Jamie Oliver made a surprise visit to the Ministry of Food and Oastler Shopping Centre in Bradford this week.

The chef and campaigner visited the centre run by Bradford Council in John Street yesterday (February 6) to check on the progress of the project that he pioneered in 2008 and to congratulate the staff for their hard work over the past two years.

Jamie was able to catch up with project manager Soraya Overend and Food Officers Lisa McLoughlin and Andie Laidlaw and to watch as a local community group cooked one of his healthy and nutritious dishes.

The course participants from “Supported Living”, a project for adults with learning difficulties, were surprised to see Jamie and delighted to offer him a taste of some of the dishes they produced.

Jamie Oliver said: “I was really pleased to see the commitment of the staff who are making a real difference and teaching how to cook fresh and nutritious foods.

“I also wanted to personally thank all the traders in the Oastler Shopping Centre that support the Ministry of Food.”

Coun David Green, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration and the Economy, said: “I’m glad Jamie was able to see how big a success the Ministry of Food Centre has been and how much it is helping people out in the community to cook simple, easy but nutritious dishes for themselves.”

Colin Wolstenholme, Markets Manager, said: “We were all shocked when Jamie arrived and wanted to help with one of the cooking classes as well as meet traders and shoppers in the Oastler Shopping Centre.”

Over 500 students have participated in the Bradford Ministry of Food project in 2011, cooking more than 6000 meals between them.

There are several other Ministry of Food centres in the UK and the food centre in Bradford is currently taking bookings for anyone interested in enrolling on the ten week cooking course which will start at the end of March.

Children’s cooking classes are available in half term and school holidays. Contact the

food centre on 01274 435279 for more information or visit the website www.bradford.gov.uk/bmbc/ministry_of_food

Pictured are Frederic Bonnett of Geraud Markets, the chief NABMA corporate sponsor with NABMA President Cllr Jeff Clarke and Cllr Chris Poulter of Derby.

Below are the winners of each of the categories.

Best Street/Outdoor Market – Rotherham Town Centre Market
Best Indoor Market – Blackburn Market
Best Speciality Market – Belfast Christmas Market
Best Small Speciality Market – Brighouse Totally Locally Market
Best Private Market – Hitchin Market
Best Small Outdoor Market – Hexham Market
Best Small Indoor Market – West Houghton Market
Best Wholesale Market – St James Wholesale Market, Bradford
Best Parish Council Market – Shrewsbury
Best UK Market Attraction – Bury
Britain’s Favourite Market – Doncaster Market

Pictured are James Cunningham from the Belfast authority and Allan Hartwell of Market Place Euope Ltd the organiser of the market.

The judging panel recognised the huge impact of the market on the retail, economic and social life of the city.

The National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) has picked Bury Market from the 1,150 markets it represents to receive this accolade. Bury was also shortlisted for ‘Best Speciality Market’ for Bury Meat & Fish Hall, and for Best Market Hall.

It’s just the latest achievement for the famous Bury Market, which has won a raft of trophies and plaudits. Among them are: Winner of UK Coach Awards 2011, voted ‘Most coach friendly Shopping Attraction’; making The Guardian’s ’10 of the Best’; ‘Highly Commended’ in the 2010 Coach Tourism Awards; First Manchester’s Bury’s Top Attraction in 2009; Radio 4 Food & Farming Awards Best Food Market in 2008; and previous wins in NABMA’s Market of the Year in 2006 and 2009.

Another trophy could be on its way: the market has also been shortlisted for UK Coach Awards 2012: Coach Friendly Tourist Attraction, Coach Friendly Shopping Attraction and Most Coach Friendly Local Authority.

Representatives from Bury Market picked up the award today (Thursday 26 January) in Birmingham at a national “Changing High Street” seminar. They received the accolade from senior NABMA officials and sponsors KPR Midlink before a packed audience of market representatives from across the UK.

Andrew Heyes, Bury markets manager, said: “The team and traders at Bury always demonstrate full commitment and professionalism in everything they do.

“This competition was a chance to give Bury Market an even greater national profile, and show why this major North West visitor destination is successful. It’s down to many things including team work, positive publicity, innovation and most importantly giving the customers what they want and a willingness to welcome change.”

Councillor John Smith, executive member for finance, said: “This award firmly puts Bury Market at the top of the national league table for a great day out, good service and great products. It is really good to see that NABMA continue to recognise the good all round package that Bury Market has to offer both visitors to the town and local shoppers alike.”

Pictured with Clare Rayner – the Retail Champion, Bob Smith of KPR Midlink and NABMA President are Val Constantine and Amy Lindsay receiving the award on behalf of Doncaster.

Known as The Retail Champion, Clare is engaged by clients as a retail consultant, retail speaker and retail mentor. In 2011 she was invited to launch Independent Retailer Month in the UK, a global “Shop Local” campaign which runs throughout July.

Clare is regularly called upon by the media – BBC TV News, various radio stations and numerous press – to comment as a retail expert. Her retail business book, “The Retail Champion: 10-steps to Retail Success”, published by Kogan Page, will be available from 3rd July 2012.

The council has designated 2012 as a ‘Year of Sport’ to recognise the unprecedented year ahead for the UK and to ensure residents and visitors of all ages get the chance to join the celebrations and take part in sports, events and activities throughout the year at a local level.

