University triumphs at Royal Berkshire Show

Tuesday, 24 September 2013

Visitors enjoying the activities on offer at the University's stand

Delicious free samples of rare fruit, a bee hotel and interactive fun for everyone helped the University to win two top prizes at the Royal Berkshire Show 2013.

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 last weekend.

This year the display focused on Reading's work with fruit. More than 3000 visitors to the stand learnt about the University's cutting-edge research which is examining the wider health benefits of eating fruit, including the positive impact of blueberries on Alzheimer's disease.

The stand also showcased the crucial research being undertaken by Reading experts to secure the future of fruit. The University is responsible for scientifically curating and maintaining the National Fruit Collection (NFC) in Kent, one of the largest fruit collections in the world. Around 30 fruit varieties from the NFC were on display, 25 of which originated in Berkshire including dessert apple Shinfield Seedling.

Hundreds of visitors used pedal power to make their own delicious smoothies, while children made the stand a hive of activity by buzzing around making bee hotels with volunteers from the Museum of English Rural Life. Children were also bubbling with excitement as they created their own fizzy drinks with suspended beads of fruit juice.

Vice-Chancellor Sir David Bell, who attended the show on Sunday, said: "The University's tremendous display at the Royal Berkshire Show was an excellent opportunity for us to showcase our research. We were able to communicate, in a simple and straightforward manner, the cognitive benefits of consuming fruit. We also talked to an audience of all ages on the work being done to tackle the threat posed to crops by climate and environmental change."

Congratulations and many thanks go to all those staff and volunteers who worked so hard to make the stand such a success.