Previously known as our Special Services to the Industry Award, with a new name – Juvela are delighted to sponsor the FreeFrom Champion Award, for the seventh year.
Last year this went posthumously to the late Lisa Acton, our beloved founder and John’s wife. It is a hard act to follow Lisa. After consideration, we changed the name reflecting that the award is not just about service to the freefrom industry, but also about a personal, vested interest and passion that leads to better things for others. T
That was Lisa all over.
On this year’s winner, Anna Marsden of Juvela says that they certainly represent what the award stands for – someone who, along with her family, has put their heart and soul into creating delicious food so that the freefrom community can enjoy great food too.
The 2022 FreeFrom Champion is a woman whose family was faced with an uncertain future plus family health issues. A lifelong interest in food and health led to the setting up of a bakery in their milking parlour. Out of that interest a brand was born and developed catering to the freefrom market. This gives away a lot – the bakery burnt down. Many people would crumble under such an earth shattering event, but not this family, nor in particular this lady. They picked themselves up and went on to continue to produce products that were gluten free, wheat free, dairy free or vegan. Like phoenixes from the ashes in the fields of athenry.
It has given us great pleasure, to award the FreeFrom Champion to Siobhan Lawless, of the Foods Of Athenry, for all that her family has done to champion and serve the freefrom community.