Princess Royal 'loved' Yorkshire made Syrian cheese

A woman who fled the war in Syria has told the Princess Royal how she managed to turn her life around by setting up an award-winning cheese business in Yorkshire.

Razan Alsous, who founded the Yorkshire Dama Cheese company, chatted with Anne at the firm's new facility in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire.

The Princess listened to Ms Alsous as she shared her story of how she escaped the civil war with her husband Raghid Sandouk and their three children to make a home in Huddersfield in 2012.

The family lost almost everything they owned when they were forced to fleetheir home near Damascus, Anne heard.

Ms Alsous, who studied medicine and pharmacy, told of how she was inspired to start her successful enterprise after she started searching for a job but was unable to find one because of her lack of references and work history in the UK.

Using her expertise in microbiology, she spotted an opportunity to combine her Middle Eastern roots with Yorkshire produce by using local milk to create the halloumi she used to eat each day for breakfast in Syria.

She was supported with a start-up loan of just £2,500 from the local Enterprise Agency in 2014 and has since won a string of food and business accolades for her Yorkshire Haloum, including a Gold Cheese Award. She was also nominated for a Women of the Year award.

Anne was treated to a taste of the firm's produce.

"She tasted the cheese and she loved it," Ms Alsous added.