Cumbrian prison wins first prize for homemade marmalade at Dalemain awards
A Cumbrian prison has won first prize in the new Prisons category at the Dalemain Marmalade awards.
HMP Haverigg beat more than twenty other entries, including one from a facility in the USA.
This is the first time a prisons category has been included in the awards which take place every year at Dalemain mansion near Penrith and welcome entries from across the world.
Beatrice Hasell-McCosh, Director of the World Marmalade Awards, said: "I came up with the idea for the category because a number of friends work in the prison system in various capacities.
"Having researched the idea of this category after last years competition I realised that many prisons would have the capacity to cook and also had gardens which grow herbs or keep bees which they could add to their entries.
"Education through cooking and community are two of the foundational pillars of the Awards and entrants from prisons were encouraged to cook in groups and enter under the banner of their prison or justice organisation and the entries from Haverigg, for instance, were created under their education program.
"A number of our Artisan Marmalade Makers began as Homemade entrants so there is also an added possibility that it could be the start of an artisan business for those who enjoyed making their entries, once they are released from prison."
This year, a Worcestershire man claimed the top prize when Fortnum and Mason chose two marmalades as joint winners. Stephen Snead produced both of the winning entries.
The awards have been running for 19 years and this is the first time a Lime marmalade has taken the top prize, beating international competition from Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Canada, Austria and India.
The event on Saturday welcomed high profile visitors like the Japanese ambassador to the UK and the Deputy High Commissioner of Australia.
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