YFC SKI TRIPHIGHLIGHTS FROM TIGNES!

Fun, learning & achievement

The magazine of the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs

YOUR SHOUT!THE LATEST NEWS FROM CLUBS AND COUNTIES

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FARM SAFETY ADVICE

PLUSMEET THE STARSYOUR AMAZING LINE UP FOR ANNUAL CONVENTION IN TORQUAY THIS APRIL!

INSIDE

l WHAT IT’S LIKE TO WORK ABROAD

l STOCKJUDGING COMP WINNERS

l YOUTH FORUM’S WEEKEND OF FUN ON ISLE OF MAN

MEMBERSTORIES

“We want members to take advantage of all the opportunities on offer at YFC”

BACK TO OUR

ROOTS! MAKE NFYFC EVEN STRONGER NEW TOP TEAM AIM TO

I am really excited to be your new NFYFC Chairman of Council. Thank you so much for electing me to represent all 25,000 of you across England and Wales – it’s

truly an honour!I have been a Young Farmer for

13 years and this is my final year in membership age – what a high to go out on! You can read about my plans for the Federation on page 16 and how I will be working with your County representatives to make us bigger and better in 2015.

One challenge I am keen to get started is involving as many of you as possible in the Birmingham Half Marathon with me in October to raise money for your chosen charities. Young Farmers do so many good things in our local communities that I thought this would be an excellent way

to show how much we give back. It’s not long now until our Annual

Convention in Torquay and you can read about the amazing line up on page 10. I can’t wait to get my fancy dress outfit sorted – I’m thinking 60s style!

For those not old enough to go to Convention yet, we recently held the Youth Forum Residential (page 26), which was great fun and nearly as cold as it was for those 500 Young Farmers who started the year off in the snow-capped Alps of Tignes on our ski trip (page 22).

There’s so much going on – and I want all of us to grab the many opportunities available to us.

Make it your challenge for 2015 to say yes, have a go and see where Young Farmers’ Clubs can take you…

Hannah Talbot National Chair of Council

WELCOME TO YOUR SPRING ISSUE OF TEN26

TEN26 MAGAZINE

For the NFYFC:

Head of Marketing and

Development:

Maria Burke

Communications

Officer: Sam Conway

Editor: Cheryl Liddle

Art Director: Ian Feeney

This magazine is

produced for members

of the National

Federation of Young

Farmers’ Clubs and

their friends and

families. ©NFYFC. No

part of this magazine

may be reproduced

without prior written

permission.

All letters, photos and

news are welcomed but

we reserve the right to

edit any contributions.

The opinions expressed

in the magazine

are those of the

contributors and do

not necessarily reflect

those of the NFYFC.

If you are interested

in advertising in

ten26, please contact

christina.evans@nfyfc.

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857227.

02 TEN26

A Welsh translation of this

magazine is also available

Meet the national team and steering group chairmen (From left to right) Vice Chairs Chris Manley and Jessica Townson, Competitions Steering Group Chair Mark Curr, Chair Personal Development Toby France, Chair Agriculture & Rural Issues Lynsey Martin, Chair Events and Marketing Katie Davies and Chair of the Youth Forum Danielle McNulty.

NATIONAL AND COMMITTEE OFFICERS

Claire Worden handed the Chain of office to me at the Council meeting in

February. She’s going to be a hard act to follow!

Below, it’s me enjoying the Youth Forum Residential.

06 NEWSCatch up on what’s happening at NFYFC

GOOD SKILLS

04 WHAT’S ONGet your YFC diary sorted for 2015

18 FARM SAFETY Mark Mather reveals how he lost his leg in a farming accident

24 THE JOBOne member reveals what it’s like to work in France for Kuhn Farm Machinery

FEATURES

10 CONVENTIONThe line up is revealed for the best event of the year

14 CLUB FOCUSMeet three of our YFCs and compare your club

16 WE ARE FAMILYMeet your new Council and find out the 2015 plans

22 SNOW BUSINESSMembers enjoy one of the biggest YFC Ski trips COMPETITIONS

20 STOCKJUDGING Get some top stockjudging tips from the experts

YOUTH FORUM

26 RESIDENTIALHaving fun with the Youth Forum on the Isle of Man

YOUR SHOUT

28 AREA NEWSThe latest news and photos from clubs across the UK with some of your best recent tweets

CONTENTS

TEN26 03

GET IN TOUCHCall

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Dial 02476 857200

Email magazine@nfyfc.org.uk

‘Like’ at facebook.com/nfyfc

Follow on twitter.com/nfyfc

WE’RE MOBILE FRIENDLY!

Remember you can now view the NFYFC website on your mobile phone

as we have made it easy to view on small screens!

WIN! 10 POLO SHIRTS FOR YOUR CLUB

FOR ANNUAL CONVENTION

PAGE 32INSIDEINSIDE

#YFCEVENTS

4 TEN26

WHAT’S ON IN 2015Don’t miss out on some top NFYFC events this year. Make a note of your faves and we’ll see you there!

27-28 JUNE COUNCIL WEEKENDThe second Council meeting of the year where your elected delegates plan, discuss and vote to improve your Federation. Follow Council actions on Twitter at #yfccouncil

16 JULY DAIRY STOCKJUDGING FINALSNot only a fab day out at the Great Yorkshire Show but also a chance to see YFC Dairy Stockjudging competitors take part in the Finals! #yfccomps

20-23 JULY ROYAL WELSH SHOWPull on the wellies, pitch the tents and get partying hard at the Royal Welsh Show, where Wales YFC host the Young People’s Village! More info at www.yfc-wales.org.uk/young-peoples-village

24-26 APRIL ANNUAL CONVENTIONLet’s hope it’s a spring scorcher for the 2015 Annual Convention in the sunny resort of Torquay. Competition finals in Pantomime, Dancing, Senior Member of the Year and Jump Rope will keep you entertained in the day, while DJs from Radio 1 will keep things lively at night. Find out the latest on page 10 or at www.yfcconvention.org.uk #yfcagm

4-5 JULY COMPETITIONS WEEKEND It’s the national finals of a whole host of exciting YFC competitions – from Garden Sculptures to After Dinner Speaking at the Staffordshire County Showground. Be there or follow the results on Twitter #yfccomps. See all comps here www.nfyfc.org.uk/a-to-z-competitions

25 APRIL PANTO FINALSFollowing on from our Regional semi-finals for the Pantomime competition, get front row seats at the finals in Torquay . Always a crowd pleaser, this year’s YFC pantomimes promise to be a good giggle. Oh yes they are… you get the gist. For tickets contact gill.harrison@nfyfc.org.uk #yfccomps

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21-22 NOVEMBER LIVE AND CARCASE STOCKJUDGING FINALSEnding the year with the hotly contested stockjuding competitions at the English Winter Fair. #yfccomps

24-25 OCTOBERCOUNCIL WEEKEND More meetings and planning from your YFC Council. #yfccouncil

6-7 SEPTEMBER FARM SKILLS WEEKEND Time to prove your worth as a Young Farmer and show off your skills in competitions for fence erecting, stockjudging and most importantly farm safety! #yfccomps

1 AUGUST TUG OF WAR FINALSEnjoy all the action of the YFC Tug of War Finals at the Tenbury Show. If you’re not a finalist, it’s still a great day out cheering on members from your county as they pull to victory! #yfccomps

5 DECEMBER TRAVEL SELECTION DAY Get your applications in before the end of November to secure your place at the Selection Day. #yfctravel

26-27 SEPTEMBER FLOWER ARRANGING AND COOKERY FINALSTake in some lovely odours at the Malvern Autumn Show from YFC chefs cooking up a treat on the Saturday, followed by the sweet scent of flower arranging on the Sunday! #yfccomps

QWhat’s the best thing about being NFYFC President?

