You may know that we are a sustainable business. That being a sustainable business led us to becoming the first B Corp certified events venue in the UK.
And you also know that we are on an farm site – it is in our name after all. And that we keep animals on our site.
So, we feel we need to address the elephant in the room – the whole farming’s role in environmental damage debate
We all know animal’s role in contributing global warming, farm animals specifically. Livestock is estimated to release 3.1 gigatons of methane every single year, contributing to global warming.
As a result, we’ve seen a huge movement of people converting to veganism, having a completely plant-based diet. In 2020, an estimated 3.9 million vegans in the UK alone, and 4.5% of the UK is said to be either vegetarian or vegan.
Therefore, you would think that we should be discouraging eating meat
Well, it’s an interesting position for us. As if it wasn’t for a Butcher’s, we would not be here
Our partner business is Whiteheads Butchers just down the road in the heart of Edgworth; a family business who have been trading for over 130 years. The land was formally owned by Whiteheads, and the owner being Celia’s partner is a huge personal support. All of the meat we use for our events comes from Whiteheads; which is great for us as we know it’s all local produce that has had a good life before ending up on a plate.
And if you think that it puts guests off who want a slightly different menu, then it certainly does not. We have a wide selection of vegetarian and vegan options for guests should they choose, and have catered fully vegan weddings at couples’ requests previously – a piece of cake!
For corporate events, we have based our menus on the “Brain Food” idea, much of which is vegan and vegetarian, or with white meats which produce less methane.
The B Corp certification stands for saving the planet AND protecting the local community. With that in mind, we feel it is our duty to champion farmers in the area
Animal farming is one of the biggest industries in Lancashire, particularly dairy and hill sheep farming; the soil is simply too wet to be able to effectively grow plant and grain produce.
If we are to get to Net Zero, then we need to offer support to farmers who want to do their best for the planet, whatever endeavour that may be. Going organic, creating space for the wild to re-grow by rotating grazing, using electric-run vehicles, or something else entirely.
We’re proof of what farm diversification can achieve, so we hope to not only be an example, but also to assist as much as we can.
There’s also another topic to address – that it is all about balance
Our Office Manager and Sustainability Lead Charlotte says: “At the moment, I have gone vegetarian for two Lents in a row, and while I’ve seen loads of benefits to my health and my wallet, I wouldn’t go fully vegetarian. I may eat less meat, but not cut it out completely. True sustainability is about balance – humans are naturally omnivores; it is in our nature to eat some meat.
If I was given two burgers for example: one from a Farmer’s market, where I knew that the cow had a good life, lots of space and grass: the other a vegan burger made from soybeans that were shipped in from the other side of the world. I would personally choose the beef burger”
What we do not want to do is bring in loads of ingredients into our food, while they may be plant-based, have several miles added to them and grown in an area that had been deforested to grow them. See? It’s swings and roundabouts, challenges for us all. And we’re committed to collaborate with others looking to carry out the best solution possible, though it will not be perfect.
Yes, there is more that we can do, but our primary mission is to deliver the B Corps expectations to provide for both planet and community ALONGSIDE delivering amazing weddings and events.
Sources:
The cows that could help fight climate change – BBC Future
Veganism Statistics UK (2020) – How Many People are Vegan? (oursportinglife.co.uk)Facts and Figures | The Vegetarian Society (vegsoc.org)
