With the first half of the year over we wanted to take the opportunity to update you on the office and what we have all been up to through out the first half of the year. There have been some significant achievements from all of us in the office and hope to share these with you in regular updates over the next few months.

Many of the staff at the Thornbury office are keen gardeners and we have had the sudden influx of fresh fruit and vegetables from various allotments and gardens into the office. Some are struggling with the lack of water but this does seem to be benefiting the soft fruits this year! Please see below for some of our recipes to use with some of your local produce.

Rene has had the pleasure of an invitation to meet royalty as a long standing supporter of the Duke of Edinburgh scheme and giving up a substantial number of years and putting in allot of effort with the young people of Thornbury to provide them with some important life skills for the future

Nick is walking the width of the country for charity for his summer holiday by completing Wainwright's famous walk from St Bees to Robin Hoods bay, the walk is over 190 miles so he will need some good walking boots!

Racheal is currently competing with her horse and having some great experiences at various events in the South West which have been made even more special by the glut of recent fine weather. She is hoping to continue to impress the judges and claim her first winners rosette later in the year.

The overwhelming feeling is that the first half of the year has flown past and with lots going on in the office as well as outside the office we are trying to make a difficult year as positive as possible for our customers and in the office with local events and shows available for you to meet the team or to come into the office to find out more about any of our policies. 

Two red peppers
Two carrots
One large onion
1 red chilli
1 500g Carton of passatta
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 ½ pints stock made with four rounded teaspoons of chicken Bovril
Salt and Pepper
4 tablespoons Quark
2 tablespoons milk
2 rounded teaspoons horseradish
Rocket leaves

Chop peppers, carrots, onion, and chilli, spray with fry light and and roast for 40 minutes in the oven on 200.

Mix in passatta, stock, tomato puree and season to taste.

Put mixture in blender and blend until smooth.

Season again to taste.

Mix quark, milk and horseradish sauce

Serve soup with a large tablespoon of creamed horseradish in the middle and rocket leaves.

Knob of butter
8oz red cabbage, shredded
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tart apple, peeled and diced
2 tbs light muscovado sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
4 fl oz red wine
Juice of one large orange
4 tbs soured cream
handful of herbs - basil, parsley, coriander, chives, salt and pepper

Melt butter in wok and stir fry cabbage for 1 – 2 minutes.

Add onion and apple and cooker for a further 1 -2 minutes.

Stir in sugar and cinnamon and cook stirring until the sugar has dissolved.

Add wine and orange juice and simmer gently for 10 minutes until tender

Stir together soured cream and herbs and season to taste.

150 ml olive oil
8 tablespoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Two teaspoons castor sugar
Two teaspoons dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
6 Granny smith apples
4 courgettes
1 large white onion
2 green peppers

Combine oil, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar and basil and season to taste

Chop apples into small chunks.

Chop courgettes into small rounds.

Chop onions into thin rings

Mix all ingredients thoroughly in dressing and chill before serving