ABeing part of an organisation of young people! Your energy,

optimism and enthusiasm are stimulating. I enjoy going out to meet members and being part of your democracy. I think it’s great to be President of an organisation that cares about each other and the wider community.

QWhere do you think the agricultural industry will be in

50 years time?

A It will be centre stage. It will embrace and use all the

latest scientific discovery and development. The challenge of feeding a massively increased world population will mean agriculture will be the preeminent activity for mankind. Those who

manage our land will also manage our landscape and our wildlife. It’s an awesome responsibility.

Being able to fly a drone may be something that’s crucial to future farmers. We’re likely to be using fewer pesticides because we will be precision farming. It’s an exciting prospect and I wish I was 20!

QHow can members improve their chances in the

agricultural industry?

A You need to work hard at whatever discipline you

choose to follow. Don’t be constrained by convention – challenge it! Engage in all the YFC competitions and activities to develop your skills. Get involved and stuck in because being able to debate, make judgements, present ideas, and work in a team are all invaluable skills. If you’re not confident, let YFC activities help you overcome your nerves. Aim high and don’t be afraid of failure – no one develops without making mistakes. But most of all – enjoy it!

06 TEN26

NEWSNEWSTHE LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES

FROM ACROSS THE ORGANISATION

Q&APRESIDENT’S

GOT A STORY? CALL 02476 857200

OR EMAIL MAGAZINE@NFYFC.ORG.UK

The NFYFC Council has agreed to propose a 20% increase to the national levy.

The motion will be taken to the Annual General Meeting in Torquay on Sunday 26 April, where members can vote on the proposed increase to the membership fee.

The percentage increase represents £2.66 per member based on the Federation’s current membership numbers and will bring

in an additional income of £60,000 to help plug the funding gap.

The decision to propose the increase was voted through unanimously at the February Council meeting after members reviewed NFYFC’s financial difficulties due to the lack of income from HOPS.

Plans are underway for new income streams, new ways of working at NFYFC and to continue building on savings made in 2014.

LEVY INCREASE PROPOSED FOR AGM

Members put the President Poul Christensen on the spot this issue and asked him their burning questions

Members should notice more confident County Chairs and Vice Chairs following their training in December.

The NFYFC County Chair Day helped those fresh to their posts to pick up tips on best practice and to get motivated for the year ahead.

The group discussed the levy increase and how to implement it in their counties as well as topics on county staff management, promotion of

NFYFC events and social media. Ed Ford, Chairman of Essex

FYFC, said: “The chairs’ training day was a brilliant opportunity to meet like minded people from across the country. It was great to see so much enthusiasm and I took away some really useful information especially on how to get the most from social media.”

TEN26 07

GOT A STORY? CALL 02476 857200

OR EMAIL MAGAZINE@NFYFC.ORG.UK

SUPPORT FOR COUNTY CHAIRS

VOLUNTEERING AWARD FROM PM

Claire Worden, NFYFC’s former Chair of Council, has been recognised by the Prime

Minister for her work in founding the Rural+ campaign.

Claire, who launched the campaign in 2014 to raise awareness of mental health issues in rural communities, was awarded a Point of Light volunteering award by David Cameron for her efforts.

Point of Light awards recognise outstanding individual volunteers, people who are making a change in their community and inspiring others. Claire is the 141st winner of the Point of Light award, which has been developed in partnership with the successful Points of Light programme in the USA.

Mr Cameron said: “Claire took an enormously brave step of using her own harrowing experiences to set up Rural+ and support young people feeling isolated in rural areas. I am delighted to recognise Claire’s fantastic work with this Point of Light award.”

It was one of Claire’s aims as Chairman to help more rural young people seek support for mental health issues. She said: “I am delighted that the Prime Minister has recognised the importance of mental well-being amongst young people in rural areas. I want to thank everyone that has raised awareness of this campaign.”

For info from the day visit www.nfyfc.org.uk/chairsdayi

TRAINING: County Chairs share ideas at the training day

Wales Young Farmers’ Clubs are celebrating after some of their funding has been restored by the Wales Government following a major campaign.

Wales YFC faced pressure after it was revealed they would lose £140,000 of funding from 1 April due to budget cuts from Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and the Welsh Government.

Young Farmers launched an online petition and gathered support from rural communities to fight the decision.

The Government has now agreed to award £88,600 of ‘transitional’ funding to Wales YFC while it develops a new five year plan. It is a one-off grant, and Wales YFC will need to adopt a new business model for future funding.

WALES YFC SECURE FUNDING

YFC SHARES TRADE VIEWS Young Farmers shared their views on a deal to cut tariffs for trading between the US and EU countries at a meeting in Brussels in December.

James Hutchinson, Wiltshire FYFC, and Tom Wells, Lincolnshire FYFC, both attended a working group held by the European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) thanks to funding from HOPS Labour Solutions and Mole Valley Farmers.

The group discussed the impact of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) on farmers in Europe. The partnership is aimed at cutting tariffs and regulatory barriers to trade between the US and EU countries – giving more open access to markets on both sides of the Atlantic.

While the TTIP should boost economies, critics are concerned farmers will face even tougher competition if food standards decline due to weaker regulations in the US.

James and Tom explained how the changes would impact Young Farmers in England and Wales.

NEWSNEWS

08 TEN26

Packing their bags and jetting off is a luxury that awaits 36 Young Farmers after they successfully secured a place on one of this year’s YFC Travel trips.

A range of trips, from working on a farm in New Zealand for three months to staying with rural families in Europe, were on offer to all members.

All applicants were invited to a Selection Day in December and following interviews and activities the lucky ones were given exclusive places on the trips.

Michelle Evans, Rushbury & Cardington YFC in Shropshire, will be staying with a family in Germany this June. “I’m so excited to be going

to Germany next summer. After seeing the presentations at the Selection Day I know that I’m going to have no problem getting along with the members of the German Landjugend!”

The YFC Travel programme is supported by the Young Farmers’ Ambassadors, a group of former YFC travellers who raise money to provide scholarships for future travellers, as well as the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust, C Alma Baker Trust and the Australian Bicentennial Trust.

