Community Gateway Association (CGA) topped off an amazing 2012 with the publication of a very special cookbook written with the help of residents and the community.

'Hot Pot An' All' shares the stories and recipes from the last three Preston Guilds, an historic event that takes place every 20 years, dating back to 1179.

2012's Preston Guild proved to be another memorable one for Prestonians, including many of CGA's residents who contributed to the book, one of 15 projects funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to help celebrate Preston's unique heritage at the Guild.

The changing tastes of Preston were reflected with recipes that included Pig's Head Brawn from 1942 to Chicken Jalfrezi in 1992.

To complement the amazing recipes, there are unique stories about social housing in Preston, how it has changed over the last 70 years and what Preston Guild means to the city.

To bring the book up to date, local celebrity Chef Nigel Smith was asked to recreate some of recipes using modern ingredients and techniques and invited four members of CGA including acting chair Irene Bailey to his amazing kitchen to cook them.

Helping to announce this good news today is Tiffany Hunt, who has just been appointed as the new Chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund North West Committee. Tiffany said: "Hot Pot An' All gives us a fascinating insight into the changing tastes of Prestonians over time. We are delighted to have supported this project that, alongside creating this one-of-a-kind recipe book, brought local people together and offered training in designing, publishing, archival research and of course, cooking. The Heritage Lottery Fund are committed to supporting local communities learn about their past and ensuring that a legacy is left for future generations.

"The Preston Guild plays an important role in the history of the city and through supporting projects like these HLF has helped provide new opportunities for people from across the city explore every aspect of Preston's heritage."

Notes to editors

Members of HLF's Committee for the North West are chosen for their wide range of experience and local knowledge. Responsible for making decisions on regional applications to the fund from £50,000 to £2million, the committee are supported by the regional HLF team for the North West, who operate from Manchester based offices.

Tiffany Hunt, Lancastrian by origin, studied history at the University of Kent and completed a postgraduate course in Art Gallery and Museum Studies at the University of Manchester before becoming the Deputy Curator of the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum. In 1982, Tiffany joined the National Trust, and in the course of her career with the trust held various regional and national roles based in Yorkshire, London, Northumbria and the North West. She now lives in Cumbria. Tiffany is an Associate of the Museums Association, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Leeds graduate of Common Purpose.

Preston Guild is an historic celebration dating back to 1179. It is the only guild still celebrated in the UK and as such is unique. Since the 16th century, Preston Guild has taken place every twenty years. The rarity of the celebration, and the fact that large numbers of people congregated in Preston for the occasion, has helped the guild develop into a great festival which continues to flourish today. It has played an important role in the development of Preston as a thriving and important Lancashire city.

Further information

Community Gateway Association: Robin Ridgley, Communications Manager on 01772 26801, email: robin.ridgley@communitygateway.co.uk.

HLF press office: Laura Bates on 020 7591 6027, email: lbates@hlf.org.uk.