Farmers Club AUTUMN 2017 • ISSUE 270
www.thefarmersclub.com
INSIDE Royal Welsh p6 Market risks p8 Brexit call p10 Club golf p12 Lebanon p14 Farm shops p16 Rural tourism p18 Chef’s page p19 Under 30s potato champ p21 INSERTS Christmas Card Staff Christmas Fund Committee Ballot Members Info Sheet 175th Anniversary Dinner Charles I Exhibition Cirque du Soleil
Summer shows New format for Summer Show Receptions proves popular p6
www.thefarmersclub.com for the latest Club news
Contents
Farmers Club Serving the farming industry for 175 years 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EL Patron – Her Majesty The Queen
FRONT COVER A new format for Club Receptions at Summer Shows proved highly successful, attracting more members than for many years to the Great Yorkshire and Royal Welsh shows. Photography: Tim Scrivener www.agriphoto.com Disclaimer: The articles published in The Farmers Club Journal do not necessarily reflect the views of The Farmers Club. No responsibility for the quality of goods or services advertised in the magazine can be accepted by the publisher. Advertisements are included in good faith. All rights reserved.
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3 Chairman’s Comments
Taking the Club to the country is a real privilege
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Club News
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Royal Welsh Show
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Managing farming’s risks
Club developments, masterful refurbishment of bedrooms, August event success, IT issues and the Club Calendar Builth Wells hosts Europe’s largest agricultural festival – a truly vibrant community-based farm show like no other
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Protecting incomes as turbulent market changes push farms from profit to loss can be easier than you might think
10 Get smart before Brexit
Just how do government advisors view farming’s future? A senior expert gives his own assessment
12 Club golf
The Club’s thriving Golf Society in words and pictures
14 Food for healing
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How a few determined individuals are using food to help heal deep divides in the war-ravaged population of The Lebanon
16 Farm shop excellence
An insight into some of the amazing foods now on offer through the UK’s farm shops and specialist food producers
18 Welsh farming in figures
Insight into Welsh agriculture via some key statistics
18 Tourism trumps farming
Rural incomes need to draw more on the tourism market as traditional food production becomes less profitable
19 Chef ’s page
Free range pigs and poultry on a very large scale in Staffordshire catch Chef’s attention
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21 Under 30s potato champ
Turning the humble spud into a multi-million pound business
22 Club Information and Contacts
Chairman’s Comments • Tim Bennett Excellent food safety The UK along with the rest of Europe has always held to the principle of ensuring farm to fork standards with excellent food safety, animal welfare and traceability. I think consumers will continue to expect these standards in the future and so regardless of any future trade agreements we will need to market our production methods more effectively than ever. The marketplace is driven by consumer demand and we will need to maintain and even exceed our already high standards in order to ensure we remain the number one choice for UK consumers. Andrei and I have been visiting many agricultural shows this summer and I would like to thank all the organisers for the tremendous welcome we have received, which has given us the opportunity to meet many members.
Chairman’s Comments “We will need to maintain and even exceed our already high standards in order to ensure we remain the number one choice for UK consumers.”
AS part of my closing comments for the last edition of the Journal I mentioned that the weather had been almost perfect to ensure good growing conditions at home. I was obviously too optimistic as the last month has been very wet, and some of our ground at the end of August is too wet for heavy machinery. Travelling around the country, the harvest has been really difficult for many, with grain quality suffering badly. Hopefully, we will soon get a prolonged dry spell of weather, but this does illustrate how farmers already have to cope with uncertainty, and the creation of more uncertainty around Brexit terms and future trade deals makes planning difficult. There has been a lot of comment in the press recently around the impact of future trade agreements with regard to food standards, and particularly in respect of the potential early arrangements with the United States of America.
