York businesses presented King's award during Royal visit

The Princess Royal has presented the King's award to a Yorkshire business for sustainable development.

Today, 30 October, Her Royal Highness visited the bedmaker Harrison Spinks' farm in York.

On the visit the company demonstrated how it uses its award-winning Wensleydale sheep, homegrown hemp and natural materials to make luxury mattress fillings.

The Princess Royal was then taken to the bedmaker's Leeds manufacturing site, where she watched a live demonstration of the traditional hand side stitching, tape edging and tufting techniques, which the business has been doing for 180 years.

Simon Spinks, Chairman of Harrison Spinks, said: “We are deeply honoured and grateful to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to our farm and factory today, and thank her for taking the time to learn about our sustainable practices, meeting with our hard-working team, and presenting us with the King’s Award for Sustainable Development, which is an incredible privilege.“

"This recognition reflects our team's unwavering commitment to sustainability and innovation at every stage of production, from our farm to the final product. As a family business, we take so much pride in leading the industry towards a more responsible future, and we remain dedicated to making a positive impact on our local communities and the environment.

"Sustainability is at the core of everything we do, so The Princess Royal presenting us with this incredible award and taking the time to learn how we’re continuing to push the boundaries of what it means to be a sustainable business, has been a really special day for our entire team."

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