UK Sausage Week winner helps raise funds for Battle of Britain Memorial
One of the country’s best bangers has helped support an award-winning tribute to the men of the Battle of Britain.
The Battle of Britain Memorial Sausage created by master butcher Andrew Rook from Ramsgate turned out to be a sizzling success with the 2017 UK Sausage Week judges.
Andrew, who created the sausage using Shepherd Neame’s Spitfire Ale and Kentish hops, then decided to pay his own tribute to the heroes of 1940 by donating 50p for every pound of the top flight bangers sold by J C Rook and Sons’ 11 shops across Kent.
As a result he was able to present Battle of Britain Memorial Trust secretary Patrick Tootal and site manager Jules Gomez with a cheque for £1,000.
The recipe, inspired by the sight of a Spitfire over the White Cliffs and by memories of his father and sister, won the UK Supreme Champion Sausage category.
Andrew explained: “I plucked my inspiration, quite literally, from the air while walking on the White Cliffs near Dover. A Spitfire, with that unmistakable noise, flew past and reminded me of the last family day out I had enjoyed with my parents and sister when we watched my dad Peter fly in a two-seater Spitfire from Duxford for his 65th birthday.
“Sadly, a year later my sister Helen succumbed to cancer. As part of our family recovery we planted an oak tree as a memorial to her. After seeing the Spitfire on my walk, my thoughts turned to the Battle of Britain Memorial just along the coast at Capel-le-Ferne and how important it was to so many people.
“Winning the award was a great feeling, but it was just as important to use that success to help raise funds for the charity that does so much to honour the Few – the men who fought the Battle of Britain.”
Patrick Tootal commented: “The Trust receives no public funding and relies for its existence on the generosity of visitors and supporters. We were delighted when Andrew offered to donate some of the proceeds from his award-winning bangers to the cause and thrilled to receive such a handsome donation.”
UK Sausage Week is an annual meat industry campaign designed to help boost trade each autumn. The initiative was designed by Meat Management magazine.
The 2018 campaign will run from 29th October until 4th November. Further details will be released later in the year.
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