Emsworth British Food Fortnight off to a flying start

Members of Havant Rotary Club helping out on the day. (L-r) Jenny Edgell, Vicki King and Mike Coombe

For Havant’s own first lady, Councillor Faith Ponsonby, the chance to press home her civic role by crushing gallons of tasty apples was a first that she simply could not refuse.

Wearing her golden chain, the mayor got her hands on a large apple press in Emsworth town centre yesterday. It was all part of the opening weekend of the British Food Fortnight, which will see the town celebrating everything food and drink. Watched by dozens of people in St Peter’s Square, the mayor tried her hands at apple pressing and using the large mulching machine to crush the fruit into pulp – a physical task which proved tricky. ‘That was really tough,’ she admitted. ‘I had to let my husband Michael take over for me on that one.’

Hundreds of apples were donated by locals to be crushed down into homemade juice, in aid of the Chichester-based homelessness charity Stonepillow. The spectacle was staged by the Emsworth Business Association and supported by Havant Rotary Club, whose army of volunteers helped to pour the juice into bottles.