TWO winners of this year's British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA) Free Range Awards are from the South West. 

The award for marketing initiative of the year went to the Great Cornish Egg & Spoon Race, set up by St Ewe Free Range Eggs. The race has two teams racing 300 miles across the Cornish coast, raising money for Hospitality Action and Cornwall Air Ambulance.

As well as this, the employee of the year award was won by Marie Yarrington, who is a farm worker for the Chilman family, who produce free range eggs in the Westcountry and have done for the last 13 years. 

Margaret Chilman, from the Chilman family farm, said: “Marie takes everything in her stride but has an eye for detail and looks after our flock as if it was her own.”

Twelve individuals and businesses in total have been recognised at the awards for making positive and sustained contributions to the free range egg sector. 

Chairman of BFREPA, James Baxter, said they were 'extremely proud' of all the winners. 

“It was a pleasure to judge the awards, especially after such a challenging 12 months for our industrym" he added.

"It is fantastic to honour and recognise the individuals and businesses that have gone above and beyond for the sector with their passion and dedication."

Other winners at the awards included: 

  • Producer of the Year in the under 20,000 birds category - Bethany Irwin of Willowfields Farm from Griston, Norfolk
  • Producer of the Year award in the 20,000-47,000 birds category - William Maughan of J.E. Maughan & Sons from Darlington, County Durham
  • Producer of the Year award in the oover 47,000 birds category - Michael Arbuckle of Arbuckle Poultry from Dundee, Angus
  • Local Food Business of the Year award - Harper Farm Café in New Farnley, Leeds
  • Breakthrough of the Year award - Prinzen Meggsius Select, a system for automatic egg inspection and sorting
  • Environmental Sustainability award - Joe Orgee from Upper Moorend Farm in Herefordshire
  • Special Award for Services to the British Free Range Egg Sector - Charlie Stephenson, Yorkshire free-range egg producer (who sadly passed away this year, aged 60) 
  • Lifetime Achievement award - Stephen Marriott and Colin Gravatt from Wynnstay Humphrey Feed and Pullets
  • Free Range Champion - Ioan Humphreys from Wales