In the 90th year since the end of the First World War, a Pembrokeshire farmhouse cheese company was part of a ceremony honouring veterans at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea.

Pant Mawr Farmhouse Cheese, of Rosebush, donated some of its Caws Preseli cheeses to the Dairy Council’s annual ceremony of Christmas cheeses on Wednesday, December 3rd.

Barry Nicholls, chairman of the Dairy Council, said: “The cheese ceremony is a fantastic opportunity for the dairy industry to pay tribute to the bravery and heroism of our war veterans.

“It is a wonderful and festive event, heaped in tradition and pageantry, which the Dairy Council has been organising for nearly 50 years now.”

Dr Judith Bryans, director of the Dairy Council added: “We are very grateful to Pant Maw Farmhouse Cheeses who kindly donated their Caws Preseli cheese, and are certain that the pensioners will enjoy it during the holidays.”

At the ceremony, 95-year-old Bob Costley, who served in the Royal Artillery, was watched by his fellow veterans as he cut the ceremonial cheese with a sword.

Mr Costley said: “This is a very special cheese ceremony, as this year marks 90 years since the end of the First World War.

“I am thankful that the Dairy Council recognises our efforts with this annual ceremony and am honoured to cut the ceremonial cheese on behalf of my fellow veterans.”

Every year British cheesemakers from across the country kindly donate cheeses and present it to the pensioners. The tradition began in 1692 when the hospital asked a local cheesemonger to provide the pensioners with cheese as a Christmas treat.

The Dairy Council is a non-profit making organisation that provides nutritional information on the role of dairy foods in a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle, and is jointly funded by processors and producers through Dairy UK and DairyCo.