Multi award-winning venue claims first sustainability award

But the venue is best known for weddings and is hoping to lead the way with its impressive environmental values, particularly following its recent Silver ECOsmart award, given by event and hospitality sustainability specialists - Greengage Solutions.

Andrew Perolls, CEO at Greengage, said: “Over the years, Mythe Barn have implemented some impressive initiatives which show that sustainability is a priority at their venue. We look forward to working together to continue their journey to becoming more sustainable.”

Suits to soup kitchen: Helping Hands takeover for Simpson Financial Services

A well-established Leicestershirebased conference and wedding venue is celebrating 10 years, over 1,000 marriages and a milestone in its sustainability journey.

Mythe Barn is based near Atherstone in the picturesque village of Sheepy Magna. Owners Joanna and Joe Garland converted old farm buildings into a luxury wedding and corporate events venue, with a strong focus around sustainability.

Director Joanna said: “We took over the family farm in 2005 and spent a few years considering what to do with the majestic barn buildings which were no longer in use. Weddings and events seemed to be the right direction due to the layout of buildings and 150 acres of surrounding countryside.”

“Mythe Barn is a labour of love to us and it’s heart-warming to be involved in creating memorable experiences for so many people, whether that be those in a couple or a team of professionals. We’ve won a host of awards during our time here and we will continue to devote ourselves to keep it up there as one of the best venues in the Midlands.”

The couple say they have had some incredible events held over the years, from automotive reveals for high end car companies – including driving the vehicle into the barn – to a pop-up Italian restaurant when eatery Zizzi held an event there.

Custodians of the land - Joe and Joanna Garland – began their journey to become greener over a decade ago and have since saved enough carbon emissions to equate to 9,000 trees being planted, thanks to numerous solar panels on site.

Local biodiversity is also something the pair feel passionate about, from beekeeping to 12,000 new trees and a wildflower meadow on site, the farm is home to some remarkable ongoings.

Joanna said: “Living in a rural community, the environment has always been a focal point for us and we are proud of our mindful team who share these values. Being certified an ECOsmart venue has given us the tools and the drive to take our sustainability approach to the next level and be able to provide a credible venue in the Midlands for the growing number of ecoconscious brides and event planners.”

Helping Hands Community Project is a charity based in Leamington Spa, who do essential work providing support for the homeless and vulnerable in our local areas.

When the team here at Simpson Financial Services heard there was an opportunity to get stuck in and help, we lay down our calculators and donned our aprons. Eight of us worked together to cook food for 50 people in need. We prepared two meals – a cottage pie and a veggie pasta bake, with cherry crumble for pudding. After prepping the meals (with only a touch of competitive team spirit), half of us served drinks whilst the other half dished up the food.

“Taking over the soup kitchen was a great experience,” said Hannah Stanley, Independent Financial Adviser.

“It was rewarding to see the impact we were having on those who needed it, and it was nice to get to know them and hear their stories. I would love to do it frequently as the regular volunteers said how helpful it is when people take over and cook meals for them.”

The evening was a great success, but it was just that – one evening. Homelessness in Coventry and Warwickshire is up 106% since 2021 (Rough Sleeping Snapshot). The official data on statutory homelessness in England that covers July-September 2022 showed that 99,270 households were staying in temporary accommodation at the end of September 2022, which includes over 125,000 children.

From operating nightly soup kitchens to the shoebox appeal at Christmas, Helping Hands are making a real difference in our local area. We greatly admire all the hard work and effort they commit to improving people’s lives. It was a pleasure to work with such a wonderful team of people, and we look forward to future charitable endeavours.

If you’d like to make a difference, we’ve kept our soup kitchen takeover JustGiving link open, and every £1 helps. Donate at www.justgiving.com/page/simpson-fs1677073462297?newPage=true