Originating from India, all spice blends are authentic, homemade and have been passed down many generations of the Dor family kitchen! 

Nettlebed Creamery – Organic soft cheese 

Nettlebed Creamery makes Bix and St Bartholomew cheeses using milk from Merrimoles Farm. A fully organic operation since 2001, the farm’s fortunate cows graze on grass and clover leys enhanced with herbs such as chicory, plantain and yarrow. The end product is so good that in 2016 specialist cheese website www.cheesechap.com named Bix cheese one of the best five new cheeses in the UK.

Puddingstone Distillery – Bottle Campfire gin 

Puddingstone is the first gin distillery in Hertfordshire, situated at the base of Wilstone Reservoir, just five minutes from Tring. Pitching camp on the boundary between classic and contemporary gins, award winning Campfire Gin is produced in small batches. Why Campfire? Because Puddingstone’s founders, Ben and Kate were inspired by memories of fantastic evenings enjoying gin and tonics outdoors and around campfires. Look out for Campfire Gin in selected delicatessens, off licences, bars and restaurants, or visit their distillery shop for bottles, limited edition gins, gift vouchers and sampling.

RB Honey – Jar of honey 

At this apiary they take immense pride and dedicate time to care for their bees, not only ensuring that they can harvest the best tasting honey from happy bees, but also that the local bee population continues to thrive. All of their 100% natural honey is produced in the Chiltern Hills. Nothing is added, nothing is taken away. They don’t even mix honey from their different hives together.

Rebellion Beer Co. – 6 bottles of lager 

This highly successful brewery was established in 1993 to ensure the continuation of traditional brewing in Marlow after the closure of Wethereds.  Since then, Rebellion has gone from strength to strength.  Their ales are widely available in many local pubs and in their own brewery shop.  They won a Chiltern Society Award for Best Craft Beer in 2017.

Rumseys Handmade Chocolates – Dark chocolate buttons and hot chocolate flakes 

Master Chocolatier Nigel Rumsey has been making delicious artisan chocolate since 1991. He owns two delightful chocolaterie/cafes in Wendover and Thame.  In the Wendover café you can see the expert chocolatiers hand-creating the chocolates!

Salty Dog – Selection of crisps 

Home of the tastiest crisps you could shake a tail at. They make sure all their potatoes are of the highest pedigree. They are hand-cooked in sunflower oil for extra bite and seasoned with deliciously feisty flavours.

Teacups & Tandems – A voucher for 2 persons on a biscuit decorating workshop 

Founded by sisters Tarryn and Shannon, Teacups and Tandems specialise in bespoke cakes, biscuits and icing workshops. They are based in the lovely village of Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire but supply cakes and biscuits far and wide. 

The Kitchen Mixer – 2 slices of Christmas cake  

The Kitchen Mixer is a little company that helps make life just that little bit sweeter. Whether it is a cake for a special occasion, afternoon tea for ten or just a dessert for your dinner party then The Kitchen Mixer can bake for you. Everything is made to order.

The Marlow Cheese Company – Pickle and 2 cheeses  

Reputed to be Buckinghamshire’s first ever cheese maker, Marlow Cheese was launched in Summer 2016. Cygnet, Bucks Blue and Regatta are their flagship products, all made using delicious whole milk from Lacey’s Dairy. Now on sale at many leading farm shops, including Peterley Manor and at Rebellion Brewery, Marlow Cheese has even been spotted on the menu at Michelin starred local restaurant, The Hand and Flowers.  

The Original Biltong Company – 6 packets of flavoured biltong 

The Original Biltong Company are purveyors of “the best biltong this side of South Africa” All of their beef is locally sourced, grass fed and hand reared. They believe in understanding the provenance of their meat, such as where the animal was raised, how it was treated, how it lived. They use an original family recipe that was handed down over more than 6 generations with no added MSG or sugar, and their products are gluten-free. They supply many pubs, sports clubs, delis and high–end restaurants.

