Sweet treats for pilgrims to Rievaulx Abbey

Goodie Friday returns to Rievaulx Abbey this week (Friday 16 April) when visitors are invited to pop into the old schoolroom for a free Belgian chocolate workshop!

On Friday 16 April, from 11.00am to 2.00pm, Rievaulx’s old schoolroom will be transformed into a chocolate studio, with Yorkshire chocolatière Lindsay Robson teaching visitors young and old how to make lollies – shaped like medieval monks - from premium quality Belgian chocolate.

“We held the first workshop on Good Friday, and visitors were delighted to take home their very own handmade chocolate monk lollies, so this Friday is a second chance for people to learn some of the skills of the chocolatier, from tempering the chocolate to piping detail onto the lolly itself in the mould,” comments regional marketing manager, Nicola Bexon.

Lindsay will be hosting groups of around 20 chocolate fans at a time, and each workshop will take around 30 minutes. There is no additional fee to take part in the workshops, but participants must hold a valid ticket for the relevant day for Rievaulx Abbey.

The chocolate workshop is the first in a series of events marking the 900th anniversary of the birth of Aelred, later to become St. Aelred of Rievaulx. Aelred was the abbot of Rievaulx from 1147 until his death in 1167.

Rievaulx Abbey is open daily from 1 April 2010 from 10.00am to 6.00pm. Admission prices are £5.30 for adults, £4.50 for concessions or £2.70 for children, and English Heritage members get in free. For further information on Rievaulx Abbey, or details of the event planned for the 2010 season, please call Rievaulx Abbey on 01439 798228 or visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/rievaulxabbey

ENDS

Picture shows: Gabriella Commins, aged 7 from North Duffield near Selby shows off some of the tasty creations she made in the first Goodie Friday at Rievaulx Abbey!

Notes to editors: If you would like to come along and join in one of the workshops, please contact: Jay Commins PRO – English Heritage
Tel: 0113 251 5698 Mob: 07810 546567 Email: jay@fim.org.uk