AROUND 20,000 visitors flocked to the Abergavenny Food Festival to see culinary stars take to the stage as the event celebrated its 25^th anniversary last month.

The star-studded line-up saw some of the very best names in the industry- Andi Oliver, Angela Hartnett OBE, Jeremy Pang, Cyrus Todiwala OBE and Bake-off star Jurgen Krauss take to the stage during the two-day festival, which has firmly established itself on the culinary map attracting thousands of visitors to the town from around the world.

With 180 exhibitors across six venues around the town from the family-friendly Castle grounds to the Market Hall and Brewery Yard, the festival offered the very best in cookery demonstrations, producers, bakers, brewers, growers, writers, book signings, live music and tasty treats.

The weather didn’t dampen the spirits of the visitors, who were spoilt for choice with stalls offering an array of food and drink from around Wales and the world, the New and Small Producers Market, as well as cheese, wine and confectionary.

Highlights over the weekend included Emma Bridgewater, founder of the renowned British Pottery Brand, in conversation with Kate Jenkins, talks and debates in the Sant Ffraed House Dome at the castle, the irrepressible Hangfire Girls cooking up a storm over an open flame, the Cook Stars Cookery School for children and the chef demonstrations on the Robert Price Kitchens Stage in the Market Hall.

The historic Market Hall was packed to the rafters to watch a live cookery demonstration by one of the UK’s most-loved chefs, Angela Hartnett OBE and her husband Neil Borthwick, chef at The French House.

Angela, Chef-Patron at Murano, who has is no stranger to the world-famous festival, delighted fans with her home-cooked, classic roast chicken recipe ‘Neil’s Sunday Chicken’ from her latest cookbook, whilst Neil demonstrated his shortbread-making skills.

Angela, a protégée of Gordon Ramsay, praised the festival’s co-founder and Programme Director, Martin Orbach, describing the festival as ‘unique’.

She told the audience: “I do think Abergavenny is unique in so many ways.”

“You get demos, talks and all the different tastings. What’s been wonderful for me this time is seeing it through a fresh pair of eyes, because Neil’s never been before and he’s walking around and saying ‘oh my god that was amazing, look at that’.

“He’s seeing all the local producers which has been quite incredible so that’s what makes Abergavenny so good. We are very lucky.”

The Great British Bake Off semi-finalist Jurgen Krauss, best known as ‘The German Baker’, was relishing his first visit to the festival.

The lovable self-taught baker, IT specialist and concert-level trombonist, who now lives in the UK, was seen as a top contender in the 2021 series of The Great British Bake Off before he was eliminated in the semi-finals, attracting unprecedented complaints from fans.

During Saturday’s appearance, he captivated his audience by making Pretzels, using a recipe featured in his first book ‘The German Baking Book- Cakes, Tarts, Breads, and More from the Black Forest and Beyond’.

Speaking afterwards, Jurgen praised the organisers for the warm welcome and for putting on a fantastic event.

“It’s my first time and feels amazing to be here. Everyone has been very welcoming.”

Following their appearances, Jurgen and his fellow guest performers spent time meeting foodie fans and signing their books on the bookstall run by Emma Corfield-Walters, owner of the Abergavenny bookshop ‘Book-ish’.

Lucie, Parkin, Festival Director, said: “It was a joy to see the streets and spaces full of visitors from near and far.”

“The two days were packed with demos, talks, eating and drinking and there was a fun atmosphere, despite the rain.”

She praised the many local groups and organisations that took part in the festival, including the Rotary Club and King Henry VIII Comprehensive with the ‘Young Chef Competition Finals, the Rock Choir and local charity Love Zimbabwe’s ‘March for Africa’.

Thanking the crew behind the scenes, Lucie said: “It takes a town, a team (staff and board) and a whole lot of other partnerships to make the event happen.”

“As a not-for-profit organisation we rely on our funders and supporters to make the event possible. Special thanks to everyone who took part this year. This includes our venue and event sponsors, and all the exhibitors who contributed food for our hospitality venue, speakers’ dinner, and chef demonstrations.”

“I also want to applaud our brilliant venue and stage managers, and the amazing crew of local people who were very much the welcoming face of the festival across the weekend and busy in behind-the-scenes jobs that were vital to the whole operation.”

“We’re already looking forward to and planning for 2024.

Next year’s festival will take place on September 21 and 22.

To find out more visit www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com

Angela Hartnett’s latest offering: ‘The Weekend Cook: Good Food for Real Life’ (Bloomsbury Absolute)  is available now.