TRIPS OFA LIFETIME

AGRICULTURAL TRAINING BOOSTAgricultural education at YFC is benefiting from a £25,000 sponsorship package from the Elizabeth Creak Trust.

The sponsorship will ensure members can access a range of training possibilities to enhance their careers in agriculture. Thanks to the funding, tenancy training and succession planning are just two of the courses running in 2015.

Elizabeth Creak, a former High Sheriff of Warwickshire, owned one of the country’s largest dairy

farms and set up the Trust before she died in 2013 to support new blood in the industry.

Trustee Robin Ogg said: “It is very encouraging to see and hear about Young Farmers learning about the latest industry practices. These people really are the future of the industry.”

Trips will be advertised in Sept 2015. See more at

www.nfyfc.org.uk/yfctravel

i

For more info, visit www.nfyfc.org.uk/cejai

KUHN SUPPORT AGRI DEVELOPMENT Policy makers and industry leaders will hear more from Young Farmers in 2015 thanks to sponsorship from Kuhn Farm Machinery.

The agricultural machinery provider is sponsoring NFYFC’s Agriculture and Rural Issues (AGRI) Steering Group and supporting the AGRI Forum at the 2015 Annual Convention and sponsoring the wristbands.

Sian Pritchard, Managing Director at Kuhn, said: “We fully support what the NFYFC does and are keen to promote the great work that Young Farmers are doing. This sponsorship enables us to understand the challenges that face Young Farmers today.”

TRACTOR-RUN HELPS FORAGE AID

A 220-mile tractor and trailer run in February raised more than £15,000 to help Forage Aid become a fully-fledged charity.

Young Farmers from Essex,

Somerset, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire took part in the fundraising drive, which was organised by the Energy Now Expo and Forage Aid founder Andrew Ward. He said: “We couldn’t have done this without the help of Young Farmers. This has been a great way for Young Farmers to get involved and is why Forage Aid has worked so well.”

TEN26 09

 From skills in cash management to being a strong leader – members have improved their CVs with a range of NFYFC

courses, supported by Defra. Check out what’s been on and what’s coming up.

CASH MANAGEMENT FOR TREASURERSClub treasurers in Somerset took part in a pilot training course to help develop a new module for The Curve. Developed by the Personal Development Steering Group, and written by NFYFC, NatWest and Mole & Sons Accountants, 16 treasurers were taught how to manage a bank account, understand how to manage finances including cash flow, budgeting, bookkeeping and preparing a set of accounts for an independent inspection. Look out for this course becoming a Curve module soon.

TRAIN THE TRAINER Training up members to deliver NFYFC’s own courses is vital in helping to strengthen clubs. Delivered by independent training company A Clear Leader, two courses were held and 20 members were trained how to plan,

deliver and evaluate training –specifically The Curve modules and Club Officer Training. The course is accredited by The Institute of Training and Occupational Learning (ITOL) and on successful completion of the course, delegates receive a Foundation Certificate in Staff Development.

ASPIRING LEADERS Aimed at senior leaders of NFYFC to help them to be more effective in their roles. This course is ideal for those starting out in a leadership or management position and covers all aspects of leading and managing teams. The first course ran in February this year for new officers and feedback was positive.

ENTERPRISE COURSE An inspiring and practical course aimed at helping Young Farmers interested in developing their own rural businesses. Members will visit Onley Grounds Equestrian Complex with a tour of the complex and farm shop, and listen to other members discuss their own successful enterprises. The course runs at the end of March.

Read about one member’s job with Kuhn on page 24.i

TOP UPYOUR SKILLS

Find more training opportunities online

visit: www.nfyfc.org.uk/courses

i

ADM

IT 1

FRIDAY

24 APRIL

10 TEN26

#YFCAGM15

Don’t miss a thing at this year’s Annual Convention with our epic guide to what’s going down in Torquay from 24-26 April

Sponsored by

AT ANNUAL Things to do...

Did you know Huw has his own festival, the Swn festival in Cardiff, every year to promote new bands?

After the euphoria of queuing for your

much coveted wristband, collecting

bags of freebies from our sponsors

and checking into your palatial residence for

the weekend – it’s time to PARTY! And to get

it all started, we’ll be enjoying some expert

DJing from Radio 1’s Huw Stephens! As well

as his popular Wednesday night show he’s

also a regular presenter on BBC Wales! You

can also enjoy catching up with old mates

on the dance floor when energetic band

Hype Deluxe go wild on stage.

CONVENTION 2015

ADM

IT 1

SATURDAY 25 APRIL

TEN26 11

Did you know this is Aled’s fourth year at Convention?

ADM

IT 1

SUNDAY 26 APRIL

‘He’s behind you’ will be the familiar

cry of YFC members running around

Torquay on Saturday afternoon

after the Pantomime competition. Failing

that, you’ll be having a double top time after

enjoying the arrows at this year’s Darts

Championships.

There’s loads going on during the day as

you can catch the finals of the much coveted

Senior Member of the Year competition

or spend time with our expert industry

panellists at the Agri Forum.

After all that, you’ll be ready for another

night in the Arena with not one but TWO

celeb DJs. Get ready for star turns from TV

and radio presenter Alice Levine and Aled

Haydn Jones from Radio 1. Our musical feast

doesn’t stop there, as you’ll also be dancing

your fancy dress socks off to the MIB band.

CONVENTION 2015

It all gets a bit serious on Sunday morning as hundreds of members get together for NFYFC’s Annual General Meeting. There are some big issues to discuss and trophies to be handed out – and if you’re not at the meeting you can follow the action online! (the address will be promoted during the weekend). To get us back into party mode, come and soak up the lively atmosphere when the finalists in the Jump Rope and Commercial Dance competitions take centre stage. And if you haven’t worn yourselves out from all the cheering, you’ll be back in the venue in your Club Shirts for our mega Foam Party! DJs Dev Griffin and Chris Stark – back by popular demand – from Radio 1 will be hitting the decks to see us out on the last night.

Did you know Dev used to make pretend radio shows with his

twin sister when they were kids?

#YFCAGRI

12 TEN26

Finding the farming career ladder a tad slippery? Get some advice from some top industry pros at this year’s Agri Forum in Torquay!

It’s the industry event of the year for Young Farmers and it has attracted some mega names to talk to members about getting a career in agriculture.

Former NFU President and AHDB Chairman Peter Kendall will be joining award winning farmer James Price and top man at Evolution Farming Tom Rawson (see box right for more info on our panellists).

It’s a change of timing for this year’s Agri Forum, which

is sponsored by Kuhn Farm Machinery, as it’s moving to a Saturday lunchtime slot during the Convention weekend.

The format has also been updated – thanks to feedback from members – and there will no longer be any formal presentations. Members will instead be invited to put general career and industry questions to our three experts. Members can tweet questions to the panel using hashtag #yfcagriforum.

WHAT’S YOUR FUTURE IN FARMING?

