Double celebration for Manthorpe butchers

A Manthorpe butchers is celebrating after being nominated for the countryside equivalent of an Oscar but also having a record Christmas period.

Mill Farm, run by Joy Dawson and her daughter Hannah Campbell, has been nominated for a rural oscar in the Countryside Alliance Awards and the butchers category.

“It feels absolutely amazing to be nominated and we’re really excited,” said Hannah.

“We are a small business and it was something that we had never heard of before.

“It came completely out of the blue and the first we knew about it was when the letter came through the door.

“One of our lovely customers had nominated us.

“We have had customers coming here since we first opened in the early 1980s.

“We have recently started a drive to cut right back on plastic waste so that may have had something to do with it.

“It would mean the world to us if we were to win.

“It’s good to be nominated for such a small place and small business.”

As well as the nomination, Mill Farm has been the busiest its ever been in the run up to Christmas.

“We have been so busy - it’s been a record,” added Hannah.

“We had to close our order books in the end as they got so full so we are looking at how we are going to store all the produce.”

Sarah Lee, Countryside Alliance Awards director, said: “These awards provide a cause for celebration in a time of great uncertainty in the countryside.

“They were set up to provide a voice and a platform for the rural businesses that form the heart of their communities.

“Our local produce is second to none and there are many community heroes and businesses worthy of national recognition.”

Mill Farm received over 40 nominations for the award.

One read: “The most kind and generous family butchers ever.

“Their produce is top quality and very reasonably priced.

“They do so much for their customers and the local community.

“They are super eco friendly and offer the best customer service that I’ve come across.

“People travel for miles to buy their meat from Mill Farm.”

The staff at Mill Farm will have to wait and see if they can make the regional final in January, followed by judging in March, with the winners announced in May.