Calling all picnic lovers

Families are being urged to vote for the UK’s favourite picnic spot in this year’s Warburtons Picnic Awards.

Warburtons, Britain’s favourite family baker, is hosting the second annual awards in the build up to this year’s National Bread Week, which runs from 5th to 11th May, and celebrates the Great British picnic and the UK’s love of loaves.

There are ten Northwest sites up for nomination. These are: Stanley Park in Blackpool, Lyme Park in Cheshire, Heaton Park in Manchester, Formby Beach in Merseyside, Beeston Castle in Cheshire, Fell Foot Park in Ulverston, Crook of Lune in Lancaster, Beacon Fell near Preston, Jumbles Reservoir in Bolton and Barley Picnic site by Pendle Hill in Lancashire.

These picnic spots will battle it out in the regional heat to become the North West’s ‘Best Picnic Spot’ and will be given the chance to represent the region in the national final. Also, each person who votes will be entered into a prize draw to win a family picnic in Central Park, New York!

During the final heat, the Northwest winner will go on to battle it out against the other regional winners from across the UK for the coveted title of ‘Warburtons Best Picnic Spot 2008’. The overall winner will receive £1,000 cash bursary for the site and a plaque to ensure all visitors know it’s the UK’s favourite place to picnic. Each regional winner will also be presented with a £500 bursary towards the maintenance of the site, ensuring visitors can continue to enjoy picnics in future years.

Jonathan Warburton, Chairman of Warburtons, comments:

“The Warburtons Picnic Awards 2008 are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate one of our Great British traditions and uncover the most popular spots where families can enjoy a picnic. Warburtons wants to ensure picnics are a part of family life for many years to come, and remember - no picnic is complete without a sandwich!”

The NWDA, which represents the main five tourist boards in the region, got on board with Warburtons and helped to choose the final ten picnic sites.

Peter Mearns, Executive Director of Marketing at the NWDA, said:

“The Northwest has so many picturesque places which are ideal for picnics it was very difficult to select just ten. Those which have been chosen are the very best and I hope people will be inspired to discover some of these wonderful places. It will be interesting to see which picnic site becomes the overall winner.”

To vote for your local picnic spot, and to be in with a chance of winning a family picnic in Central Park, New York, log onto www.welovebread.co.uk and register your vote today. Alternatively, send your vote to c/o Brand Development, Warburtons, Hereford House, Bolton, BL1 8JB.

The closing date for the regional round is Friday 16th May with North West’s regional winner being announced week commencing 2nd June.

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For further information please contact:
Kristin O’Mara or Katie Glass at Souters on:
Tel: 0161 486 9102
E-mail: kristin@souters-rmc.co.uk/ katie@souters-rmc.co.uk

Notes to Editors:
• The 10 top picnic sites in the North West were chosen by the NWDA.
• Warburtons is the UK's leading independent baker and was established in a grocery shop in Bolton in 1876 by Thomas and Ellen Warburton. Today the business is actively run by the fifth generation of the Warburton family – Jonathan, Brett and Ross.
• Warburtons is one of the number top 5 grocery brands in the UK.
• With thirteen bakeries and twelve depots around the UK, the company serves customers from the Scottish Islands & Highlands in the North to Southampton in the South.
• Warburtons produces over two million loaves, rolls and crumpets every day and in the UK we eat the equivalent of nine million large loaves of bread on a daily basis .
• For local stockists please call the Warburtons Freephone Customer Careline on 0800 243 684.

• The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) leads the economic development and regeneration of England's Northwest and is responsible for:

• Supporting business growth and encouraging investment
• Matching skills provision to employer needs
• Creating the conditions for economic growth
• Connecting the region through effective transport and communication infrastructure
• Promoting the region’s outstanding quality of life

For further information and to view previous press releases visit us at www.nwda.co.uk

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