MEET THE PANELLISTS

SIR PETER KENDALL As former President of the NFU, current Chairman of AHDB and a fifth generation arable farmer, Peter knows a thing or two

about how to get on in the industry. He studied Agricultural Economics and runs a specialist arable unit. PETER SAYS: “I genuinely believe there has never been a better time to build a career in agriculture. There will be tough times – but I really do believe the future for people with specialist agricultural skills has never been brighter.”

JAMES PRICE James is a young arable grower from Woodstock in Oxfordshire who won the Farmers Weekly Young Farmer of the Year award

in 2009. He runs an arable, composting and precision farming operation on 1600 acres and uses new technologies to make money and be environmentally sound. JAMES SAYS: “There are two major challenges for young farmers today – finding a niche to work in and making themselves stand out from the crowd. To overcome them, young farmers need to think outside the box but also have the drive and enthusiasm to make them work.”

TOM RAWSON Tom is the Director and Co Founder of Evolution farming in Yorkshire, a Nuffield Scholar and a board member of Dairyco.

He built his family’s business to 300 cows and in 2010 formed Evolution Farming to develop a sustainable dairy business. TOM SAYS: “The challenge will be to find enough entrepreneurial business leaders. As an industry we must help young people to not only see the benefits of running their own business but also equip them with the skills to do this.“

JOIN US The Agri Forum is free for

members to attend and will be from 12-2.30pm on Saturday 25 April. A hog roast is included. Keep up to date about the event

at yfcconvention.org.uk/whats-on/agri-forum/

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YFC CLUBS

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CLUBS IN FOCUS

From club nights to membership fees – our 624 YFCs are all very different. We put three clubs under the spotlight…

Club leader: Jess Townson, Chairman: Jonathan FranklandNo. of members: 35 – majority are aged between 14 and 16. Membership Fees: £20. The Club subsidises the full membership fee. Club meetings: Meetings are every Monday night, apart from during the summer, and are in the village hall. They follow a programme that is planned six months in advance. They practise for competitions and also have guest speakers as well as farm visits. Local area: Bolton by Bowland is

a small rural village with a small catchment area because there are four clubs within a 10-mile radius. The majority of members are from dairy, beef and sheep farms but they also have plenty of members who are not from a farming background. Promotion: Posters and programmes are left in a local high school and they advertise in the local paper. Most new members are recruited by word of mouth. Fundraising: Every year the Club puts on a bonfire for the local community, which attracts around 250 people.

They sell hot pots in the village hall to cover the cost of the fireworks. They also have a duck race in the local village every year and money from both events is given to charity. They also host a Christmas Cracker party every year that is well attended by members in the region. It’s a lot of planning and work but last year they raised £8,000 for the Club, with some of the money also being donated to charity. You’ll never guess: The Christmas Cracker, which attracts 500 members each year, celebrated its 10th year in 2014.

CLUB: BOLTON BY BOWLAND YFC, LANCASHIRE

Picture courtesy of the Lancashire Telegraph

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Club Secretary: Michelle Batting No. of members: 90Membership fees: £20 for new members £25 for existing members. The Club subsidises the full membership fee.Club meetings: Business meetings are held twice a month in Hemyock village hall and weekly activities are held in different locations depending on the activity. During the week, there’s a lot of competition practice. They also continue to host the Show and Sale, started by the original club in 1932, and organise farm walks and social activities such as ice skating. Local area: A very rural location and most members are farmers’ children. The Club receives funds towards practising rural skills, which was donated from a family of a member who sadly died. Promotion: A monthly printed newsletter that the club secretary

posts to homes. Facebook and texting is also used. Fundraising: Club discos can raise up to £900. This year the Club is raising funds for the Exeter Leukaemia Fund and Devon FYFC’s new building. You’ll never guess: They were the first Club in the Federation and originally started up as a Calf Club. A Time Capsule was buried in Hemyock in 2014 to mark NFYFC’s 80th anniversary.

CLUB: CUTNALL GREEN YFC, WORCESTERSHIRE Chairman: A co-chairmanship between Stephanie Currie and Adam Whiteman. No. of members: 60 – mostly intermediate members. Membership fees: Juniors £20, Intermediate £25, Senior £30 and Associate £15. The Club subsidises the full membership fee.Club meetings: A monthly meeting, which is sometimes at the local NFU office, and a weekly Wednesday night gathering at various locations. Club nights consist of competition practice and activities such as Laser Quest. Local area: The Club attracts a lot of members from the surrounding towns as it is in a central location and not too rural. It is one of the larger clubs in Worcestershire and attracts both farmers and non-farming members. Promotion: A new members evening at the start of the year, which is advertised on Facebook and posters are put up in the local area. They work hard to keep juniors keen as they are the Club’s future. Fundraising: Three main events in Worcestershire raise money and two cover the levy fee – a Boxing Day party, which attracts around 400 people, a party after Worcestershire’s Point-to-Point day and a summer party. They also raise money for the West Midlands Air Ambulance and Help for Heroes.You’ll never guess: New NFYFC Chairman Hannah Talbot is a member! Stephanie says she has been an “inspiration for members” about what can be achieved.

CLUB: CULM VALLEY YFC, DEVON

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but

Han

nah

Talb

ot fi

nally

to

ok h

er s

eat a

s N

FYFC

’s N

atio

nal

Cha

irman

of C

ounc

il in

Feb

ruar

y.

The

27

-yea

r-old

from

Cut

nall

Gre

en

YFC

in W

orce

ster

shire

is m

ore

than

read

y fo

r her

yea

r at t

he to

p af

ter s

ervi

ng a

s a

Vic

e C

hair

for t

he la

st tw

o ye

ars.

Dur

ing

that

tim

e, s

he w

as a

ble

to fo

rm a

pla

n fo

r w

here

she

wan

ted

to s

teer

the

Fede

ratio

n.

“Bas

ical

ly I

wan

t NFY

FC to

con

nect

ba

ck to

its

root

s to

mak

e us

str

onge

r for

th

e fu

ture

,” ex

plai

ned

Han

nah.

“It’s

abo

ut

stre

ngth

enin

g ou

r clu

bs a

nd h

elpi

ng o

ur

mem

bers

get

eve

n m

ore

out o

f YFC

s.”

Han

nah

plan

s to

cre

ate

a re

sour

ce

for m

embe

rs to

dem

onst

rate

how

the

skill

s th

ey h

ave

lear

nt a

t NFY

FC c

an b

e tr

ansf

erab

le in

futu

re jo

b ro

les.

Tak

ing

on p

ositi

ons

in c

lubs

can

add

real

kud

os

to a

firs

t CV

and

Han

nah

know

s on

ly

too

wel

l how

this

can

ben

efit

care

er

prog

ress

ion.

An

activ

e m

embe

r sin

ce

she

was

14

yea

rs o

ld, H

anna

h ha

s he

ld

man

y po

sitio

ns in

her

clu

b an

d co

unty

–

incl

udin

g be

ing

chai

rman

of b

oth

as

wel

l as

natio

nal C

ompe

titio

ns C

hair.

