A local vegetable grower, Amanda Stradling, was amazed and delighted to be honoured with a 2015 Observer Food Monthly Award.

Amanda runs Veggies Galore, which is based in Ross-on-Wye. She was presented with the Producer of the Year Award, at the same event that Mary Berry won the Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding contribution to culinary arts.

Now in its twelfth year, the awards - which are voted for by both Observer readers and a judging panel – champion the best producers, restaurants, retailers and bloggers in the UK. Claudia Winkleman and Jay Rayner co-hosted this year’s celebrations and were joined by Observer Food Monthly editor Allan Jenkins, who introduced the evening.

Amanda told the Ross Gazette she was very excited to be at the awards, with her two children. She said that the awards have generated a great deal of interest and she hopes to build on this success and go on to even better things next year.

For the full story, pick up this week’s copy of the Ross Gazette.