A GLOBALLY recognised celebration of all things marmalade will be held for the ninth year in Eden early next month.

The World’s Original Marmalade Awards and Festival takes place at Dalemain Mansion near Penrith on March 1 and 2.

The gathering - a charity fundraising event - also kicks off the UK National Marmalade Week, which runs from March 3-8.

The week of orange-based fun is designed to raise the profile of the treasured preserve and encourage more people to make their own and enter the awards.

The events programme includes:

• For cooks - marmalade-making workshops, cookery demos by Lucy’s Cookery School, talk and demo in the private kitchen at Dalemain by New York cookery writer Elizabeth Field, wine tasting workshops with Laithwaites and bread-making demos by Dan Lepard. All the competition marmalades are also on display

• For children - appearances from Paddington Bear and book readings plus a Children’s Warm Up and Fun Run

• And – a Marmalade 10k Trail Race, artisan farmers market, crafts, marmalade church service and a marmalade dinner cooked by Peter Sidwell.

Tickets for the workshops are still available, further details can be found at; www.dalemainmarmaladeawards.co.uk Last year over 2,000 amateur and commercial marmalade entrants from across the globe sent in their jars.

This year is also looking promising with entries arriving from as far afield as Australia, Mexico, Spain, Canada, USA, New Zealand, Japan, Slovakia and the Philippines.

For further information about the festival, please visit: www.dalemainmarmaladeawards.co.uk