She

cr

edits

thes

e Y

FC o

ppor

tuni

ties

with

the

rapi

d ris

e up

the

rank

s in

her

teac

hing

ca

reer

– s

he b

ecam

e H

ead

of th

e En

glis

h Fa

culty

 at j

ust 2

6, o

ne o

f the

you

nges

t in

her f

ield

. Pub

lic S

peak

ing

com

petit

ions

,

man

agin

g bu

dget

s an

d de

alin

g w

ith th

e so

met

imes

tric

ky w

orld

of Y

FC p

oliti

cs

have

all

cont

ribut

ed to

Han

nah’

s pe

rson

al

deve

lopm

ent –

and

she

wan

ts o

ther

s to

re

alis

e th

e be

nefit

s to

o.“I

wan

t mem

bers

to s

ee th

e w

ider

op

port

uniti

es –

suc

h as

join

ing

a st

eerin

g gr

oup

or a

pply

ing

for a

trav

el o

ppor

tuni

ty.

You

neve

r kno

w w

here

that

exp

erie

nce

can

lead

you

.” U

ltim

atel

y, H

anna

h un

ders

tand

s w

hat b

eing

a Y

FC m

embe

r is

all a

bout

. Fr

iend

ship

. She

sta

rts

her C

hairm

ansh

ip

whi

le s

eein

g ou

t her

fina

l yea

r as

a fu

ll m

embe

r and

she

adm

its th

at s

ome

of h

er

happ

iest

tim

es h

ave

been

thra

shin

g ou

t

idea

s fo

r com

petit

ions

with

her

Clu

b.

“I d

on’t

wan

t to

get a

way

from

wha

t it’

s lik

e in

a c

lub

on a

wee

k ni

ght.

The

frien

ds y

ou m

ake,

the

com

petit

ions

and

ju

st g

ener

ally

hav

ing

a go

od ti

me.

We’

re

like

a fa

mily

– w

e lo

ve e

ach

othe

r, th

row

so

me

grea

t fam

ily p

artie

s an

d w

e’re

not

af

raid

to b

e fra

nk w

ith o

ne a

noth

er!”

Toge

ther

with

her

Cou

ncil

‘fam

ily’,

she

is h

opin

g th

ey c

an c

anva

s m

ore

opin

ion

and

shar

e m

ore

info

rmat

ion

with

m

embe

rs to

str

engt

hen

the

Fede

ratio

n.

“My

goal

this

yea

r is

to s

how

case

wha

t is

fant

astic

abo

ut N

FYFC

,” sa

id H

anna

h.

“We

are

uniq

ue, a

nd w

e ar

e am

bass

ador

s fo

r you

ng p

eopl

e liv

ing

in ru

ral a

reas

. “

Big

pla

ns a

re u

nder

way

in 2

01

5 t

o co

nnec

t th

e

Fede

rati

on b

ack

to it

s ro

ots

and

mak

e it

eve

n st

rong

er, s

ays

Han

nah

Talb

ot, t

he n

ew N

FYFC

Cha

irman

of C

ounc

il

FARM SAFETY

18 TEN26

Time was running out for Mark Mather when his dad found him lying under a quad bike on their family farm in Northumberland.

The 24-year old Alnwick YFC member had only gone to scare the crows with his shot gun when the bike flipped over.

“When my dad found me, I kept warning him to watch out for my shot gun as it was loaded,” says Mark who had been driving at a slow speed with the shot gun across his lap – with the safety trigger on. “When dad found the gun, it wasn’t loaded anymore and that’s when I realised a bullet must have hit me.”

Even with the safety trigger on, it won’t stop a shot gun from firing, a fact Mark learned the hard way as he was hit just above his right knee.

“There was no pain at the time but I was losing a lot of blood,” recalls Mark, who was lucky his dad went out in search of some sheep that had escaped. “I had no battery left on my phone so I couldn’t call anyone. Dad acted quickly and made a tourniquet on my leg with his belt and called the emergency services.”

Mark was airlifted to hospital and was operated on immediately. His leg couldn’t be saved.

“My whole life changed. I went from full-time farming, doing all the sports with Young Farmers, hoping to become County Chairman and working as a retained firefighter to what felt like absolutely nothing within seconds.”

Mark was one of the lucky ones. Recent HSE statistics show that on average over the past ten years, nearly one person a week has been killed as a direct result of an agricultural work activity. It’s a depressing statistic and one that Mark wishes more people would take on board. “You think it’s never going to happen to you,” he says. “I thought that too.”

While Mark can no longer be a retained firefighter – a voluntary role he loved to do during the week in between farming – he has recently joined the ambulance service as a Community First Responder and is working with them to develop a first

“THE GUN WENT OFF

CHANGED FOREV ER”Agriculture still has the worst safety record of any industry, but one survivor of a near fatal accident wants young farmers to make it better

AND MY LIFE

YFC FUN: Mark enjoys time

with his mates at Annual

Convention

TEN26 19

aid course for Young Farmers. Farming often means working alone in remote rural locations, and regularly without a phone signal. After Mark’s own tragic accident he wants to ensure others are prepared. “Young farmers need training in first aid. And not just the recovery position, and how to put a plaster on – I’m talking life saving stuff, such as what to do if you lose a limb.”

It has been more than six years since Mark’s accident but he hasn’t let it stop his ambitions. And Young Farmers certainly haven’t stopped him – insisting he should still stand for County Chairman after the accident.

“It was the best thing for me as it gave me the confidence to believe I could still do everything I wanted,”

says Mark. “It’s easy to feel sorry for yourself but I was back driving a combine after six weeks. It felt like I could still be useful. We’ve now got automatic tractors with left foot accelerators on the farm. Agriculture is underestimated for disabled people – it’s a fantastic place to learn and show your ability.”

Mark is now aged 30 and is back working full time on his family farm.

“Sadly, accidents do happen. If you’re badly injured, don’t let it beat you. You’ve got to get up and carry on.”

CHANGED FOREV ER”

FATAL STATS l 31 deaths in the industry were reported in 2013/14, six fewer than in the previous year.

l The largest cause of fatal injuries in agriculture continues to be workplace transport. Transport was involved in 105 deaths (29%) in the last ten years.

l 146 deaths, representing 40% of the total from the last ten years, occurred during work associated with the cultivation, harvesting, processing etc. of crops.

*Stats from Fatal injuries in Farming, Forestry, Horticulture and Associated Industries 2013/14.

“YOU THINK IT’S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU... I THOUGHT THAT TOO”

ACCIDENT: Mark Mather is still able

to work on his family farm. Picture

courtesy of the Northumberland

Gazette

#YFCCOMPS

20 TEN26

STOCKJUDGING!HOW TO BE THE BEST AT

Get to grips with the art of stockjudging with tips from our recent winners and Katie Brian from sponsors Eblex

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT Rhys Cooke from Raglan YFC in Gwent was the winner of the Pig Live and Carcase competitions, while the County also received the highest combined score in the senior competition. A member since he was 10 years old, Rhys says competitors need to practise. “We do a lot of practising in Gwent to try and help the younger ones. We visit different farms

and slaughter houses in the evenings to practise on the carcases.”

