Colston Bassett Dairy, near Bingham, donates Stilton to annual ceremony of the Christmas cheeses at Royal Hospital Chelsea

A cheese maker continues to support the Chelsea Pensioners in a long-standing tradition.

Colston Bassett Dairy, based near Bingham, has donated a roll of Stilton to the annual ceremony of Christmas Cheeses, where UK cheesemakers donate cheese to veterans of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

This year, 330kg of cheese was donated to the Chelsea pensioners.

Billy Kevan, CEO of Colston Bassett Dairy, said: “It is a great honour to be part of this fantastic tradition each year and we relish the opportunity to offer delicious cheese as a thank you to the Chelsea Pensioners.”

The event, coordinated by Dairy UK, dates back to 1692 and has become an established part of the festive calendar at the Royal Hospital.

At the ceremony last week, Dairy UK chairman Paul Vernon thanked the Royal Hospital for its continued support for the event.

He said: “As our trusted friends of many years, we’re grateful to the Royal Hospital for their continued support of the Cheese Ceremony and their unwavering love of British cheese.

“My hope is that the veterans at the Royal Hospital deservedly enjoy these exceptional cheeses this Christmaas season - whether melted in a sandwich, stirred into pasta, tucked into a pie, grated on a baked potato, or simply enjoyed in all their natural, unadulterated glory.”