Mill Farm at Manthorpe, near Bourne, attends Countryside Alliance Awards at House of Lords days after losing well-loved butcher

A trip to a prestigious ceremony in London was tinged with sadness for an award-winning business after the death of a long-serving staff member.

Mother and daughter Joy Dawson and Hannah Campbell, who run Mill Farm Butchers in Manthorpe, were invited to a champions reception at the House of Lords after winning a regional prize in the Countryside Alliance Awards.

The family business was named East of England champion butcher, and though they missed out on the national title, they enjoyed the VIP treatment at the May 17 ceremony.

“It was such a privilege,” said Hannah.

“Unfortunately we didn’t win the national title, but to get to go there and have this experience was just brilliant. It is really good recognition and a boost for the team.”

However, the loss of butcher David Ewles, 74, just weeks after the award was announced, cast a shadow on the celebrations.

David, from Kirkby Underwood, worked at Mill Farm for around 40 years and was still working part-time when he was taken ill with a stroke.

“It has been a very up and down time for us,” said Hannah.

“When my mum started the shop before I was born David was here as our first full-time butcher so it was a massive loss for us.

“David started butchering before he left school because he came from a family of butchers. It is what he really loved.”

His funeral was held the day after the awards reception.

“It was bittersweet really – we went and did it for him,” Hannah added.

“When we found out we had won the East of England award he was beyond proud.

“He was so thrilled, but wasn’t planning to come to London because he didn’t like to leave Lincolnshire too often.”

It is not the first time Mill Farm has earned recognition from customers and judges.

The business was named Producer of the Year 2020-21 at the Great Food Club Awards, reached the regional finals of the Countryside Alliance Awards in 2018, and was nominated for last year’s Stamford Mercury Business Awards.

“We are busier than ever,” said Hannah.

“We became so much busier during covid because people didn’t want to go to the supermarket and busier places which meant we were rammed.

“We have elderly customers and offered a delivery service and generally looked after all of our customers and it paid off because we kept a lot of those who came to us during covid.”