Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins took part in a parliamentary reception which celebrated the British cider industry during the first ever British Cider Week. 

Cider makers up and down the country took part, from small micro-businesses to household names, from start-ups to those with many generations of heritage.  

The National Association of Cider Makers organised the event in parliament to support British cider, inviting Members of Parliament to take part in celebrations and endorse the work of the British cider industry. 

Toby Perkins MP stated: ‘It is great to see that cider businesses big and small, old and new, are coming together this week to raise the visibility of Cider Makers across the UK’. 

‘I am proud to take part in this event in recognition of the important and unique contribution cider producers make to local communities and British culture’. 

Mark Hopper, Public Affairs Director of the National Association of Cider Makers, endorsing the campaign, adds, “The cider industry has such a rich heritage. We have producers who span generations, as well as newer cider makers entering this exciting world for the first time.  

“With such a diverse range of cider styles to explore, with our first British Cider Week we’re looking to encourage consumers to delve more into cider, perhaps by purchasing a pint in their local pub or restaurant, picking up a style they haven’t tried before with their weekly shop, or taking part in some of the events and activities that our producers are going to be organising throughout the week.”