Grasmere Gingerbread - Makers of fine Cumbrian Confectionery since 1854

The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop has been involved in the economic and social affairs of the region for more than 150 years.

“It is important that we support local Lakeland life, its traditions and its customs - for local people to enjoy and also for the visitors it attracts,” says Andrew Hunter, who bakes the Grasmere Gingerbread^®. “Tourists are the lifeblood of the Lake District and they come here to enjoy unique upland scenery and a more traditional way of life. Grasmere Sports, Cumbria Women of the Year and the Grasmere Rushbearing Ceremony are three very important community events on our sponsorship calendar.”


	Established in 1852 and held every August Bank Holiday, Grasmere Sports attracts thousands of spectators who flock to see its world-famous attractions - Cumberland wrestling and hound trails. The thrilling Guides Race to Butter Crag overlooking the village is a fitting finale to the day. The one and half mile track reaches 900 ft above sea level and the current record is 12 minutes, 21.6 seconds set in 1978. The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop is proud to have supported the race for several years. “It’s a very emotional sight as the runners make their way across the mountain,” says Joanne Hunter, a partner in Grasmere Gingerbread^®. www.grasmeresportsandshow.co.uk The winner of our competition for the VIP tickets to Grasmere Sports 2012 was Mr Peter Antrobus from Heywood. Congratulations!

This ancient custom inside St Oswald’s Church, next to the Grasmere Gingerbread^® Shop, dates back to the days before church floors were flagged. Parishioners would lay down rushes to purify the air and protect against the cold. Today, the children of Grasmere are rewarded with a piece of Grasmere ‘Rushbearing’ Gingerbread if they are lucky enough to carry one of the rushes! “My parents - who ran the shop for 40 years - used to make the special Rushbearing Gingerbread and we’ve resumed the tradition to help the local church and keep an important custom alive,” says Joanne.

Cumbria Women of the Year began in 1990 to support the work of Banardo's in Kendal. It honours unsung heroines, backbones of communities and those who work tirelessly for the good of other people. The announcement of the Cumbria Women of the Year winner is made at a special lunch every November at the Wordsworth Hotel, Grasmere, near the Grasmere Gingerbread^® Shop, which sponsors the event. “Every year I feel honoured to be involved,” says Joanne. “It’s an enormous privilege to meet so many wonderful women whose life work is so inspiring. I am sure that had the awards been around in Sarah Nelson’s day she would have been a worthy winner. The founder of the Grasmere Gingerbread^® Shop endured great hardships and terrible personal loss during her lifetime to became one of the great creator-cooks of the 19th century.”

Brathay Windermere Marathon

Brathay Trust's mission is to help children and young people fulfill their potential. Since 1946 Brathay has inspired young people to become successful, confident and responsible citizens who make positive contributions to their communities. Their community and residential programmes ensure young people flourish and have the resilience to overcome the challenges of their day-to-day lives.

Brathay's flagship fundraising event is the Brathay Windermere Marathon held in May each year. This event, recognised as one of the most distinctive marathons in Europe, attracts over 1000 runners and also incorporates the Brathay 10 in 10 - an endurance event that sees runners complete 10 marathons over 10 consecutive days!

Since 2008 Grasmere Gingerbread^® have generously supported Brathay by donating gift boxes of gingerbread for the marathon winners in all age categories. This support makes a very special contribution in giving the event a truly Lake District feel. The runners who train hard to complete this challenging marathon course, while raising their own sponsorship to support Brathay's cause, are delighted to receive presentation tins of Grasmere Gingerbread^® in recognition of their achievements.

Everyone at Brathay Trust would like to thank Grasmere Gingerbread^® for their continues support.

For further details about the Brathay Windermere Marathon and Family Fun Day:
www.brathaywindermeremarathon.org.uk
marathon@brathay.org.uk
Call fundraising office on 015394 39777

Community and a sense of place is important to Grasmere Gingerbread^®. At the heart of the English Lake District, we know the value of the charities and volunteer groups that keep the spirit of our wonderful national park alive. We are proud members of: Cumbria Community Foundation Nurture Lakeland. We support charities including the NSPCC, Cumbria Air Ambulance Appeal and British Legion Poppy Appeal. Helping others is also infectious as our 150th anniversary ‘lucky gold tin’ promotion in 2004 revealed. When the buyer of the tin donated the £1000 cash inside to the Boxing Day Tsunami Appeal we matched the gesture. “It’s vital that local businesses contribute to community endeavours whenever and wherever they can,” says Joanne.
*Three of the best…*
GREAT NORTH AIR AMBULANCE A collecting tin on our counter generates funds for the Great North Air Ambulance - which saves lives on the mountains every year - thanks to the generosity of our caring customers.

NURTURE LAKELAND The fells of the Lake District are in a healthier state thanks to sales of tasty Grasmere Gingerbread^® crumbs. From every bag sold we donate £1 to Nurture Lakeland who work hard preserving the well-used footpaths winding across our distinctive landscape.

CUMBRIA WILDLIFE TRUST Dippers, fantastic birds of Cumbria’s fast-moving rivers, are being helped by sales of our popular Grasmere Ginger Dipper (a chocolate lollipop in a bag of delicious Grasmere Gingerbread^® crumbs). From every sale we donate 20 pence to Cumbria Wildlife Trust which manages county nature reserves where the dippers live.

Eight inch high letters made of Grasmere Gingerbread^® raised £374 for the BBC charity Children in Need.
This year's event in Cumbria was held at Rheged, near Penrith. One hundred and fifty years ago Sarah Nelson - who invented Grasmere Gingerbread^® - created letters out of her famous confectionery to teach village children the alphabet. "We created Children in Need in Grasmere Gingerbread^® and auctioned off the individual letters on the night to help raise money," explained Joanne Hunter, a partner in Grasmere Gingerbread^®. "Sarah Nelson would have approved I am sure."