Original Biscuit Bakers, are returning as headline sponsors of this year’s Heritage Gingerbread Trail & Contest, taking place on Saturday 27th September 2025 as part of the Ginger & Spice Festival in Market Drayton.

Running from 9.30am to 4.30pm, the family-friendly trail and competition will wind through the town centre, celebrating Market Drayton’s rich gingerbread-making heritage. A much-loved highlight of the festival, the trail will feature imaginative gingerbread creations displayed in 47 local businesses – many of whom are also proud sponsors of the event.

The Original Biscuit Bakers Heritage Gingerbread Trail & Contest is a free and family-friendly event, forming part of the Ginger & Spice Festival 2025. Designed to celebrate Market Drayton’s rich culinary heritage, the trail invites festival-goers to explore local shops, attractions and historic sites throughout the town.

Each participating business or organisation will showcase a specially dressed gingerbread character in their window or premises, themed around “Characters from History.” Families are encouraged to follow the trail, discover all the gingerbread characters and vote for their favourite display.

The character with the most public votes will win the People’s Choice Award with also a runner up, while an additional winner and runner up will be chosen by the Mayor of Market Drayton, Councillor Tim Manton, and a special guest judges Nick and Carol Ford from Acton Scott Heritage Farm in Shropshire on Tuesday 23rd September 2025, ensuring a fun and fair celebration of creativity and community spirit.

To incentivise voting participation, a FREE prize draw will take place at the festival. All those who complete the trail form in full and correctly will be entered into the free prize draw. There will be one winner and one runner up in the children’s category and one winner in the adults’ category. The winners will be announced after the festival, week commencing 29th September 2025. If chosen, they could win the following:

Adult: An artisan food and drink hamper

Child: A children’s gingerbread hamper

Original Biscuit Bakers are also bringing a stall to the spicy artisan market with our delicious hand decorated and iced gingerbread biscuit creations plus heritage biscuit Billington’s Gingerbread. We will also be hosting free of charge gingerbread decorating in the Original Biscuit Bakers children’s crafting area throughout the day.

Gemma Williams, Managing Director of  Image On Food, the home of Original Biscuit Bakers and Billington’s Gingerbread, said:

“We’re proud to support the Ginger & Spice Festival once again, especially the much-loved heritage trail. It’s a brilliant family event that brings Market Drayton’s history to life through food, storytelling, and hands-on experiences. The festival continues to grow in popularity, and we’re delighted to be part of something that celebrates the town’s unique culinary roots.”

Julia Roberts, Festival Director of the Ginger & Spice Festival, said:

“We’re thrilled to once again have Original Biscuit Bakers as the headline sponsor of our much-loved Heritage Gingerbread Trail. Their support is invaluable in helping us celebrate Market Drayton’s unique heritage and bring our creative vision to life. The trail has become a firm family favourite, and this year we’re excited to see the imaginative gingerbread window displays dressed to the brilliant theme ‘Characters from history’. We are also grateful for their support of the children’s crafting area which enables us to offer free of charge activities for the community to enjoy.”

To view the list of trail sponsors please visit the website and see the heritage trail page here:

Images of the sponsors and organisations with their gingerbread character pre-decorations are here to view:

Gingerbread Heritage Trail Maps can be picked up from the trail station on the high street being run by volunteers Jane Moore and Julie Pryce from 9.30am on Saturday 27^th September. They will also be displaying their collection of Gingerbread memorabilia that they have collected over the years.

Jane Moore and Julie Pryce said:

“We’re delighted to once again be running the Gingerbread Heritage Trail at this year’s Ginger & Spice Festival. It’s always such a joy to see so many families taking part, with children spotting the wonderful gingerbread characters in shop and business windows right across our lovely town. The whole community gets involved, which makes the trail really special. We also look forward to sharing our growing collection of Market Drayton gingerbread memorabilia on our stall – it’s a tradition we’re proud to celebrate as an important part of our town’s heritage.”

We look forward to a successful community event that brings together creativity, heritage, and local pride—celebrating Market Drayton’s rich gingerbread-making tradition in a fun and meaningful way for families, businesses and visitors alike.

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WE’RE DELIGHTED TO SHINE THE SPOTLIGHT ON…
*** FORDHALL ORGANIC FARM! ***

A Farm With A Story

Nestled in the beautiful countryside of Market Drayton, Fordhall Organic Farm, rears pasture-fed cattle, sheep and free-range pigs operating on a low-input, organic Foggage farming system. More than just a farm, Fordhall is a community-driven initiative, with over 8,000 nationwide landlords supporting its mission to connect farming, nature and people.

Following in the footsteps of his father, organic farming pioneer Arthur Hollins, Ben Hollins now runs the farm as a commercial business. Alongside his dedicated team, Ben manages the farm shop and catering trailers which brings Fordhall’s produce to a wider audience, all while championing sustainable farming.

The Farm Shop

The farm shop is a haven of fresh, ethical produce, stocked with Fordhall’s pasture-fed meats, local cheeses, organic fruit & veg, homemade pastries and sweet treats. Their on-site bakery also crafts tasty handmade sausage rolls, pork pies and oak-smoked bacon using a traditional smokery.

We’re also thrilled that Fordhall proudly stocks a range of delicious gingerbread and sugar cookies from Original Biscuit Bakers. As both of our businesses are proudly rooted in Market Drayton – renowned as the ”home of gingerbread” – it’s particularly rewarding to see local support helping to celebrate and continue this rich tradition. 

Explore & Stay

If you’re visiting Fordhall, don’t miss out on Arthur’s Farm Kitchen, the on-site café that serves freshly prepared, seasonal dishes using organic ingredients from the farm and local producers. From hearty breakfasts to delicious lunches, every meal is packed with flavour and sustainability.

With free-to-access trails through woodlands, pastures and along the River Tern, Fordhall is a perfect day out for families and walkers. For those wanting to stay longer, The Straw Lodge provides unique eco-friendly accommodation for groups, retreats and school trips.

Supporting Our Partnership

We’re incredibly proud to work with Fordhall Organic Farm, a business that shares our passion for adaptability, craftsmanship and high-quality food.

“We’ve worked alongside Image on Food for a good number of years now. We love having local produce in our shop from suppliers who care about what they make as much as we do! A popular snack for those heading out on a farm walk is often one of their Original Biscuit Bakers’ hand iced animals or Billington’s Gingerbread fingers.”

James Martin, Fordhall Farm Shop Manager

Next time you visit, don’t forget to pick up some of our delicious biscuits alongside their incredible range of local & organic goodies!

Connect

Market Drayton, North Shropshire, TF9 3PS
 www.fordhallfarm.com
Follow Fordhall and their Farm Shop on socials 

Find Your Nearest Stockist

Remember, you can also find Original Biscuit Bakers’ delicious biscuits stocked across the UK in a wonderful variety of retailers, farm shops, cafés and tourist attractions. We’re proud to work with such fantastic stockists who share our passion for quality and tradition.

To locate your nearest stockist, simply use the interactive map to find your local store.