Category: News

ALCESTER’S very own aristocrat mixologist is set to cause a stir among visitors to next week’s Stratford Food Festival.

Earl of Yarmouth, William Seymour, will be demonstrating his skills as well as showcasing his locally made award-winning liqueur during a series of live demonstrations throughout the event.

Running between September 16^th-18^th, the festival will showcase more than 120 artisan food and drink producers allowing visitors to eat their way around the world courtesy of more than 120 stalls, pop-up bars and demos.

It heralds a first appearance for Lord Yarmouth who is the driving force behind the award-winning St Maur brand.

William, who counts among his ancestors Henry VIII’s wife Jane Seymour, established the business in lockdown with his wife Kelsey after first producing the drink uniquely for guests at Ragley Hall on their wedding day in 2018.

The Earl grew up on the Ragley Estate, and is the eldest son of the Marquess of Hertford. But now himself a young father of two, he has stepped away to build a new life for his family as an entrepreneur.

Lord Yarmouth is also embracing his latest role as a self-taught mixologist and is looking forward to passing on his knowledge and passion to others on the festival’s Main Stage between 2-4pm each day.

He said: “I am very excited for the upcoming Stratford Food Festival. It will be the first one in Stratford that I personally will be attending as a vendor instead as a visitor. Given how close it is to us, and the quality of other local goods and produce that will be there, it’s bound to be a packed weekend.

“Learning more about the skill and art of making cocktails has been a logical choice and it makes sense for us to bring that expertise in-house at St Maur. I was the first to step up to the shaker for that!

gg“I am not a scientist nor a natural chemist, so learning has come to me via taste and personally feeling and trying what works and does not.”

From the flavours of the liqueur, to the designs on the label, and the name itself, St Maur brings together 1,000 years of heritage and a sense of place.

St Maur is the surname used by the Seymour family in medieval times, but by the time Jane Seymour married Henry VIII the name had changed from ‘St Maur’ to ‘Seymour.’  The wild elder blossoms used to make the drink are hand-picked in the Ragley Woodlands, and on William and Kelsey’s farm near Alcester, where the drink is produced.

“We are both from this part of the world,” says William, “we both grew up here and it’s where we choose to bring up our children.  So it makes sense that we should create our drink to offer the world a little drop of England’s heart.”

Since its launch in 2020, St Maur has been picking up international awards and acclamation. It was rated the Best English Floral at the 2021 World Liqueur Awards, was awarded a 2 Star Great Taste rating in 2020, and picked up gold at the Las Vegas Global Spirits Awards last year, along with two other international awards. St Maur is at home both on the international stage, and as part of the local food and drink scene.

The free-to-attend Stratford Food Festival is open 10am-8pm on September 16^th-18^th and further information is available here

https://drinkstmaur.com/

More about St Maur

St Maur is a contemporary liqueur made to be versatile, built around the same four components needed to make a cocktail – a base spirit, a sweet and sour element, flavour and look. It can be enjoyed with all kinds of cocktails, and long drinks, in a simple fizz with soda, tonic or ginger ale, ‘royale’ with champagne, on the rocks, or on its own.

Recommendations for cocktails and ways to drink St Maur include Fire and Ice; St Maur and Soda; Hugo St Maur; The Laughing Cavalier; Pink Moon; St Maur Soixante Quinze; Royal Mistress; Dandy Partridge; St Valentine’s Sour; The Earls’ Martini and The Can Do Cocktail which was specially created in association with Riding For The Disabled Association.

To view St Maur’s cocktail recipe suggestions visit here

Current and ex-West Midlands firefighters are gearing up to blaze a trail in aid of charities close to their hearts when they set off on a nine-day cycling challenge this weekend.

Peter Haslam and Steve Horsley from Sutton Coldfield, Richard Beech from Tamworth and Steve Nutt from Pelsall, will set off on a 1,000-mile ride between Lands End to John O’Groats on Saturday (August 20^th)

The friends, who call themselves ‘The Four Amigos’ are saddling up to collectively raise money for Warwick’s Molly Ollys as well as The Firefighters Charity, Cyclists For Cancer and The Royal Marines.

It’s particularly heartfelt for 49-year-old dad-of-three and ex-Marine Peter whose family has experienced first hand the valuable work of two of the charities involved.

Peter’s son Ted has been left confined to a wheelchair following a battle with a Stage 4 cancer called Burkitts Lymphoma, which was diagnosed at the age of three.

He said: “The first sign of a problem was extreme pain in his lower back. By the time he was diagnosed after eight days it was too late to save his spine because the tumour was doubling in size every 25 hours and by this time it was 10cm long. Turns out he also had a small golf ball size tumour behind his eyes.

“Ted was determined and stoical throughout cancer treatment. The hardest part was when myself and Jo were told that the treatment wasn’t working and that we should

consider palliative care. This thankfully turned out to be a mistake but this period was the toughest time we have ever faced.”

