Death of former Northumbria Larder Director (January 2008)

Warm tributes have been paid to Lesley Armstrong, popular home-made food producer and a former director of Northumbria Larder, who died shortly before Christmas at the age of 48 after a three-year battle against cancer.

Lesley, who was one of the first North East regional winners of national Good Taste Awards run by the Guild of Fine Food Retailers, was an enthusiast for farmers’markets and over the years she ran a stall at the markets in Hexham, Morpeth, Ponteland, Haltwhistle and Newcastle, where she sold the cakes, fudge and sweet biscuits baked in the kitchen of her home at Carrsgate East, Bardon Mill, near Hexham.

In the late 1990’s, tired of her job travelling the country installing computer systems, she set up a B&B at Carrsgate East and because of the seasonal nature of holiday accommodation she made use of her spare time by baking cakes and confectionery. She developed that side of the business as Cottage Rooms Cuisine.

Lesley was described by her close friend Ann Gray, of Ravensworth Grange Farm, Gateshead, as a “lovely, busy active woman who worked hard in the interests of food producers.”

Richard Armstrong, Lesley’s husband, helped her with packing and delivery of her produce and supported her at farmers’ markets. He told The Journal newspaper: “The ethos of what she did was that it was all handmade, and when she said that she meant it. The only mechanical process in the whole thing was a carrot shredder for carrot cake.

“Nothing was impossible for Lesley, nothing fazed her and nothing was insurmountable. It was a long, hard battle with her illness but she kept going.”

A Mass was held for Lesley at St.Matthew RC Church in Ponteland on Thursday, January 3 after a private cremation.