MORE than £1 million has been raised for charity with the help of a world-famous Tiptree business.

Wilkin and Sons have donated 50,000 portions of Strawberry Conserve every year to fundraising events since launching the Cream Tea Society in 2016 alongside dairy company Rodda’s.

In just eight years a total of £1,249,174 has been raised through The Cream Tea Society’s donations of Tiptree Strawberry Conserve and Rodda’s Cornish clotted cream to charities and clubs across the country.

The society encourages people to meet and share cream teas with scones topped with jam and cream while raising funds for charity or a good cause.

Together, the business launched the National Cream Tea Day which has launched debates across the nation about the perfect way to eat a cream tea.

Charities which have benefited from donations include Farleigh Hospice, Essex and Herts Air Ambulance, the Wave Project, St Johns Ambulance, Cancer Research, Helen Rollason Cancer Charity and the RNLI.

The society has also supported many hospices, food banks, homeless charities and community events to raise money for their chosen charities.

Scott Goodfellow, joint managing director of Wilkin and Sons said: “We are very pleased that the Cream Tea Society has helped to raise over a million pounds for a wide selection of charities.

“Along with our friends at Roddas, we set up the Cream Tea Society back in 2016 with the aim of encouraging people to fundraise whilst enjoying a lovely Cream Tea, using our jam and cream to organise local events.

“To raise over a million pounds is a fantastic result and we thank everybody for taking part.”

Both businesses were founded in the late 1800s and continue to be family run to this day.

Nicholas Rodda, managing director of Rodda’s said: “National Cream Tea Day is one of the finest celebrations of the British calendar year.

“A cream tea is a memorable treat, passed down through the generations, and enjoyed amongst friends and loved ones of all ages.”

“Founding National Cream Tea Day with our friends at Tiptree has brought two companies together to help others.”