STAND BACK Have a good look from a distance before rushing in to judge. It’s better to understand what you are judging in terms of general appearance, type etc. Katie Brian from Eblex, (pictured left and below) sponsors of the Stockjudging competition, says: “Stand back and look at the stock from a distance during the first two minutes and then confirm your thoughts on closer assessment of the key points.”

WATCH THE CLOCK Always use the full two minutes – but don’t go over time. Katie says: “There’s no need to say your name, age or county as you are given a competitor number to keep it anonymous and it uses up valuable time.”

JOIN INWhy not have a go? If you need help or assistance see the Eblex booklet or the video for judging beef and lambs at www.nfyfc.org.uk/eblex. The competition has lots of benefits says Katie: “As well as improving your livestock selection skills, stockjudging can also boost public speaking skills.”

LISTEN TO YOUR ELDERSMatthew Wright from Eccleshall YFC in Staffordshire has been successful at the English Winter Fair Stockjudging competition for the last two years. This year he took home the Smithfield Trophy for the Beef Live & Carcase competition

with fellow county member Sally Leese. He says he’s a chip off the old block. “Most of my knowledge is from my dad and from working on my family farm. My dad was a Young Farmer and competed at national. He now coaches Eccleshall YFC on stockjudging too.”

GIVE GOOD REASONSMemorise your reasons as much as possible and stand up straight while looking the judge in the eye. Speak clearly and slowly so the judge can follow what you are saying. Describe the stock fully and refer to any distinguishing features. Katie advises: “There are many different styles of reason giving and whatever works best for you is how you should continue.”

TEN26 21

Call 0800 756 2787

www.nwfagriculture.co.uk@NWFAgriculture

NWF Agriculture is a national supplier of high quality dairy, beef and sheep feeds to UK farmers.

All our blends, straights and compound feeds are supported with expert advice from sales and technical teams.

FEEDS SUCCESS

AGRICULTURE

FEEDS SUCCESS

AGRICULTURE

22 TEN26

#YFCSKI

Snow, Young Farmers and SuperMoo – must be YFC Ski 2015

SNOW BUSINESS!

Retro party gear, SuperMoo on a ski lift and an avalanche of YFC banter made the 2015 Young Farmers’

ski trip THE best way to start the year.

It was one of the biggest YFC Ski events in recent years with more than 450 Young Farmers packing out Tignes in the northern Alps. And there was plenty to keep everyone busy over the seven-day adventure that was organised with tour operators Outgoing. During the daytime those hitting the white stuff for the first time mastered the slippery art at Ski School while the more experienced enjoyed gliding down some of Europe’s best slopes. The après ski also packed a punch with mountain meals, picnics, DJs and YFC parties – including a funicular party, which involved a meal on the train up

to a glacier where there was an almighty YFC party.

Georgina Haigh, a Rep for the West Midlands Area, described YFC Ski as a bit like Annual Convention in the snow and said the best thing was being surrounded by YFC mates.

“It was nice to go into a bar and see people that you know and familiar faces from Young Farmers. The retro day was really good fun and I wore a one-piece suit I found in the loft,” said Georgina who was joined by around 80 members from the West Midlands. “I would definitely recommend the trip to others. Don’t be put off if you can’t ski, it’s a fun place to learn with other young farmers at ski school rather than having lessons on your own on a family holiday.”

Plans for

YFC Ski 2016 are already underway

so look out for more updates soon at www.nfyfc.org.uk/YFCSki/

yfctravel-ski

TEN26 23

#YFCSKI TWEETS

LOWRI FFLUR DAVIES Had an absolutely fab time skiing with

GlamorganYFC on the @NFYFC and @OutgoingSnow #yfcski trip!

CLAIRE WORDEN Yahoo! First ski lesson complete! Love it! Looking forward to tomorrow’s already #yfcski

PAIGE ELIZABETH 3000 metres up at the @NFYFC funicular

party! Going to be amazing! #yfcski15 #yfctravel #tignes

GLOUCESTERSHIRE FYFC The sun has been out and everyone is enjoying the skiing @NFYFC #yfcski2015 #tignes #yfcski

“IT’S A FUN PLACE TO LEARN WITH OTHER YOUNG FARMERS AT SKI SCHOOL RATHER THAN HAVING LESSONS ON YOUR OWN ON A FAMILY HOLIDAY”

THE WHITE STUFF: Members enjoy picnics, parties and playing in the snow! There was even a fancy dress ‘retro’ theme.

24 TEN26

Fluent in French and skilled in hydraulics – a placement year with Kuhn in France is proving to be a career booster for Katie Calcutt from Enstone YFC

FACTORY HOURS Before I started working at KUHN last August, I was helping my dad with the harvesting, which meant working until 3am! Now I’m on factory hours and it’s all routine. I do miss the farm though and studying at Harper Adams University, where I will return in September to complete my final year of a BSc (Hons) Agriculture with Mechanisation.

I only live 10 minutes from the Kuhn Audureau factory near Nantes, one of the biggest cities on the Atlantic coast of France. When I get into work, the

first thing I do is switch on my computer and Google Translate!

One of the main attractions of working for Kuhn was the opportunity to work in France and improve my A-level French. No one here really speaks very much English so communication was very difficult at first. In just under six months though I’m fluent and I write all of my technical reports in French too. It’s a great skill to add to my CV and I am so grateful for the experience.

TESTING, TESTINGThis morning we are testing one of the straw choppers on a

nearby pig, beef and dairy farm. We aim to improve efficiency for cows in milk and beef production. I spend a lot of time going out to farms that Kuhn has agreements with and I have a good relationship with the farmers.

Today we are ensuring a new chopper is evenly distributing straw before the machine can be validated and sold. We set up a test using trays in an empty bedding pen and weigh the straw that the machine dispenses. The tests show we need to make some more adjustments, and that’s where my role comes in. We have to come up with solutions to fix any problems – and that could

8AM

9AM

THE JOB

PROTOTYPE TECHNICIANA day in the life of a...

include suggestions such as

developing new parts.

TIME FOR A BITEThe French always have lunch

at the same time each day and

everyone stops to eat. I go to a

‘packed-lunch’ room, which is a

bit smaller than the canteen so

I have been able to make new

friends as it was difficult because

of the language barrier.

I tried to explain about YFCs

but they don’t really understand

the concept in France! My YFC

experience has definitely given

me more confidence though. I

was Programme Secretary and

have been an active member of

my club for the past five years,

since I was 16.

BUILDING WORKS I recently built a prototype

machine with my colleague

and it was really good fun. The

designers in the office come

up with the new products, but

we make it happen for them

by building new machines or

modifying current ones.

