Food for thought at law firm

A Dorset law firm is using sponsorship of a food organisation and an awards scheme to highlight some of the county’s unsung producers and suppliers

Award-winning Blanchards Bailey LLP backs Dorset Food & Drink, the independent non-profit membership organisation which promotes food and drink businesses.

The four-office firm also sponsors the Love Local Trust Local awards which recognise and celebrate Dorset’s small, independent food and drink businesses including farmers and fishermen.

Blanchards Bailey Managing Partner Paul Dunlop said: “As a firm we are very much immersed in Dorset’s thriving food and drink scene – with our specialists offering expert advice across the sector and to our many clients in the agricultural field.

“We felt we wanted to give something back – hence our sponsorships – by helping to raise awareness of the incredible wealth of producers, suppliers and restaurants plying their trade in the county.

“This rich and varied harvest – from fruit, vegetables and bread to seafood, cheese and drinks – is undoubtedly one of Dorset’s true assets and needs shouting about.”

Blanchards Bailey staff attend events staged by Dorset Food & Drink, often manning a stall, as the firm fully embraces the county’s culinary scene during a two-year sponsorship.

Dorset Food & Drink Coordinator (AONB) Caroline Richards said: “We are immensely grateful to Blanchards Bailey as a main corporate sponsor. Backing from the county’s top businesses enables us to continue to promote the amazingly high quality and incredible taste of our local produce.

“We are a community interest company so every penny we have goes on supporting our members’ businesses, helping them gain deserved recognition and acting as a conduit for collaboration, networking, business growth, grants and environmental performance.

“Above all we get out there at events, fairs and festivals to share this wealth of products and places to go with everyone – which the sterling support from Blanchards Bailey helps us maintain.”

Caroline said that volunteers from the firm had helped at pop-up markets in Dorchester Borough Gardens, the Tank Museum at Bovington and Weymouth’s Nothe Fort and recently attended the first face-to-face get together since lockdown at the Hall & Woodhouse in Blandford.

Blanchards Bailey, based in Blandford and with offices in Poundbury, Weymouth and Shaftesbury, has sponsored the Love Local Trust Local awards since its inception in 2018.

Created by the Cossins Family, of Rawston Farm, Tarrant Rawston, in order to promote quality, honesty and proximity in the Dorset food and drink, the awards have 15 categories for 2022 and entries are open now.

Paul added: “We love the way that these awards focus of some of the smaller producers and suppliers whose excellent work is often overlooked, but who provide outstanding contributions to Dorset’s rich feast.”

Blanchards Bailey also uses local producers for festive gifts for clients and employees from businesses such as Cerne Abbas Brewery, Cherry Picked Hampers, Dorset Wine Co and House of Dorchester Chocolate.