insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 05 - July 2015 | Page 9

news GOODWOOD’S VICTORIOUS EVENING AT THE BRITISH CHEESE AWARDS Goodwood’s Home Farm, Charlton Farmhouse, trumped some of the most respected cheesemakers in the country at the Royal Bath and West British Cheese Awards. Artisan-made Charlton was awarded the Gold Medal in the mature, traditional cheddar cheese category – one of the biggest, most competitive categories with only two other gold medals being awarded, beating off well-known and elite cheese makers throughout the UK.  Home Farm shone through the competition which had over 1,000 entries from 75% of all British cheesemakers. The farm had another triumphant win after being awarded The Best Organic Cheese, an honourable accomplishment to a dedicated team in one of the UK’s largest lowland organic farm and the first 100% organicallyfed dairy in the country.  “The British Cheese Awards is the premier cheese competition in Great Britain and hugely prestigious within the country’s cheese industry. To have recognition such as this is so wonderful for the farm team who all play their part in producing such quality produce,” said Tim Hassell, Goodwood Home Farm general manager.  The acclaimed Charlton Farmhouse is available at selected retailers throughout Sussex and London, and can be ordered online via the Goodwood website at www.goodwood.com/goodwood-home-farm WW2 VETERAN AWARDED PRESTIGIOUS HONOUR AT REDOUBT FORTRESS MARKING ARMED FORCES DAY On Sunday 28th June, Eastbourne’s Redoubt Fortress marked Armed Forces Day with a Drumhead Service at which Pat Thomas, a D-Day veteran, was awarded the prestigious Legion D’honneur.   The annual Drumhead Service which honours Britain’s Armed Forces was held in the grounds of the iconic Fortress. Veteran Pat Thomas of the Sussex Branch of the Submariners Association, now 90 years old, commanded a Naval landing craft on D-Day at Sword Beach, Normandy, when they were heavily attacked leaving Pat as the only survivor.  The special ceremony saw Mr Thomas being awarded the Ordre national de la Legion d’honneur, a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte on 19th May 1802. The Order is the highest decoration in France and is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction.  Eastbourne Borough Council lead cabinet member for culture, tourism and enterprise, Cllr Margaret Bannister, said: “Armed Forces Day is a chance for us to join the nation in remembering and honouring the men and women who are serving our country today, but also a time for us to remember and pay gratitude to all those soldiers in past wars who have helped to protect and preserve Eastbourne. We are thrilled to have a heroic veteran collecting such a high honour at the Fortress grounds.”  For further information about Armed Forces Day at the Redoubt Fortress visit www.eastbournemuseums.co.uk. 9