Tring Brewery Co. – 6 bottles of assorted ales 

The winner of our 2017 Chiltern Craft Beer of the Year award, Tring brewery has been making beer for 25 years. Now established at Dunsley Farm, they are well known for their unusually named beers (including my all-time favourite tipple, Side Pocket for a Toad), which all have strong connections with events, myths and legends from the surrounding Chilterns. Their beers are available from the brewery shop and many a good local pub. 

Competition Terms and Conditions  

• All entrants must be over 18 years of age
• Entrants can purchase as many tickets as they like 
• Entries must be purchased by midnight on Sunday 15th December 2019
• The hamper will be delivered to the winner’s address week commencing Monday 16th December 2019
• The winner will be chosen at random 

Chalk Streams in Crisis – Update

It has been two weeks since we gathered the industry leaders at our AGM to talk about #ChalkStreamsInCrisis, where the big hitters from the Environment Agency, Ofwat, Affinity Water and Thames Water joined our friends from the Chilterns Chalk Stream Project and the Chiltern Conservation Board to answer tough questions from our Keynote Speaker Fergal Sharkey, Chair Simon Kearey and the many of our supportive members who share our grave concern about the crisis that is our disappearing chalk streams.

We are pleased they have all committed to work with even more gusto to help solve the crisis and they all agreed to act with immediate urgency, as not to be the individuals responsible for the extinction of Chiltern Chalk Streams. Specifically, we had agreement from all regarding:

• The urgency and need to take individual and joint action to stop further Chiltern Chalk Streams damage.
• To make an immediate start on restoring them.
• To secure enough resources suited to the size of the task, including the time of personnel who have enough decision making seniority to make a measurable positive difference.
• A step change in how we better communicate the Chalk Stream Crisis to Government, Industry and Consumers?
• To all meet and publicly communicate our progress this time next year (October 2020)

We’re now pleased to say that we’ve some significant updates to report.

First, the working group which will consist of all those represented at the conference will have its first working meeting in early December. This group is being headed by Doug Kennedy, our volunteer lead on this campaign. The principal objective of this group is to find ways to maintain environmentally valid and acceptable levels of water and flows in the Chiltern Chalk Streams between now and when longer-term infrastructure solutions are delivered.

Second, Doug has now also secured the support of the senior team at DEFRA and has plans to raise the issue at Government Minister level well before Christmas.

Third, Simon Kearey, our Chair will be taking the matter to our friends in the House of Lords, and we hope to soon have significant support there too.

Fourth, our Rivers and Wetlands Group, coordinated by our volunteer Dan Turner, are working hard on practical plans to show us how we as individuals can go do our bit to save our #ChalkStreamsInCrisis.

Farm Shop Award Presentation

Last week we had the pleasure of meeting the owners of the farm shops picked by our judges as the very best in the Chilterns.  It was a joyous occasion, hosted by Peterley Manor Farm in Prestwood, our overall winners, who provided a fabulous array of refreshments from their own café.

This year our team placed greater emphasis on sustainability and green initiatives such as local sourcing, so crucial to reducing our food miles, availability of eco products such as re-usable bags, water bottles and coffee cups and encouraging customers to bring their own containers to take advantage of instore re-fill initiatives. Other criteria included range of products, presentation, friendly service and ambience.

Peterley Manor is deservedly the overall champion farm shop – praised for its excellent range of high quality products, large selection of home-produced items like their own meat and apple juice along with home grown fruit and veg.

P E Mead & Sons of Tring is the North Chilterns winner based on a fantastic selection of locally sourced produce, focus on sustainability and lots of “extras” such as a pleasant café, pet food department, greeting cards and gifts.

The South Chilterns area winner is Blue Tin Produce of Ipsden where our judges loved the rustic ethos, extensive range of locally sourced items, many from Ipsden or nearby, and their great little café with an outside verandah.

Finally Laceys Family Farm Shop in Lane End receive a Best Newcomer Award.

Hearty congratulations to these 4 exceptional Chiltern farm shops!

Staff from Ella’s Kitchen lend a hand at Kingwood Common

On the morning of the 12^th September, Gavin our Head of Conservation and Fiona, our Ranger were joined by a group from the UK’s number 1 baby food brand, Ella’s Kitchen. The staff at Ella’s Kitchen (all Senior Management) chose to work with the Chiltern Society as they wanted to do something beneficial for their local environment as their office is based nearby.