A WELSHMAN who went to bed and woke up paralysed from the waist down has become one of a few disabled adventurers to climb Mount Everest on crutches.

Jamie McAnsh, who turned 41 during the challenge, has spoken of his ‘immense sense of pride and emotion’ after achieving his childhood dream of reaching Mount Everest’s Base Camp in Nepal.

Mr McAnsh, of Cwmbran in Torfaen, along with his wife Charlott,49, and their team, completed the gruelling 132 kilometre trek to Base Camp South reaching an altitude of 5,364 metres, over 11 days.

The former Royal Engineer has Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) -an uncommon neurological condition, which causes persistent severe and debilitating pain and relied on specialist crutches to complete the trek.

Speaking from Nepal, he told Sudol Media, that he experienced tough times, both physically and mentally, when the pain from spasms in his legs and arm were excruciating. He said the low-levels of oxygen at high altitude also took its toll on his body.

“The trek was a challenge from day one,” he said.

“It was tough dealing with the altitude, lack of oxygen and having to focus on where to put my crutches, as well as having CRPS.”

Mr McAnsh said he felt overwhelmed after reaching Base Camp South after eight days of walking.

“It didn’t really hit me that we had done it until the day after,” he said.

“I can remember feeling overwhelmed  and an immense sense of pride and emotion that I achieved a lifelong dream.”

“I feel proud of myself and the fact that I could have given up on myself during the early days after my diagnosis but didn’t.”

“The walk down was just as challenging, when you factor in exhaustion and walking up to 14 hours a day,” he added.

He is now believed to be the first CRPS sufferer with lower body impairment in both legs to have reached Everest Base Camp.

Mr McAnsh paid tribute to his ‘amazing wife’ Charlott, teammates Nikola (CORR) Masters who owns Osbourne Lodge Nursery, Tim Cochram , Andy Ibbott, their guides and supporters for helping him to achieve his dream.

Thanking his supporters he said: “Thank you for every comment, message and well wishes I have received over the past two weeks. It has literally got me to the top. You have all been with me every step of the way.”

The former Royal Engineer and his team, who had their plans cancelled twice during the Covid-19 pandemic, had his sights set on the challenge since he was seven years-old but an uncommon neurological condition eight years ago, followed by a cancer diagnosis, threatened to end his dream.

In January 2014, following a bout of shingles, his life was suddenly turned upside down when Mr McAnsh went to bed and woke up paralysed from the waist down. Doctors were initially stumped as to the cause of the horrendous pain in his back, but after a number of tests he was eventually diagnosed with an uncommon neurological condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

The debilitating condition is characterised by constant and often severe pain and can be triggered by an injury or virus. The former climber, runner and motorbike enthusiast, embarked on a long and gruelling recovery which has seen him gain some mobility.

However, he still uses a wheelchair and relies on specialist crutches to help him walk.

The motivational speaker, entrepreneur and CRPS awareness campaigner has since found relief in sport and the outdoors, having completed 12 extreme challenges raising £250,000 for charity.  As part of the challenges he climbed Pen Y Fan -South Wales’ highest peak but had to use his hands when his wheelchair buckled around 100 feet short of the summit.

The multi-award winner, whose motto is ‘always get back up’, hopes to inspire others to adopt a more positive approach to disability through mentoring and the launch of his online business community See No Bounds.

The couple have set up a fundraising page supporting Newport and Usk Vale Lion. To find out more visit https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/from-wheels-to-everest

Pictures © Jamie McAnsh

A MAN who went to bed and woke up paralysed from the waist down is preparing to take on the world’s highest mountain.

Jamie McAnsh, 40, of Cwmbran, has had his sights set on climbing Mount Everest since he was seven years-old but an uncommon neurological condition eight years ago threatened to end his dream.
Determined not to be defeated, Mr McAnsh is preparing to fly to Nepal on Tuesday ahead of the gruelling challenge which will see him trek more than 5,000 metres to one of Mount Everest’s Base Camps using specialised crutches, to fulfil his life-long ambition.

If the former Royal Engineer, of Cwmbran, reaches the South Base Camp which sits at an altitude of 5,364 metres, he will become one of a few disabled adventurers to do so.
Mr McAnsh and his wife Charlott (CORR) 49, have had their plans cancelled twice due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but are now more determined than ever to raise awareness of his little-known condition and raise funds for charity.
In January 2014, following a bout of shingles, his life was suddenly turned upside down.
“Eight years ago I went to bed and woke up paralysed from the waist down,” explained Mr McAnsh who was a motorcycle salesman at the time.
“My life turned upside down overnight. I lost my job and felt like a burden on family and friends.”
Doctors were initially stumped as to the cause of the horrendous pain in Mr McAnsh’s back but after a number of tests he was eventually diagnosed with an uncommon neurological condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) The debilitating condition is characterised by constant and often severe pain and can be triggered by an injury or virus.

