19 June 2017
Three schools named as finalists in ‘Kent is Delicious’ cookery competition
- Three schools will compete in live final at Kent County Show
- Competition was open to all primary school-aged children in Kent
- Aims to raise awareness of local Kent, seasonal produce
Hoath Primary School in Canterbury, St. George’s Church of England School in Wrotham and Teynham Church of England Primary School in Sittingbourne have all been named as finalists for this year’s ‘Kent is Delicious’ cookery competition.
The hotly contested foodie final will take place on Friday 7th July at the Kent County Show, Detling.
Organised by the Diocese of Canterbury’s Communities and Partnerships Framework - and held in partnership with the Kent Agricultural Society (KCAS), Produced in Kent, and Kent Farmers’ Market Association - the competition invites youngsters to create a tasty recipe using as many locally produced, grown or sourced ingredients as possible.
This year the theme was breakfast. Hoath Primary impressed the selection panel with their Super Scrambled Egg dish - which uses eggs laid by the school’s own chickens - and their Rise and Shine waffles served with a local fruity dip.
Previous winners, St George’s C of E School in Wrotham, have created a Strawberry and Apple Smoothie, which includes homemade yoghurt, local fruits and honey, and their Cheese and Bacon Scones.
Hoping to pip them to the post is Teynham C of E Primary, with their Spring Fever breakfast pancakes, which use locally sourced flour and are topped with local fruits.
With a recent British Nutrition Foundation survey suggesting that one fifth of 5 to 7 year olds think that fish fingers are made of chicken, the Revd Canon Caroline Pinchbeck, Director of the Communities and Partnerships Framework, says that Kent is Delicious is a fun and positive way to help children better understand where their food comes from:
“We’ve been delighted by the thought and creativity that has gone into the entries this year. There’s still a lot of confusion among young people about their food, which shows just how important initiatives like Kent is Delicious are in showcasing the variety of fantastic produce that is available in Kent – the Garden of England.
“Previous experience tells us how much children get out of being involved, from improved self-esteem to team building and practical cookery skills. It’s fun too, and we wish all our finalists the best of luck!”
This year the top prize includes £300 in vouchers towards a school cookery or gardening project. All finalists will also receive £50 from the Kent Farmers’ Market Association to put towards a tasty hamper of food from their local farmers’ market.
All the finalists will make their dishes at the Kent County Show, which will then be tasted by an expert panel of judges made-up of local food producers, chefs and farmers.
Plans are already afoot for next year’s competition. Any schools or groups interested in finding out more can register for information by emailing kentisdelicious@diocant.org or visiting www.canterburydiocese.org/kentisdelicious
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Further information please contact Jennifer Ross, Communities and Partnership Framework on 01227 459401 / 07702 840 074 or email: jross@diocant.org
Notes for editors
Photos show:
- Delicious muffins whipped up at last year’s competition
- Finalist from last year's live Kent is Delicious final shows off their tasty, local dish
- Kent is Delicious header with logos
- The Bishop of Dover, The Rt Rev Trevor Willmott will be present at the final and will officially welcome all the successful schools to the event. Each school will then have a 45 minute slot in which to set-up, demonstrate and assemble their dish.
- Each group is expected to be able to talk about their dish and the ingredients they used.
- The British Nutrition Survey was conducted as part of the BNF’s annual Healthy Eating Week and surveyed over 5,000 school children aged 5 - 16 years old. It found that more than one in ten (13 percent) 8 - 11 year olds answered that pasta comes from an animal, and almost one fifth (18 percent) of 5 - 7 year olds say that fish fingers are made of chicken. The survey also shows that one in ten 11 - 14 year olds do not know that carrots and potatoes grow underground.
The Diocese of Canterbury’s Communities and Partnership Framework forms part of the work of the Diocese of Canterbury which represents and serves Church of England parishes in East Kent. As a Framework it aims to empower parishes and deaneries to serve their communities better, by working in partnerships with others. The Framework has particular responsibility for rural and heritage issues, special interest groups, forging links with local authorities, other faith groups and with charities.
The Kent Farmers’ Market Association is England’s largest regional grouping of farmers’ markets, representing all the farmers’ markets in the County, which operate nearly 1000 markets a year. It undertakes a range of activities, including: helping market managers and stallholders to improve standards through guidance and training; stimulating understanding of the benefits of local food; and raising the profile of farmers’ markets in the eyes of the media, local authorities and other potential partners.Produced in Kent is a trade organisation dedicated to supporting and promoting food, drink, products and services in Kent. They provide vital support to a diverse range of businesses which in turn provide valuable employment opportunities in Kent and are at the economic heart of our rural communities. Produced in Kent is a strong, widely recognised brand, benefitting and promoting its membership businesses. It provides business support, advice and sales opportunities.
The Kent Agricultural Society is responsible for organising the annual Kent County Show which takes place at Detling showground. This year’s show will take place on Friday 7, Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 July. Tickets are available here: http://kentshowground.co.uk