HOT on the heels of success at the 'rural oscars', Briddlesford Lodge Farm has picked up a second award.
Named rural champion for best food and drink in the south east at the 2016 Countryside Alliance Awards, as reported, the dairy farm also won the Clarissa Dickson Wright Award for its outstanding contribution to food, farming and education.
Members of the Griffin family, which has run the farm since 1923, were presented with the awards at a House of Lords reception.
Environment secretary Andrea Leadsom was joined by Cumbrian farmer Peter Gott to present the prestigious Clarissa Dickson Wright Award.
He said: "Clarissa would have approved of this year's winners, partly because she loved the IW and its strong farming heritage, but also because it's a family run dairy farm, which has adapted and evolved to survive."
Briddlesford partner Paul Griffin said: "We have refused to be beaten and have managed to raise the profile of quality Isle of Wight food - in particular our own milk and dairy products.
"We have done this, not only by getting close to the consumer, through our farm shop and Bluebells Cafe, but also by concentrating on educating people about the value and necessity of our food and farming."
Following the launch of Briddlesford's first cheese, spearheaded by Izzy Griffin and partner Debi, the family's next project is to open a milk-processing plant to expand the farm's range and volume of dairy products.