I did the electrics on this new

machine and helped with the

hydraulics and mounting the

pieces. It’s exciting because that

machine is now being tested and

we will work on the adjustments

for the second improved version

of it too. I have learnt to read proper

hydraulic and electric plans,

which is something we have

touched on at University but I

wouldn’t have been confident

about doing it before as it’s

quite difficult. I was a farmer that

could fix stuff but now I am more

of an engineer that can fix stuff!

When I went home at

Christmas, I helped my dad to

mend our hedge cutter and I was

able to offer suggestions on what

was wrong with the machine!

I’M AN INVENTORIt was a good end to the day

as a plate has been made that

I designed for one of Kuhn’s

machines to improve the loading

system. It’s a good achievement

to see it on the system and

to know it will be used on a

machine. I feel like a builder and

an inventor!

It’s home time at 5pm and

I’m back to my gite in a little

town called Belleville-sur-Vie. I

had never really left my farm’s

perimeter so moving to France

for the year was a big challenge.

But I would recommend it to

anyone. I have always wanted to

do something with languages and

I never thought I would be able to

mix it with agriculture.

TEN26 25

12.15PM

1.15PM

5PM

PROTOTYPE TECHNICIAN

“In just over six months I am now fluent and I write all my technical reports in French”

w For more information about getting a job in agriculture

check out HOPS at www.nfyfc.org.uk/hops

PLACEMENT ADVICE Considering a year out of

Uni? A year in industry

could be your ticket to a

better career. A placement

could:

l Help you to decide what

career you want

l Give you more information

about the world of work and

key challenges

l Introduce you to new

people who could help you in

the future l Boost your skills.

Develop your skills further

by taking part in YFC training

courses and study tours. Find

out more at www.nfyfc.org.

uk/courses/courses

Abseiling down a cliff face on a windy afternoon was a bit of a scary start to my first Youth Forum Residential weekend – but it was a lot

of fun! I joined 10 other members on an amazing trip to the Isle of Man in February and, as well as dangling from ropes, I made new friends and learnt more about being a Young Farmer on the island. In fact, I think I fell in love with the Isle of Man – it’s very rural and picturesque.

I missed out on last year’s Residential so I was determined to get in on the action this time around. We stayed at The Venture Centre – an outdoor activity centre on the island – and there was certainly plenty to do. Our abseiling was just the start of an action packed Saturday. We had abseiled down trees and buildings before we got to the cliff face. Despite the shivers from the cold and fear – there was a real sense of achievement once you had completed it!

In the afternoon we split into two groups and took turns to have a go at air rifle shooting and archery. In the archery we had to try to burst each other’s balloons that we had pinned to

the board, which was a lot of fun! After all that excitement there was

still more to come. In the evening we went to a restaurant in the nearby town of Ramsey and met up with 10 Young Farmers from the island and their coordinator. It was great to learn more about what they do in their clubs. They are getting ready for their annual concert where all the Young Farmers perform – it’s a sell-out! I’m surprised to hear there is more than one YFC on the small island. Their organisation has four – Northern, Southern, Eastern and Central – and 45 minutes is considered a long journey. This is funny as some of us have to travel that far to get to school or work in the UK.

I got talking to one of the members who had found it difficult to find

26 TEN26

YOUTHYOUTHFORUMFORUM

A fun-packed weekend on the Isle of Man for the Youth Forum Residential left Amy Swinbank from Cumbria FYFC with fond memories and a new job!

I LOVETHE ISLE OF MAN

TEN26 27

SET UP A COUNTY YOUTH FORUMAmy Swinbank has recently set up a Youth Forum in Cumbria to give younger members in the County a voice.

“When I looked around the County’s Council meetings, most members were older than 20 and yet the younger members are the biggest portion of the Federation,” said Amy who attracted 11 members to her first meeting in January. Amy is the Chairman of the Cumbria Youth Forum and there are two vice chairmen who represent the north and south districts. “I found out how other counties had successfully set up their own – especially in Wales – and we wanted to do the same.”

If you want advice on how to set up a Youth Forum in your County, email Youthwork Officer Jodie.green@nfyfc.org.uk.

enough farm work on the island and so split his week between being an electrician and a contract farm worker.

It was an early start the next morning for our official meeting, where I was elected as the Youth Forum Vice Chairman! I am so excited as I will be supporting the new Youth Forum Chairman Danielle McNulty from Gloucestershire who has taken over the post from Sioned Davies. It’s my last year as part of the Youth Forum and so I knew if I didn’t take the opportunity now I would never be able to do it.

During the rest of the meeting we discussed our future plans. We’ll soon be pitching to NatWest to see if they will sponsor our Watch that Cowpat field-to-fork educational game. I have

been involved in the making of this game and it feels good to see how far it has come. I took our prototype into a local school to test it as I am doing an extended qualification at school that is based on how well children know where their food comes from. The feedback was positive and the children were learning and having fun.

Our meeting finished at 1pm and it was a mad dash to the airport to catch our flight home. I was really sad to leave because I’d made such good friends with everyone but hopefully we will all meet up again soon.

Being part of the Youth Forum has definitely boosted my confidence. This weekend was great for meeting new people and trying out new activities. Amy Swinbank, Eden Valley YFC

YOURYOURSHOUT!SHOUT!

ALL OF YOUR CLUB NEWS AND VIEWS

FROM AROUND THE NFYFC AREAS

YFC ZONE

MISSING OUT ON THE

TWITTER ACTION? CHECK

OUT WHAT MEMBERS ARE

TWEETING ABOUT...

TWEET TWEET

Vicky Parkinson

@VickyP_92

Just booked @NFYFC AGM

off work.

3 February 2015

Helen Brown @HelenBruwn

On route isle of man for the

@NFYFC youth form

meeting! #ontourIOM2015

30 January 2015

Katie Evans

@KatieJaneEvans

Should be doing my work

but instead searching for

@NFYFC agm fancydress

ideas #waymorefun

#rollonApril

13 January 2015

Emma Clements

@Em_Clem1

Brilliant YFC nativity.

Well done to all involved

in planning and actors/

singers. #nativity

#yfcstyle @Suffolkyfc

@Hadleigh_YFC

14 December 2015

The sky’s the limitTen brave Lincolnshire FYFC members did a

sky dive at Hibaldstow and raised more than

£2,500 for road safety charity Brake and the

County Federation. As well as

funds, members wanted to raise

awareness about the good work of

both of the charities.

County Organiser Helen Jones

said: “Lincolnshire FYFC thanks

all members involved with the

event both those that took part

and those behind the scenes.”

SPECIAL PUD FOR 70TH ANNIVERSARY A special ice cream dessert added a sweet ending to Canterbury YFC’s 70th anniversary dinner and dance, which also raised £500 for charity Reverse Rett. Family-run Solley’s Kentish ice cream created a bespoke apple pie flavour with toffee ripple and butterscotch chips for their 1940s themed party. They also donated 250 individual tubs for a traditional ‘jelly and ice cream’ pudding. The event took place at the Spitfire Ground in Canterbury and was set in WW2 to mark when the Club was launched. Boys wore military dress or tuxedos and girls wore vintage clothes or ‘land girl’ outfits.

