The first Turnbull’s Northumbrian Food Festival got off to a winning start, with the business hosting a week-long celebration of the fabulous food produced in Northumberland, and raising money for four local youth sports teams.
The week’s events kicked off with a collaboration between the award-winning food hall and Restaurant Pine, which saw the two teams come together at Turnbull’s Alnwick base to host a pop-up dining experience celebrating the food, producers and vibrant foodie scene of Northumberland.
The evening was followed by a chocolate tasting with Newcastle-based chocolatier Jane Davenport; a wine and cheese evening with sommelier Pierre Lacroix and the Northumberland Cheese Company; and a Northumbrian Beer Festival celebrating a selection of the best local ales. The week was rounded off with a small local producers’ market at Turnbull’s Northumbrian Food Hall in Alnwick.
Proceeds from each of the events, along with a percentage of Turnbull’s daily sales, were then donated to four local junior sports teams – Alnwick Dolphins, Alnwick Rugby Minis and Juniors, Alnwick Town Football Club Juniors and Alnmouth and Lesbury Cricket Club.
Each day Turnbull’s customers voted for their favourite club to determine the allocation of funds at the end of the week, which saw a grand total of £5,675 raised. The funds were allocated as follows: Alnwick Dolphins received £1,560, Alnwick Rugby Club Juniors and Minis collected £1,400, Alnwick Town Football Club was awarded £1,350, and Alnmouth & Lesbury Cricket Club received £1,000.
Turnbull’s owner Mark Turnbull said: “We are so lucky in Northumberland to boast some of the country’s best farmers and food producers and to be able to celebrate it in this way has been tremendous. Supporting junior sports teams with much needed funds at a local level has been great too, and we want to thank everyone for getting involved and supporting us throughout the week.”
Restaurant Pine co-owner Sian Byerley added: ‘’We were delighted to be able to help Turnbull’s in their foodie celebrations and their fundraising efforts – we had a great time. Working with the team at Turnbull’s has inspired all of the team at Pine, and as a result we’re now planning a very special fundraising event of our own, which will take place in 2024.”
Turnbull’s is set to do it all again next year, with plans to run the festival next September, with further information to be announced soon.
