University wins silverware at Royal Berkshire Show

Monday, 17 September 2012

Fiona Blair, Director of Events (left), receives the 'Best Large Trade Stand' trophy

Interactive exhibits, home-grown food and fun activities helped the University to win two top prizes at the Royal Berkshire Show 2012 last weekend.

The University's display won first prize in the best large trade stand and the best local trade stand categories at this year's show. The display showcased our leading role in teaching and research in agriculture, food science and rural heritage.

See photos of the University's dairying stand at this year's Show >>>

More than 3,000 visitors to the stand were able to sample a specially-made batch of ‘Whiteknights cheese' using only the University's own produce, skills and facilities. The cheese was made from milk produced by the University's 600-strong dairy herd at the University Farm at Shinfield and produced by academic specialists in food production in the unique Food Pilot Plant on the Whiteknights campus - part of the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences.

The theme for this year's display focused on dairy practices and produce, past and present, with visitors able to explore some of the processes involved. From milk production to cheese making, academics from the Departments of Agriculture and Food and Nutritional Sciences, as well as the Museum of English Rural Life (MERL), were on hand to tell the story.  

Hundreds of visitors used pedal power to make their own delicious smoothies using yoghurt also produced with the University's own milk in the Pilot Plant.

Children were able to use microscopes to view different kinds of bacteria, before creating their own models of ‘good' and ‘bad' bacteria with modelling clay which were put on display in a ‘Battle of the Bacteria' exhibit.

Many thanks and congratulations to all those who helped make the University's stand such a huge success.