SOUTH EAST

EAST MIDLANDS

France played host to Newton St Cyres YFC twice recently when members visited the country on two

separate occasions. A four-day study tour, organised

by the Club’s President Stewart Turner and advisory member Stewart Luxton, included visits to famous sites such as Bayeux, a D-Day landing museum, Pegasus Bridge and Mont Saint-Michel. The trip also included a tour of beef

and dairy farms in Commes, which showed the 14 members’ different approaches to farming.

Six of the Club’s members were back in the country when they joined Devon FYFC and 58 members for their annual skiing trip to Val Thorens.

“Everyone had an enjoyable week and luckily all returned home without any broken bones,” said Georgina Davie. “We’re now planning our next Club trip!”

TEN26 29

VIVE LA FRANCEOoo la la, Newton St Cyres are enjoying the delights of France with two trips overseas

SOUTH WEST

CLUB: Hope Valley YFC, Derbyshire

NO. OF MEMBERS: 30

BEST MEETING: One of the best has to be a talk by Craig Wilkinson on his work with the athletes at the Olympics in London 2012 and looking forward to Rio in 2016. 

BEST COMP: We are best known for our stock judging and our harlequin tops for tug-of-war.

CHARITY: We are supporting Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice which offers care and support to children with a shortened life expectancy, both in their own homes and at the hospice. We are also supporting the Kidney Cancer Support Network, which is a patient-led network of kidney cancer patients, care-givers and families affected by kidney cancer. At our Harvest Auction we raised over £2,700 for our chosen charities.

TOP CLUBOur YFCs are amazing and we’re sharing the love this issue with a YFC Buzz Club of the Month winner

Do you want to brag about how great your club

is? Email magazine@nfyfc.org.uk to be in the next issue.

e

HO

PE

VA L L E Y Y F C

H D E R B Y S H I R

E

H

YFC ZONE

CHARITY CORNER

Boobie bash! WHO: Ramsey YFC

CHARITY: Breast cancer charity

Coppafeel – focused on raising

awareness of the disease in younger

people.

WHAT THEY DID: A bra decorating

competition and a ‘Boobie Bash’ party

to raise awareness and £658 for the

charity. More than 80 people from

clubs across Cambridgeshire joined

in Ramsey YFC’s party last October.

The Club raised the money from ticket

sales as well as a raffle with prizes

donated by members and sponsors.

WHAT THEY SAY: Amy Corney

said: “As well as the party, we held a

competition for the best decorated

bra at one of our Club nights. Lots of

members wore their bras on top of their

clothes, with many of the boys getting

involved too. The charity Coppafeel

sent some great promotional items

for us to give out, such as stickers, info

cards, balloons and temporary tattoos.”

EASTERN

EAST MIDLANDS

Congratulations to Lincolnshire’s County Organiser Helen

Jones on her marriage to Robert in September last year.

The perfect wedding transportation!

Wedded bliss

Hairy Harvesters Cultivating beards throughout the harvest season helped six Young Farmers from Bedfordshire raise £1,200 for their local air ambulance service. Aptly named the Hairy Harvesters, the six committed to growing their facial hair for four months from their first silage on 13 May until the last combine stopped on 15 September.

Ainsley Jones said: “We want to encourage individuals or groups to raise money for charity during this year’s harvest.”

EASTERN

TOY STORYIt was a county effort when all of Radnor’s 13

clubs donated toys and hampers of food to

Powys Children’s Services.

The Christmas effort was aimed at giving

disadvantaged children in Powys, the old

county of Radnor, gifts for the festive season.

Wales Vice Chairman Vicky Hope said it was

a project that captured the attention of lots

of members. “Clubs really related to this

scheme as many of the gifts were going to

young people of similar ages to themselves,”

said Vicky. “We hope to support this service

every year as it is helping disadvantaged

young people in our local area.”

WALES

DIGGING DEEP FOR CHARITY

TEN26 31

v

Fire callDoncaster YFC learnt about fire safety with South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Station. The tour included an explanation of how the station is set up and the process of how the service answers an emergency call when they are on duty and the chance to use a fully loaded water hose.  

Sophie Raper, Doncaster YFC’s Treasurer, said: “This is an important service that everyone needs to know about, due to members working with large machinery and open land fires.”

Members of Dilwyn YFC

have been getting

their hands dirty

and supporting the

community in an effort to boost

the Club’s funds.

Delivering farmyard muck

to budding gardeners in the

surrounding parishes fed flower

beds and raised £210 for

the hard-working Club. They

followed up their success with

a bag-packing mission at Asda

in Hereford and raised £510

towards the Club’s Christmas

food parcels that they deliver to

elderly Dilwyn residents.

The Club rounded off a

successful year with a weekend

of carol singing in December,

visiting pubs in Herefordshire

and homes in Dilwyn where they

raised £1,020! The fund paid

for a defibrillator for Dilwyn and

a £200 donation to the West

Midlands Air Ambulance.

“We split into two teams

to go carol singing and were

accompanied by a trumpet and

a clarinet,” said Beth Hanson.

“It’s the most we have ever

raised for our carol singing!”

WEST MIDLANDS

NORTHERN

GOT A STORY?!DO YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR CLUB IN THE MAGAZINE? SEND YOUR PHOTOS AND STORIES TO:magazine@nfyfc.org.uk or call 02476 857200 to talk to the team!

“We split into two teams to go carol singing and

were accompanied by a trumpet and a clarinet.

£1020 is the most we have ever raised for our

carol singing!”

SuperMoo hit the slopes on the YFC Ski trip and had a great time snow boarding. Can you spot five differences between these two pix of SuperMoo doing stunts?

COMPETITIONSCOMPETITIONSTAKE SOME TIME OUT TO PLAY OUR

FUN QUIZZES AND WIN A PRIZE!

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Farm Grown Solutions Proudly supporting Young Farmers’ Clubs

www.tama-uat.co.uk+44(0) 1420 545 800

WIN ANNUAL CONVENTION POLO SHIRTS FOR YOUR CLUB!

T&Cs: One winner will be selected at random. You need to be a member of the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs to win this prize. The prize is non-transferable, there is no cash alternative.

NFYFC have teamed up with Young Farmers Clothing to give you the chance to win 10 free official polo shirts for this year’s Annual Convention! Young Farmers Clothing supply customised embroidered and printed clothing for all types of YFC activities, including sports, tours and fundraising events.

For more information go to www.youngfarmersclothing.com, email

sales@youngfarmersclothing.com or call 01584 813 801.

To be in with a chance of winning free polo shirts for your club, all you have to do is ‘Like’ Young Farmers Clothing on Facebook. What could be easier?

The winner will be picked out at random in a draw to be held on Friday 10 April 2015 – GOOD LUCK!

HOW TO ENTER