Ted, the youngest of three children to Peter and Jo, was given the all-clear just before his fourth birthday and following nine months of intensive chemotherapy and two months in Stoke Mandeville Spinal Centre.

Ted received a handbike courtesy of Cyclists For Charity as well as softplay equipment from Molly Ollys, something the family says made a huge difference following his treatment.

Molly Olly’s Wishes was established in 2011 following the death of Rachel and Tim Ollerenshaw’s eight-year-old daughter Molly from a rare kidney cancer.

The Warwickshire-based charity, which this year marks its 10^th anniversary, works to support children with terminal or life-threatening illnesses and their families and help with their emotional wellbeing as well as grant wishes and donate therapeutic toys and books to both children directly and to hospitals throughout the UK.

Rachel said: “These guys have a big challenge on their hands – cycling 100 miles is not going to be easy, but we wish them all the best of luck and we are very grateful that Richard chose Molly Ollys as his charity to support. The funds he raises will help us to put smiles on the faces of children with life-threatening illnesses.”

Jo Haslam said: “Molly Ollys is an amazing charity that gives so much to children who are living with serious illness.It also gave us the opportunity to meet and share experiences with other families going through a similar experience.”

The men, who are all experienced cyclists, have been busy clocking up plenty of training miles for the big ride this weekend and will be supported by drivers following in a West Midlands Fire Service minibus stocked with essential kit, spare bikes and food supplies.

Richard Beech, 54, said: “We have all been riding for at least 15 years and regularly ride at weekends. In terms of training we have have been increasing distances over the last few months so know we are capable of riding well over 100 miles in a day but riding that distance every day for nine days is another matter! Saddle sores, wind, rain and hills are all part of the challenge.”

To support The Four Amigos on their cycling challenge visit here

Molly Ollys: https://mollyolly.co.uk/

Cyclists For Cancer: https://www.cyclistsfc.org.uk/

The Firefighters Charity: https://www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/

The Royal Marines Charity: https://rma-trmc.org/

“It was very emotional for Tim and I seeing the cyclists in their Molly Olly pink tops ride in together to the finishing point to huge applause and a great welcome from family and friends. Knowing why we were there and what everyone has achieved, the difference that it will make for the children we support is truly humbling.”

The emotional words of Rachel Ollerenshaw – founder of Warwick-based charity, Molly Ollys, as 47 cyclists rode into The Durham Ox in Shrewley after three days of a gruelling charity ride covering 185 miles.

More than £70K has been raised by the riders who took part in the Charity’s 10th Anniversary charity cycle ride from York to Warwick which took place on 8,9,10 July. The route was especially poignant for the family as York was one of the last places they visited before Molly died in 2011 from kidney cancer at 8 years old.

The cycling group was waved off by York’s Sheriff Suzie Mercer at York Minster: “I know that for the cyclists taking part, this Charity holds a special place in their hearts. Whilst I never had the pleasure of meeting Molly, I know what a strong and determined young lady she was and so much good has been done in her name over the 10 years that the Charity has been going.”

The route was extremely tough in sweltering heat and with particularly steep hills, but the beautiful scenery helped to keep the cyclists going when they felt they couldn’t go on.

Karen Robbins – one of the cyclists who took part – lost her daughter Leanne 8 years ago to cancer; “I’m not great at words, but I would just like to say how humbling and special the weekend was, I still can’t believe we did it. It was a tough weekend on the hills, but we remember the tough, painful times the kids go through without complaining at the end of their very short lives. Everyone was amazing, there was lots of laughter and lots of tears… brings so many memories of my Leanne.”

Rachel said: “We decided to do this cycle event in 2022 to celebrate 10 years of Molly’s legacy. What a ride it was! It far exceeded our expectations on so many levels. This was a phenomenal team effort with so many highlights. The camaraderie between all the riders and support team made it a unique and very special few days. It was certainly a challenge, but all the riders faced every day head on and looked out for each other and helped their team of riders to complete each day. Thank you to everyone – riders, support team, friends, family and all those who have donated. All the cyclists should feel extremely proud.”

Over the 10 years Molly Ollys has been going, the Charity has helped more than 16,000 children – directly and indirectly – through delivering wishes, its Olly The Brave therapeutic toy lion and books and bespoke projects with the NHS.

Molly’s dad, Tim said; “Each wish we do for a child costs around £500 so £70K is at least 140 wishes – that is 140 children that we can make smile and help make the dark days brighter. This money will help create happy memories for the familes.”

 To make sure all of the cyclists were safe and kept hydrated, there were five support vehicles and several sponsors who enabled the event to take place. Huge thanks to Oakland International, SCC, HiB, Risk Evolves, Mills & Reeve, Langham Walsh Accountants, Allen Creative, New Horizons Logistics, Mosaic Island, Advanced Vehicle Contracts Leasing and Affordable Warmth Solutions.