Raymond Blanc announced as Ambassador for The King’s Foundation
Today, The King’s Foundation announced renowned chef and sustainability champion Raymond Blanc as a new ambassador for the charity.
To mark his ambassadorship, Raymond Blanc joined Highgrove’s Winter Warmers initiative in the estate’s Orchard Room, having created a special menu for the event which welcomes the local community into the space for lunch, games and companionship.
The King’s Foundation has been custodian of Highgrove Gardens since 2021 and the Winter Warmers initiative was first introduced in 2023 to combat social isolation in the local community during the winter months, and provide a warm and welcoming space to local residents including elderly and vulnerable people.
The events provide an opportunity to develop friendships, enjoy a delicious warm meal, and take part in sociable activities such as craft, board games and knitting. The attendees today are from the Churn Project, which has been supporting people across the community in Cirencester and nearby villages since 2001. The Churn Project supports over 2,000 people each year and aims to reduce isolation and improve wellbeing, particularly for those who are lonely, at a point of crisis or transition in their lives, or experiencing poverty or mental health issues.
The special menu created and due to be served by Raymond for today’s event included:
– Traditional baguette from Le Manoir
Today’s event came as the charity announced its intention to partner with Raymond Blanc’s iconic Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons hotel to offer training and knowledge exchange opportunities for hospitality students and staff based at Dumfries House and the nearby Highgrove Gardens. Both The King’s Foundation and Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons have a shared ethos to prioritise nature and the environment and teach a new generation about seasonal, sustainable and organic produce and look forward to working together in the future to further this aim.
“I am pleased and proud to become an Ambassador for The King’s Foundation. The King is a true champion for the natural world and I have seen first-hand how his Foundation works tirelessly to bring his vision to life. It has been an honour to work in partnership with the team at Highgrove to create this special menu for the local community today and I look forward to continuing to work together on training and development opportunities for students and staff alike.”
Raymond Blanc, Ambassador for The King’s Foundation
Raymond Blanc has previously worked with The King’s Foundation on a special series broadcast in 2024 for ITV. Raymond Blanc’s Royal Kitchen Gardens was filmed at properties managed by The King’s Foundation, including Highgrove Gardens, Dumfries House and the Castle of Mey.
“We are delighted to welcome Raymond as an ambassador for The King’s Foundation. Like His Majesty, Raymond’s approach to prioritising organic and sustainable food production was ahead of its time. We are thrilled our students and staff will have the opportunity to benefit from his experience and vision through training opportunities at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in the future.”
Kristina Murrin CBE, Chief Executive of The King’s Foundation
Raymond Blanc joins existing King’s Foundation ambassadors including David Beckham, Sienna Miller, Alan Titchmarsh, Sarah Beeny, Patrick Grant, George Clarke and Jools Holland.
