Business in the Community Awards for Excellence 2008.

In May of this year the Lincolnshire Co-Operative, in conjunction with our Quality Lincolnshire Scheme, submitted an application in the Northern Foods Rural Action Award category, Business in the Community Awards for Excellence 2008. The category aims to celebrate companies that work to create sustainable rural communities. We were delighted to win the East Midlands Area round and to be accredited with a Big Tick award.

Following on from this win, Michael Read together with Ursula Lidbetter, Chief Executive of the Co-Op and Dave Chown, Butchery Manager of the Co-Op, went to Leeds to give a 20 minute presentation about our Scheme and the support given to the Scheme by the Lincolnshire Co-Op as a Retail member. Business in the Community had asked all finalists to keep their participation under wraps until after the national finals.

On Monday 7th July both myself and Michael were invited to join 1600 people at the Royal Albert Hall competing against 5 other regional finalists, including Sainsburys, for the National Northern Foods Rural Action Award, sitting at a table sponsored by the Lincolnshire Co-Operative.

Together with the Lincolnshire Co-Operative, we were honoured to win the national award, which was presented by Dame Kelly Holmes. To beat off competition from major national retailers is a wonderful reward for 11 years of hard work by the members of our Scheme.

Paula Widdowson, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, Northern Foods said, " Lincolnshire Quality demonstrates the real value and impact which can be delivered to both suppliers and customers through a sustained approach to operating in a responsible marketplace. The Scheme has farming at its heart - with a focus on keeping livestock in the fields and maintaining the local landscape for tourism".

Della Armstrong