The Houghton Project, a community farm based in Bodenham, Herefordshire, has been producing cider using fruit from the orchards at Bodenham Lake nature reserve to be used in their rural skill activity of cider production. The nature reserve is managed by the Queenswood and Bodenham Lake partnership which is comprised of two organisations: Herefordshire Wildlife Trust and Herefordshire New Leaf Sustainable Development.

The Houghton Project, recently entered The International Cider and Perry competition, held at The Hereford Cider Museum on Thursday 5th May 2022. The team were delighted to take first prize in the sweet cider category, and second prize in the sweet perry category, beating off stiff competition from a total of 186 entries from across the UK and other countries around the world, including the USA.

Tim James -Moore, Project Manager said "Winning awards like this gives community projects and the people we are supporting a real sense of achievement and credibility. We all thought our cider and perry was really good, and now this proves that it is. I am immensely proud of all the work that has gone into producing the drinks, from growing the fruit, to using traditional methods on the farm to make it, everyone has worked really hard.”

James Hewitt who was involved in making the cider and perry added “Before I came to the Houghton Project I knew nothing about cider or perry.  The project, and winning this prize, has played a massive part in overcoming the difficulties I faced, and has given me the self-confidence to help others .”

This is not the first time that the Houghton Project has teamed up with Herefordshire Wildlife Trust. The Trust’s Engagement Manager Julia Morton said:

“Herefordshire Wildlife Trust is proud to have worked closely with the Houghton Project since 2012. Our partnership has developed over the years to include the planting or an orchard together, running pruning courses and pressing the apple juice that we sell in our shops. We are delighted that they have won awards for their cider and perry from fruit harvested at our orchard at Bodenham Lake.”

The Houghton Project is a not for profit community farm, providing opportunities for people with a range of support needs, to engage in a variety of rural skills and activities. These include working with animals, growing food, cooking, cheesemaking, as well as craft sessions and woodwork. The aim of the project is to provide an inclusive and enjoyable environment, within which, people are able to develop and apply new skills in a productive work place, to enhance health, wellbeing, confidence and a sense of community.

Tim James-Moore said “We would like to thank the partnership, for supplying the fruit grown at Bodenham Lake to the project, enabling us to run the rural skills activity in cider making. The orchards not only helps wildlife, and enables project members to learn new skills it now also produces International Award winning cider!”