Ludlow Marches Initiative

Skills Awards

Ludlow Chamber of Trade is one of the oldest-established in the country. Established in the 1930s, it has remained active for over seventy years.

Nine years ago, Ludlow Chamber set up a subcommittee to promote the specialist shops in the town, and the quality food and drink producers in the region that supply Ludlow traders and Ludlow shoppers. That project has grown into a major annual celebration of quality food and drink; The Ludlow Marches Festival of Food and Drink.

In 2000, Ludlow Chamber established the Ludlow Marches Initiative sub committee to help promote traditional craft skills in the area. While it is very much part of South Shropshire District, Ludlow serves a natural hinterland that crosses borders - into Herefordshire, Worcestershire and mid-Wales. Ludlow Chamber sees the town that it represents as being part of the Ludlow Marches, in much the same way that Broadway is associated with the Cotswolds.

Ludlow Chamber's Ludlow Marches Initiative was very much involved in the preparation of Middle Marches Skills Development Leader Plus bid which aimed to support traditional craft and artisan skills in the area. Sadly this bid was unsuccessful.

As a separate project, the Chamber's Ludlow Marches Initiative targeted young people attending the schools in South Shropshire's market towns. Shropshire's Educational Advisor encouraged the process, which involved a variety of local partners from the world of commerce, craft development and the public sector. The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers, based in London and Lord Windsor, Viscount of the Earl of Plymouth Estate, as well as the Hereford Diocese brought a national perspective to the celebration.

In 2001, the first showcase event took place as part of the Ludlow Festival of Crafts, held in May in the grounds of Ludlow Castle. Four schools took part, the potential was illustrated.

In 2002, the showcase grew to incude 14 schools, drawn from the whole of Shropshire, and parts of Worcestershire and Herefordshire. The spirit of the spring craft celebration was replicated in a pilot Young Chefs Award, as part of the September Ludlow Marches Festival of Food and Drink.

In 2003 the celebration is set to grow yet again - 20 schools will be taking part in the Ludlow event, which will be followed by two further craft events - one in Shrewsbury and one in Hereford.