The British Poultry Council

Cherie flies the flag for British Turkey

Cherie Blair put her support behind the British turkey industry as she accepted a 25lb Christmas turkey at No 10 and agreed: “A British turkey is the heart of the festive family dinner.”

Mrs Blair is donating the turkey to The Passage, a London-based charity which helps homeless people change their lives. She promised: “This bird is going to a very good home. Each day more than 250 men and women use the charity’s day centre, and Christmas Day will be no exception. It is fantastic for the charity to have a wonderful British turkey.”

L to R: Cherie Blair, Jeremy Blackburn of the BPC, David Horn, Andrew Lewins, and Sister Ellen Flynn - CEO of The Passage charity
(photo: Matt Fowler Photography)

The turkey was presented on behalf of the BPC's British Turkey Sector Group by Andrew Lewins and David Horn, Joint Managing Directors of Cranberry Foods, one of the UK’s largest turkey producers. Mr Lewins said: “We are experiencing excellent demand for British turkeys this Christmas and our company will be producing 1.5 million for the Christmas table.”

The presentation of a British turkey to Downing Street dates back to the days when Sir Winston Churchill was Prime Minister. Along with the Blairs, 20 million families will be tucking into turkey this Christmas.

-ENDS-

Notes-to-Editors:

1 The British Poultry Council is the leading representative organization for companies and individuals engaged in breeding, hatching, rearing and processing chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese to produce poultry meat.

BPC December 2006