The former climber, avid runner and motorbike enthusiast, embarked on a long and gruelling recovery which has seen him gain some mobility but uses a wheelchair and relies on specialised crutches to help him walk.
Despite being in pain every day, and determined not to let his severe disability affect his ambitions, he found relief in sport and the outdoors. He joined the Cardiff Met Archers Wheelchair Basketball Club, was capped as international for Wales in Wheelchair rugby, discovered hand-cycling and became the first disabled squash player in the world to play in the Welsh Open tournament.
In 2015, Mr McAnsh set himself twelve extreme challenges in twelve months and raised £250,000 for charity. His challenges included jumping out of an aeroplane at 15,000 feet, handcycling from Cardiff to Tenby as a member of the South Wales Handcycle team in the 2015 Carten100, down-hill rough riding and a WAAT4 (Working As A Team For) 30k trek in the Brecon Beacons. It was during a challenge to climb South Wales’ highest peak ‘Pen y Fan’ that his wheelchair buckled around 100 feet short of the summit.
But with the support of his team, who were taking part in the trek, he managed to reach the top and is believed to be the first person to complete the challenge in a wheelchair.

“I had a fantastic team around me who persevered as much as we could,” he explained.
“I thought I was going to drop dead but I had reached the summit. It was a pretty special moment.”
In 2016, following his extreme challenges he won a bravery award in the ‘Against All Odds Category’ at the Charles Holland Awards.

He is now a motivational speaker, adaptive athlete, multi-award- winner, TEDX speaker and entrepreneur.
Mr McAnsh now raises awareness about CRPS and gives motivational speeches at schools and events.
“During the past eight years, I have battled with my greatest enemy, my own mind, and with the help and support of those around me, remained strong.”
Mr McAnsh was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and moved in with his mum whilst he underwent treatment. Two weeks after moving in, his mother collapsed and was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
They both cared for one another whilst undergoing chemotherapy and are now in remission.
“In my talks I share stories of struggles, challenges and successes. I talk about adapting and overcoming adversity.”
He has helped to inspire others to adopt a more positive approach to disability through mentoring and the launch of his online business community www.seenobounds.co.uk
The venture began life as a blog and a place to promote Mr McAnsh’s challenges and events and has since evolved to become a platform for more than 2,500 small businesses across the UK.
His latest challenge represents a personal milestone for Mr McAnsh, whose motto is to always ‘get back up’.
“I’ve wanted to climb Everest since I was seven years-old. When I first fell ill this dream seemed impossible.”
“My physiotherapist asked me at the first ever session that I needed a goal. My reply was simply Everest. She smiled and said ‘let’s get you walking across the room first.”
Charlott, a qualified massage therapist, has played a vital role in Mr McAnsh climbing Ben Nevis, Snowden and several other mountains as part of their training.
“As part of my illness I suffer with massive pains in my legs. As the neurological system starts to work hard I like most, start to get pain,” said Mr McAnsh.
“For me, however, the pain is amplified and in comes Charlott. “I need massage and deep sports massage therapy is by far the best treatment. I am lucky that my wife is also my amazing massage therapist.”
If he reaches his goal he is believed to be the first CRPS sufferer with lower body impairment in both legs to have achieved the feat.
“I’m nervous but confident and excited”, said Mr McAnsh.

“What scares me the most is how my body will cope with the altitude. Oxygen levels affect the neurological system, and I’m starting off with a weakness in mine.”
“Not trying is the biggest failure I can do,” I want to show people what can be achieved if you don’t give up.”
“I want to show the world that if you put your mind to it and always get back up then nothing is out of reach,” said Mr McAnsh.
The McAnshs’ are part of a five-strong team that includes friend and former motorcycle coach and journalist Andy Ibbott, Nikola (CORR) Masters, who owns Osbourne Lodge Nursery in Pontypool and Tim Cochrane.
The couple initially raised more than £9,000 for CRPS awareness ahead of their first scheduled trek and are now raising funds for the Lions charity.
They aim to spend ten days walking to Base Camp and four days coming down.
The couple have set up a fundraising page ahead of their challenge supporting Newport and Usk Vale Lions.

www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/from-wheels-to-everest