insideKENT Magazine Issue 22 - January 2014 | Page 18

NEWS

CHEGWORTH VALLEY GAINS
SUSTAINABLE RESTAURANT
ASSOCIATION APPROVAL

Kent-based family-run fruit farm, Chegworth Valley, has now been fully
approved as a supplier by the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA),
which acts to help restaurants source food more sustainably.

THE HISTORIC DOCKYARD
CHATHAM SECURES HERITAGE
LOTTERY FUND INVESTMENT

Chegworth is committed to producing fresh produce whilst minimising the
impact on the environment and creating as sustainable a supply chain as
possible.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham has received a grant of £4.53 million from
the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to support its £8.75 million Command of
the Oceans project.

“Our ethos is to grow the best fruit
and vegetables, whilst working as
closely as possible with the end user,”
explains David Deme, proprietor at
Chegworth Valley. “This gives us a
greater understanding of what
demand is likely to be and minimises
food waste, which is a growing
problem throughout the food sector.”

Command of the Oceans will secure the repair and preservation of a range
of The Historic Dockyard’s Scheduled Ancient Monuments and its 18thcentury Ship’s Timbers Archaeological finds. It will create world-class
galleries, interpretation and visitor facilities to reveal the story and significance
of the dockyard and its defences during the age of sail and deliver.
Through the creation of a 4.5-hectare area, including a Discovery Centre
for the dockyard and potential wider World Heritage Site, this investment
will, through excellent storytelling and conservation, unlock the value of
Chatham’s world-class heritage.

Chegworth uses minimal packaging,
with fresh produce being sent out
loose in recyclable or reusable boxes.
By delivering to restaurants on a next
day service, all fruit and vegetables
can be picked to order in the exact
quantity required. The farm is also
certified as Organic by the Soil
Association, meaning that there are
strict rules that must be adhered to
in order to ensure that specific
standards are met in relation to both
the produce itself and other factors,
such as environmental impact.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham is the world’s best-preserved example of
a dockyard of the age of sail. During the 18th century the site played an
instrumental role in supporting the Royal Navy secure worldwide supremacy
at sea, setting in place the conditions that enabled trade and empire to
develop and Britain to lead an industrial revolution that changed the world.
This project will enable that story to be told at Chatham for the first time.
Bill Ferris OBE, chief execut ive of Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, said:
“Command of the Oceans is arguably the most significant single project
undertaken by the Trust in pursuit of its own educational charitable purposes
since the Wooden Walls gallery opened in the late 1980s. The project meets
a number of urgent conservation and visitor needs. The news that the
wonderful Heritage Lottery Fund has again supported us, alongside a
number of long standing funding partners, including the Homes and
Communities Agency, is testament to the ever increasing significance of
our work here and the outstanding creativity of our team."

Mark Linehan, managing director of the Sustainable Restaurant Association,
said: “An integral element of running a successful and sustainable restaurant
is a trusted set of like-minded suppliers. We are really pleased to welcome
Chegworth Valley to our growing list of approved suppliers, providing
restaurants with produce of which they can trust.”

The HLF grant also unlocks a further £4 million for the project, including a
substantial £3 million contribution from the Homes and Communities Agency
(HCA), and £1 million from a range of charitable trusts and foundations.

As well as meeting the SRA’s approval for the fresh produce that is grown
at the farm, Chegworth Valley’s award-winning range of juices are also
approved — the first English juice to meet SRA approval.

The grant will enable Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust to start project
delivery early this year, with completion anticipated in spring 2016.

www.chegworthvalley.com
www.thesra.org

www.thedockyard.co.uk

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