Lord Newborough, owner of Rhug Estate, will learn tonight, 3 January 2021, if he has won the Food and Drink Federation’s Hidden Hero Award, for which he has been nominated.
The Food and Drink Federation’s (FDF) Hidden Hero Award recognises the exceptional individuals who have demonstrated admirable dedication throughout the pandemic and beyond. Everyone has been nominated by those closest to them at work – their colleagues, teams and companies. The FDF is extremely proud of their achievements and congratulates each of them as they mark their remarkable efforts.
Amongst the nominees for the Hidden Hero Award, with Lord Newborough, are representatives from Weetabix, Britvic, Birds Eye, KP Snacks and McCain Foods.
Lord Newborough said, “I am truly honoured to have been nominated for this award. This has been a difficult time for all businesses. Throughout lockdown we have tried to stay positive and have used the time to adapt to the new demands of our customers. We appreciate these are difficult times for a lot of people as well. I am pleased that we found local good causes to donate food to. We have to be positive and use this time to prepare the business to be leaner, fitter and more efficient for when we start to return to normal. The wounds of the last 12 months will take time to heal.”
The award-winning writer, broadcaster and journalist, Jay Rayner, will host the Food and Drink Federation’s Awards ceremony this evening, which will be held virtually from 5.30pm on youtube, with the nominees watching to find out if they have won an award.
Chief Executive of the FDF, Ian Wright CBE, said, “It has been the most challenging year of my working career. I imagine everyone attending this event is in the same boat – we have lost members of our family or friends or colleagues or all of them. Almost every business has faced very tough trading conditions and extremely painful choices. We should all be immensely proud of the way in which food and drink – at all points in the supply chain, from farm to fork – has responded to the challenges thrown at us. In manufacturing facilities, in stores and distribution centres and on farms, our people have been the hidden heroes of a dreadful 2020.”
Lord Newborough was nominated by his staff for the Hidden Hero Award and in the application they wrote – ‘Lord Newborough deserves to win this award because he hasn’t even considered his own health during this whole pandemic. His concern has been for his staff, his animals on the farm, locals who had hit on hard times and making sure customers were able to get their essential shopping. He was already known locally for making generous donations to local groups and charities as well as being the main local employer with over 100 staff. During the lockdown periods he has made generous donations of food to Canolfan Ni Corwen, south Denbighshire’s Community Partnership and Hope House Hospice in Oswestry.”
Live updates will be available from 5.30pm on the Awards Ceremony on Twitter. Follow @foodanddrinkfed and get involved by using the hashtag #FDFAwards
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