We were joined by 7 staff members for the day who helped us to open up some glades on this very valuable conservation site. One of the main issues we encounter at Kingwood Common is keeping on top of the bracken and bramble scrub which quite invasive and can grow very quickly, so we were grateful for assistance from the team at Ella’s Kitchen who helped us make some headway with this.

The team were split into two groups and given the option to learn to scythe and clear the bracken or help to clear some small samplings of encroaching holly with bowsaws and loppers. Fiona gave a brief introduction into the art of scything and showed the group how to cut the bracken effectively. After a few pointers here and there, the group were very effective and cleared a small glade in no time at all!

Gavin helped the other group with holly clearance and they managed to fell a significant holly tree which would have been large enough for a chainsaw to takedown! We then had our usual break and returned to the same tasks before pausing for lunch.

After lunch, the groups swapped around and they helped us to finish clearing away the holly and bramble in the glades. We were very impressed with the work that was achieved and very grateful for the help. This management of the glades is encouraging lots of interesting species, particularly heather and other wildflowers that enjoy the more acidic soil in this part of the Chilterns. It can also help to encourage a range of reptiles such as slow worms, common lizard and even adders!

The staff at Ella’s Kitchen had an enjoyable time and the following day thanked us for a great day out. One member of the team said, ‘There are some aching muscles today, but we all enjoyed a nice day in the fresh air and hope we helped with your efforts in the local environment.’

HS2 Review: Letter to Douglas Oakervee

This week we have written to Douglas Oakervee who is responsible for leading the review that will asses whether the HS2 project should go ahead after all.

In our letter, we reiterate our longstanding concerns about HS2 and our arguments against the project, including:

• our suggestion to increase capacity on existing lines, rather than build a new one
• the costs associated with HS2, which are set to rise substantially
• the environmental devastation that the project would cause in the Chilterns; including the loss of hedgerows, farmland and ancient woodland
• the threat to wildlife including the cutting of migration routes for wild animals
• the risk to the Misbourne aquifer through tunnelling and the loss of the Misbourne, a rare chalk stream
• the projected usage of 1 million litres of water per day to build the line and the unprecedented pressure this would put on our local water supply
• tunnel safety concerns, and how passengers would be safely evacuated in the instance of a fire
• several grave geological concerns

We also outline some suggested alternatives, including our support for further investigation into an alternative route which would follow the M1, be substantially cheaper and offers better integration with the existing rail network.

To read the letter in full, please click here.

Himalayan Balsam Bashes

Chiltern Society volunteers have been working with the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project this year to control two infestations of Himalayan Balsam along the River Gade and the River Misbourne.

Large stands of this plant have become established close to the sources of each river threatening to spread downstream if not controlled. Himalayan Balsam was introduced to Britain as a garden plant in 1839. It rapidly colonises riverbanks, developing into dense stands that kill off native plants and other flora. When it dies back in autumn, it leaves riverbanks bare and prone to erosion.  Each plant can produce up to 2,500 seeds which can be transported by rivers to establish new colonies downstream.

Control of the infestation on the River Gade at Great Gaddesden is now in its third year and is close to being eradicated.  Work to clear the stand on the Misbourne at Little Missenden began this year and is likely to take 5 years to eradicate.  Ceri Groves, who is managing the control programme for the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project says, ‘It has been great to work with the Chiltern Society’s volunteers this year. Their assistance has been invaluable, contributing over 170 hours so far this year to help stop Himalayan balsam from spreading further.’

