Delicious UK – (10)October 2019

andtwoWorldMarmaladeAwardstohercredit,aswellasaccoladesfroma host

ofstarrychefs,includingStephenTerryatTheHardwick in Abergavenny, and

ChrisHarrodatTheWhitebrook near Monmouth.

A BITTERBLOW

Notthatit’salwaysbeeneasy.Inlate 2014 Angharadwasdiagnosedwithbreastcancer

andunderwentseveralmonthsofgruellingtreatment.“Itwashorrible,”shesays

quietly.Butit wasalsothecatalystforsomemuch-neededchanges.Shemoved

productionoutofherhomekitchen(“Sucha relief!Oncooking days the condensation

wouldjustberunningdownthewalls”)andinvestedin

additionalprofessionalequipment,includinga capping

machine.“Myoneconcessiontoautomation– it really

savesyourhands.”Angharadcurrentlymakesaround

300 jarsandbottlesa week,includingherbestsellers:

rough-cutLimeyLimeMarmaladeanddangerously

addictiveCandiedJalapenos:“They’regreatonburgers

orpizzas,andyoucanusethesyrupina dirtymartini.”

She’salsobranchedoutintoteaching,including

makinga two-weektriptoCameroonlastyearaspartofa skills-sharingproject,and

runningcoursesata localprison.“Iliketheideaofdevelopingthe‘society’aspectof

ThePreservationSociety,”sheexplains.“It’snotjustaboutme:it’saboutmysuppliers

andstockists,theswap-cropperswhopassontheirgluts,thepeoplewhocomeonmy

courses and everyone I meet along the way. That’s what’s really important to me.”

I liketheidea

ofdeveloping

the‘society’

aspectofmy

business

STIRITUP(CLOCK WISEFROMABOVE)Feedingthefreshestblackcurrantsintothepresserand
treating each batch as an original when it’s cooked gives the sirop its winning taste HOWANGHARADGIVESBACK
TOTHELOCALCOMMUNITY

• She’sraisedover£12,000for
  theVelindreCancerCentrein
  Cardiff,partlythroughBlissfully
  BlackcurrantJam:10pfrom every
  jargoestothehospital.


• SheworkswithHMPPrescoed
  inUsk,teachinginmateshowto
  preservethefreshfruitandveg
  producedontheprisonfarm.


• Sheencouragesrecycling,
  offering10pbackonevery jar
  or bottle returned.

FIVETHINGSANGHARAD LOVES

ABOUTHERWORK

1

Beingmyownboss“Itallowsme

tofitworkaroundthekids.”

2

Thecreativeside“I lovecomingup

withnewrecipes,andI’vejust

createda Korean-stylebarbecue

saucefora Cardiffburgerrestaurant.”

3

Meetingchefsandotherinspiring

people“Seeingtheirpassion and

influence– that’sexciting.”

4

Deliveringtoherstockists

“It’sjustsolovelytodriveand

appreciatethebeautifulviews:I’ve

cometoreallyappreciateWales.”

5

Risingtothechallenge“Youend

updoingthingsyouneverdreamed

of,liketeachingjam-makingin

CameroonorappearingonQVC.”

...ANDTHEFIVETHINGS SHE

FINDSHARDEST

1

Thebusinessside“Financeand

marketingdon’tcomeeasily,

butI’vecrackedsocialmedianow.”

2

Lackofdowntime“Whenyouwork

foryourself,youneverstop.”

3

Cashflow“Itkeepsmeawake.

Christmasisalwaysbusy,butthe

restoftheyearisunpredictable.”

4

Labelling“I hatedoingit,but

luckilyI haveDaryl,who’sbrilliant.

He’sbeenhelpingmesince2012.”

5

Sayingno“Youhavetoprioritise,

butI doworryI sometimes say no

tothewrongthings.”

WHERETOBUY

ThePreservationSociety’sproducts

canbeorderedfromitswebsite,

thepreservationsociety.co.uk