Merry Cheesemas: Cheese ceremony kicks off festive season

Dairy UK chairman Paul Vernon paid tribute to the long heritage of the ceremony, which has taken place against the backdrop of many seismic world events – but the dedication of the industry to support the Chelsea Pensioners has remained consistent.

In his speech, Mr Vernon thanked the Royal Hospital for their support and paid tribute to the great taste and versatility of British cheeses – and their natural place within some of our most cherished dishes and taking a starring role on our annual festive cheeseboards.

Commenting, Mr Vernon said: “As our trusted friends of many years, we’re grateful to the Royal Hospital for their continued support of the Cheese Ceremony and their unwavering love of British cheese.

“My hope is that the veterans at the Royal Hospital deservedly enjoy these exceptional cheeses this Christmas season —whether melted in a sandwich, stirred into pasta, tucked into a pie, grated on a baked potato, or simply enjoyed in all their natural, unadulterated glory.”

Cutting this year’s 24kg Ceremonial Montgomery Cheddar was Chelsea Pensioner Victor Lucas. Victor was born in 1947, joining the Royal Scots in 1968 serving for 24 years. During this time he served in the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, on operations in Northern Ireland, Germany and over Europe as part of the ACE Mobile Force. His final tour in the Infantry was as his Battalion’s Regimental Sergeant Major, leaving in 1992. On retirement from the Army he moved to the Tower of London as a Yeoman Warden where he remained for 20 years reaching the appointment of Yeoman Gaoler. Victor joined the Royal Hospital in June 2022.

As part of their continued tradition, Pensioners were also treated to vintage ale, donated by Asahi UK and Fuller’s Griffin Brewery, who continue their long-standing support of the tradition.

Entertaining the guests was fellow Chelsea Pensioner Roy Palmer with a poem giving tribute to the history of the event and giving thanks to the industry for its revival, alongside and Faith Tucker, a classically trained singer and former Britain’s Got Talent star.