A final work party is being held on the 4^th September to clear any remaining plants from the Gade.  If you would like to take part in this work party or future events,  please contact the Ceri Groves cgroves@chilternsaonb.org

Find out more

Green Belt and AONB Under Threat

Chiltern District Council and South Bucks District Council have recently been consulting on their joint Local Plan. The Plan aims to develop over 11,000 homes in the period up to 2036. Of these, 5,200 are proposed on 7.83km2 of land to be taken out of the Green Belt and 2 sites are proposed within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

The Chiltern Society has submitted its objections to the Plan, which can be summarised as follows:

• It is essential that planning policies are considered across local authority boundaries to co-ordinate protection of this special area. The Plan does not give the Chilterns sufficient protection and, therefore the Society objects to the overall plan.
• There are no exceptional circumstances under the NPPF to justify any significant incursion into recognised GB and AONB areas given that housing need alone is not an exceptional circumstance.
• The plan needs to be revised to consider whether there are less damaging sites that were not brought forward through the ‘call for sites’ and whether there is scope for higher density developments on brownfield sites and in town centres.
• We urge the Councils to review the overall development approach in the plan to avoid unacceptable damage to a nationally important landscape and a significant part of the Green Belt.
• We objected to the overall number of dwellings proposed in the Green Belt and to 2 site allocations in the Green Belt and AONB at Amersham, and to significant sites in the Green Belt at Chesham, Beaconsfield, Little Chalfont and Chalfont St Peter.

Following the consultations, the Council will submit the Local Plan to the Planning Inspectorate for an independent examination.

The full response can be found here.

Government to launch review to reconsider HS2

It has been announced that the government is launching a review of high-speed rail link HS2 – with the aim of reaching a final “go or no-go” decision by the end of the year, the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said. The review will consider whether and how the project to connect London, the Midlands and Northern England should proceed.

For years, the Chiltern Society has campaigned tirelessly against HS2 and its inevitable damaging consequences to the Chilterns environment and its wildlife. Simon Kearey, Chiltern Society Chairman said, “We are of course very pleased that the government is reconsidering it’s position on the HS2 project. Not only is the business case extremely weak, but the irrevocable impacts on our local countryside would be catastrophic if it were to go ahead.”

The Chiltern Society has today written to the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Transport and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to reiterate the severe impact that HS2 will have on the countryside, should it go ahead.

In summary, the letters highlight our concerns that if the project proceeds, the Chilterns will incur the following damages and risks to its landscape:

• the loss of 38km of ancient hedgerows
• the loss of 176ha of good quality farmland
• the cutting of migration routes for wild animals for 5 km. Currently no provision has been made for Green Bridges to enable animal migration
• the risk to the Misbourne Aquifer through tunnelling and the loss of the Misbourne, a rare chalk stream
• the risk to Bacombe Hill SSSI, where we have established that the hill is unstable
• increased pressure on our already strained rivers and streams, with an expected use of 1 million liters of water per day for construction

The full letter can be read here.

We urge you to write to your local MP asking them to highlight the plight of the Chilterns countryside and it’s wildlife and encourage the government to scrap the project once and for all.

You can find your MP’s contact details here.

Farm Shop Award – Winners Announced!

We are delighted to announce the winners of our 2019 Food & Drink Award which this year has put local farms shops under the spotlight!

Our judges thoroughly enjoyed their visits to all of the shortlisted businesses to choose the winners. They considered a variety of factors, including the range and availability of locally produced products, promotion of sustainability (e.g. reduced plastic usage), the range of products on offer, general presentation, service and ambience in store.

The Central Chilterns winner, and indeed the overall winner, is the wonderful Peterley Manor Farm Shop in Prestwood (pictured) which was praised for its excellent range of high quality products, large selection of home-produced items and attractive presentation. They also champion local Chilterns food and drink producers and also encourage their customers to engage in sustainable practices with ‘bring your own tub’ initiatives and the sale of reusable beeswax food wraps, for example.

The South Chilterns area winner is Blue Tin Produce of Ipsden where our judges loved the rustic ethos, good range of locally sourced items, many from Ipsden or nearby, and their great little café.

P E Mead & Sons of Tring is the North Chilterns winner based on a fantastic selection of locally sourced produce, sustainability initiatives and lots of “extras” such as a pet food department, greeting cards and gifts.

Finally, Laceys Family Farm Shop in Lane End will receive a Best Newcomer Award. Having only been open a short while in comparison to our other nominees, this has quickly become a thriving local store with a great selection of products many of which are produced on the farm itself.

The presentation to these four outstanding Chiltern farm shops will take place in October.

Interim Findings of the Landscapes Review