th
Now in its 8 th year, organisers are planning ‘glam your clam’ sessions and plenty of crustacean creations, working even closer with local experts and regionally caught seafood – all of which will be high on the menu.
Visitors can expect to choose from 100 stallholders offering a mouth-watering selection of tasty fish dishes, and with the new Sustainability Awards in place to reward exhibitors who use local seafood, you will be sure to experience quality in the beautiful setting of Weymouth Harbour, including the opportunity to sit and dine in a new pop up restaurant.
The star of last year’s event was the humble whelk, thousands of which were served up. This year the team is focusing on cockles, clams and oysters with a warm ‘whelkcome’ back to the whelk, with support from top chefs including Nigel Bloxham, fresh from his appearance on BBC Two’s Food & Drink
Programme, ‘Harbour Lives’ Pete Miles, Dorset’s Masterchef – Mat Follas, award winning Russell Brown,
Taher Jibet, Matthew Budden and the amazing Duncan Lucas of Passionate About Fish.
Sara Hicks, Commercial Director, Vranken Pommery UK commented: “We believe that the Dorset Seafood
Festival is the perfect event for our champagne, matching the quality of local seafood with the historical setting of Weymouth Harbour to provide an exceptional festival atmosphere. The Festival’s focus on local and regional seafood enables us to offer a lovely combination of champagne and fresh oysters as well as some exciting tapas dishes this year.”
A not for profit event, the organisers are looking to beat the £11,000 raised for The Fishermen’s Mission, the event’s chosen charity, in 2014.
For more information visit www.dorsetseafood.co.uk
or follow us on Twitter or Facebook. Ends

Notes to the Editor
1.
News release supplied by Brand Acceleration: for more information please contact Anna Wallis on
07803 180 550
2.
Visit www.dorsetseafood.co.uk
for videos and images from previous events or contact Anna Wallis for specific shots
3.
Dorset Seafood Festival represents the UK’s largest, free to attend, seafood festival, recently placed first in Conde Nast Travellers’ UK’s best food festivals list, second in Country Life’s top five food festivals, fifth in the Financial Times ‘foodie festivals’ as well as winning Gold in the inaugural Dorset
Tourism Awards for Tourism Event of the Year and Silver in the South West Tourism Excellence
Awards in 2013/14.
Main Title Sponsor Information - Champagne Pommery www.vrankenpommery.co.uk
Madame Pommery described her Champagne in two words, joyful lightness. Going a little further,
Pommery has delicacy and intensity, heart and spirit, and a subtle style that is able to distinguish and promote the elegance of the flavours rather than their power. A completely fresh style, with a flash of flavours that settle on the palate to produce a tender taste.
Charity Information - The Fishermen’s Mission www.fishermensmission.org.uk
The Fishermen’s Mission, founded 1881, is the only fishermen’s charity that provides emergency support alongside practical and emotional care. It helps all fishermen, active or retired, and their families. It does this by:

Offering immediate assistance, day or night, to the families of fishermen who have been killed or seriously injured (last year assisted 221 fishermen following emergencies at sea)

Looking after the survivors of fishing boat accidents · Helping injured or ill fishermen to find medical help · Finding emergency housing and food if necessary

Supporting fishermen’s families in the case of illness, distress or financial difficulties, last year the charity helped fishermen access over £1.5 million in grants

Alleviating loneliness by visiting retired fishermen and their families at home or in hospital, made
9,805 home and hospital visits.
 Offering welfare and support to overseas fishermen working in the UK fishing industry, especially those who have to live onboard boats · Providing Christian pastoral and practical help, including problems with debt, sickness, bereavement, family difficulties and addiction problems.