Food for Heroes Wins Gourmand Competition

The celebrity cook book, which was created by a group of RAF servicemen and women to raise money for their war-injured military colleagues, has been voted the UK's top charity cook book and will now go on to the world finals. The winner of these will be announced at The Paris Cookbook Fair in Paris on February 11, 2010, when the first World Exhibition of Charity and Fund Raising Cookbooks will take place. Food For Heroes will be up against the best charity cook books from 73 different countries. Published by independent UK publisher Accent Press and written by Squadron Leader Jon Pullen, Food For Heroes features contributions from more than 100 celebrities, top chefs, sporting heroes, politicians and military heroes. They were asked the question ' Who is your hero and what would you cook for them?' Contributors included Ewan McGregor, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Sir David Jason, Fern Britton, Ainsley Harriott , Dame Vera Lynn, Bruce Forsyth, Michelle Goodman (the first woman to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery) and the last Tommy, Harry Patch. Sqn Leader Pullen, who is based at Abbeywood, Bristol, said: "It's a real honour for the team to win this award. To be recognised on an international scale can only be good for sales and ultimately it will mean we can raise more money for Help For Heroes." Managing director of Accent Press, Hazel Cushion, said: "The Gourmand Awards are well known among the world book trade. For an independent publisher like Accent Press to be competing alongside some of the world's major publishing houses is a great achievement."