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"Speech and Loyal Toast" "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Poseidon Adventure! Do you remember that film? I've been sitting here for two hours wandering what this dining room might look like up side down. But I forget we're in Rural England tonight. Rural England CPRE, as many of you will know, works hard to protect Rural England, but I sometimes wonder if we are we creating a living countryside or building a 'theme park?' Here we are right in the heart of the Cotswolds, enjoying a wonderful Harvest Banquet. It's the best of English food, in the very best of places. The Cotswolds is a place where you can enjoy 'death by chocolate' in the teashops, and suffer 'death by tourism' in the High Street. Did you know that whole villages have turned themselves into what can only be called 'baby food'? They serve up spoonfuls of 'a Peep at the Past' or 'Village Life at the Old Mill'. It's a version of Rural England derived from James Herriot and Miss Marple to The Darling Buds of May and Midsomer Murders. Is it really like that? Was it ever like that? England has always had its great houses and country estates. And we have something called English Heritage to look after many them. They like to bring the past to life, by putting on displays of old battles. They call them 're-enactments'. Roundheads in Pierre Cardin spectacles fight Cavaliers in skimpy boxer shorts. They do for the English Civil War what Carry on Cleo did for the Roman Empire. It's dark days for the countryside. How many of you went on the recent Countryside March in London? I went along with Susanne and her mother. We had a great day out; the atmosphere was marvellous and the people were so nice. What were we saying to the Government? You're ignoring the Countryside, and you do so at your peril. Of course, there's always been a clash between town and country. Towns are sophisticated and the country is simple. That's the image people like to have. We all know that towns are exciting places. After all, William Shakespeare is supposed to have written all his best sonnets after arriving in London. Was there ever a rural idyll? What was it? It seems to have disappeared. The tensions between town and country will always remain. The important thing is to know that there is a difference. 'Cool Britannia' is urban. Why can't politicians accept the differences between town and country? We shouldn't try to make them the same. We should understand the differences and celebrate them always. We should appreciate that country people are self-sufficient and self-reliant. They like their independence and they glory in it. The country provides the food for the town. Both need each other. In truth most townspeople do appreciate the countryside. They realise it is precious and once lost can never be replaced. They also realise the differences are fundamental and should be cherished, and not eliminated or squandered. Funny stories Different people have different ways of dealing with these differences.
Susanne Austin And she's done it single-handed. There is no stopping Susanne. She will not be put off, whatever the odds. And she never stops working. I get e-mails from her late in the evening, and even on Sunday afternoons. She is extraordinary, and tonight is a tribute to just how remarkable she is. The attention to detail, and the trouble she has taken to make sure it's a memorable occasion for everyone is really quite amazing. Over the past two years, I have been working with Susanne, in CPRE and elsewhere. We are on various committees. It is exhilarating stuff. A belief in Rural England and in the importance of food, farming and the countryside drives her. Starting the Cotswold Food Group in 1999 was no mean feat. She has worked tirelessly to support local producers and has become a beacon: a woman of our time. I want to say a bit more about Susanne. We met about two years ago, I remember it well. I had been at Windsor that day. HM The Queen, the Patron of CPRE, had invited some of us to lunch. In the afternoon, I had to come into Oxfordshire to give a talk at Friars Court about Rural England and the Regions. Susanne was in the audience, and we talked afterwards about issues close to our hearts. We teamed up to explore the links between food, farming and the landscape. In February, we were part of an official delegation to Alimentaria 2002, the International Food & Drink Exhibition in Barcelona. It was an exhausting time. Susanne's energy was unstoppable; she was busy all day and into the evening. It was no holiday, but we did a lot, met new people and came back full of ideas. We were especially struck by all the regional foods, and how the Spanish revelled in their culture; I remember it fondly. Thanks to all who came |