Bolton’s special year has its official launch at 2pm tomorrow, Thursday January 26 at the Reebok Stadium, home of premiership football team Bolton Wanderers, and in the shadow of the nearby ‘Spirit of Sport’ sculpture which stands taller than the Angel of the North.

The launch event will be made more special by the presence of home-grown sporting talent and Bolton Wanderers players Kevin Davies and Fabrice Muamba as well as borough dignitaries including the Mayor of Bolton, Councillor Noel Spencer and the Leader of the Council, Councillor Cliff Morris.

The year-long celebrations include competitions for elite athletes, taster sessions for beginners as well as a packed cultural programme, which includes Bolton’s famous Food and Drink Festival. As part of the build-up to the 2012 London Olympics, Bolton is also the first overnight stop in Greater Manchester for the Olympic Torch Relay during its UK-wide tour and is one of only 66 UK destinations chosen to act as an overnight host.

Other highlights of a packed year include hosting the English National Badminton Championships; the Horwich Festival of Racing; the 2012 Bolton Schools’ Summer Games; English Schools Cross Country Cup Final and the Bolton 2012 Games.

But the sporting excitement doesn’t stop there … as well as torch relay and overnight celebration; the annual ‘One Bolton Matchday’ (which celebrates the culture and diversity of the borough) will take place at the Reebok and the UK leg of the international ‘Ironman’ event, which attracts thousands of visitors to the town centre every year, will return for its fourth year.

The imminent opening ceremony of Bolton One, a purpose built health, leisure and research centre, developed in an exciting partnership between Bolton Council, NHS Bolton and the University of Bolton at a cost of £31m will kick off a fantastic year for the town too.

Speaking about Bolton Council’s Year of Sport, Leader of the Council, Councillor Cliff Morris said: “Bolton is proud of its sporting heritage and continues to invest in sport at a grassroots level. The UK has an exciting year ahead, full of sport and celebration and here in Bolton the council is making sure the town and its residents join the party.

“That’s why we’ve developed the Year of Sport to join together existing events, as well as creating new ones just for this year that will encourage all ages – but especially young people – to get involved in sport and improve their fitness, well-being and overall health.

“Hopefully the Bolton Council Year of Sport will also be the moment for some young people when they will get into sport for the first time and, who knows, we could create a few Olympic stars of the future as a result!”

2012 is the year of the Water Dragon, which is the year 4709 in the Chinese calendar.

The Lion performances were held in several spots across the market giving the chance for the many shoppers to watch and also the traders and they were greeted by enthusiastic audiences.

A special treat was the anointment of a new Lion. These are imported by the group from China but it cannot be used in the dance until it goes through an ancient Chinese ritual of anointment.

Alan Ottey, Town Centres Manager said “This is like an awakening and can only be carried out by an important person and this is the third Lion to be anointed in Nuneaton. The ceremony was carried out by the Deputy Mayor of Nuneaton and Bedworth, Councillor John Haynes who ceremoniously brought the Lion to life in front of packed Market Place. This relationship with the group, Choy Ley Fut, is something Nuneaton is proud of and we are grateful they select our Mayor to carry out this ancient ritual.”

The new Lion went on to astound the crowds with its new life and dance and was loudly applauded and cheered when it finished. The crowd’s faces were a picture to watch. In finishing the dance the Lion ‘blessed’ the market hoping for good fortune.

This event followed a traditionally English morning as shoppers were entertained by the local Bulkington Silver Band. The result was to brighten a cold grey January day.

The racy new production comes complete with a female-led cast, and is billed to be the BBC’s new ‘Mistresses’. It commences transmission next Tuesday, 31st January at 9 p.m.

Written by Julie Gearey, this relationship-based ensemble drama is set and filmed in and around Sheffield and stars Emma Rigby, Polly Walker, Pippa Haywood and Natalie Gavin, supported by actors including Jonas Armstrong (Robin Hood) and Iain Glen (Downton Abbey).

The show follows four very different women struggling to cope with having a loved one serving time in prison. Hollyoaks beauty Emma Rigby plays pregnant Gemma, whose perfect life comes crashing down when armed police storm her house and arrest her husband, Steve (Jonas Armstrong), on suspicion of murder. Alone, scared and submerged into an unknown world, Gemma struggles to make sense of the bewildering judicial system but she’s certain of one thing; her husband’s innocence. When Gemma visits Steve for the first time, she meets three other women: Francesca (Polly Walker), a career criminal’s wife, Lou (Natalie Gavin), a drug dealing young mum, and Harriet (Pippa Haywood), a visitor who sits outside the prison – never venturing in. Each have their own story, their own secrets…

Commented Andy Ward Head of Sheffield Markets, “It’s always great to be chosen as a movie set. It adds a new dimension to the vibrancy and everyday buzz that Castle Market already has. Recently our very own and famous Warp Films with Shane Meadows revisited their multi-award winning film ‘This Is England’ with the directors first television series ‘This Is England 1988’ and again we were chosen to play a set part which included our café’s, offices and the unique building features made famous by J. Lewis Womersley, the City architect and his designer Andrew Derbyshire. Sooner or later we might be like ‘The Full Monty’ when their marketing department said, you’ve watched the film and fallen in love with its settings, so why not pay the actual locations a visit? Be good to see you…”