Royal Welsh Show The Royal Welsh show is our “local” show and this year the President of the show is Brian Jones who also lives in Carmarthenshire. Each year one of the counties in Wales is responsible for raising funds for the Royal Welsh and this money is then invested in improving the showground in some way. This year it was the turn of Carmarthenshire, and Brian was heavily involved with the many volunteers, who did a fantastic job. It is a reminder that without all the people who so willingly and generously give their time, commitment and expertise, a key part of our farming culture could not be maintained. Westmorland Reception I am looking forward to a couple of days at the Westmorland Show in September: the Club will be holding a reception and I look forward to meeting more of our members. I have also been asked to take part as one of the judges! The Club’s Autumn programme is looking busy, with the usual traditional events such as the Harvest Festival and also speakers including Julio Bruno, the Group CEO of Time Out International, who will talk about his experience running a worldwide publishing organisation, as well as running food markets in a number of countries. I am sure he will provide useful insights into coping with globalisation outside the large single market that we are accustomed to, and whose value we have perhaps underestimated in the past!
Club Christmas Card This year’s Farmers Club Christmas Card features an original photograph “Poll Dorsets in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales” taken by Wayne Hutchinson who has kindly donated the use of the image. The card, which measures 171mm x 121 mm (7” x 5”), is printed with the Club logo and the
greeting “With Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year”. Packs of 10 cost £8.00 including VAT and may be bought at Reception or ordered from the General Office (insert enclosed). Image courtesy of Hutchinson Photography www.farmimages.co.uk All profits to RABI/RSABI.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 03
Andrei Spence • Club News
Club News
activity packs and a children’s menu were available, attracting much praise from members for the thought given to meeting their needs.
Successful summer season in the Club
The refurbishment of bedrooms on the seventh floor completed on time and budget (see below), offering higher spec, and lighter decorations and furniture than previously, along with substantial re-wiring, some re-plumbing and minor structural works. This brings that half of the seventh floor up to a very good standard. We will embark on the other half next March/April. In early-September we ran a trip to Buckingham Palace’s State Rooms, Royal Gift Exhibition, and tribute to Diana Princess of Wales on the 20th anniversary of her death. September also marked our reception for members and guests at the Westmorland Show, with High Sheriff of Cumbria Mr Alistair Wannop as our guest speaker. September also sees the Golf Society very active, with matches in Kent and Henley-on-Thames, the Under 30s have their Autumn Dining Evening, and the Honorary Members lunch is due to be very well attended.
Mid-August to mid-September is usually quiet for the Club, allowing us to catch up with things we don’t have time for elsewhere in the year. But this year the Club has remained very busy throughout. Occupancy has been historically high and
the number of meetings, dinners and lunches in the Restaurant, Conference and Banqueting rooms has exceeded expectations. It is good to see the Club being so well used, particularly by members with younger families. Indeed, children’s
Summer also marked the time that sees my team and I embark on much of the preparatory work on next years’ budget before presentation to the F&GP in October. All-in-all, not such a quiet period after all!
Quality bedroom refurbishments The Club has had a continual programme of bedroom upgrades and refurbishment, writes General Manager Virginia Masser. However, it is now in a very deliberate cycle of refurbishing five to six bedrooms at Easter and a similar number in August. Historical features of the rooms are retained where possible and rooms generally made easier and more pleasant to use. For example Room 12 had a step about 3ft into the room, which was difficult to navigate whilst opening the bedroom door. Now you step up into the room as you enter. We have also used an open wardrobe, which has revealed a window once covered, bringing more natural light and an area to stand a case or bag.
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In another room the opportunity was taken to soundproof the walls. The layout of each room is reviewed and where re-wiring is needed we are able to make changes where necessary, such as re-positioning lighting, electrical sockets etc. Double sockets are used where possible, to cope with the increasing number of electrical items members wish to use during their stay. Most refurbished rooms have new furniture, and old beds replaced with top-of-the-range Sleepeeze beds. Finally, all bedrooms have their own individual curtain/colour design… no two rooms are the same!
Club News • Andrei Spence
Summer shows prove popular A healthy turnout of members and guests at the Club’s new-style receptions at the Royal Welsh Show and Great Yorkshire Show (pictured) has endorsed the Committee’s decision to pursue a new approach as part of its mission to take the Club to the country. Photos of these and other Club events can be viewed and downloaded from www.thefarmersclub. com/library
Club Calendar Diary Dates See Events section of Club website (www.thefarmersclub.com) for more details, or contact Administrator Anita Kaur 020 7930 3751 extn 103 e-mail: administrator@thefarmersclub.com SEPTEMBER Macmillan Coffee Morning Friday 29th September Fundraising event in the Club – join us for coffee, cake and a chat. No booking required Macmillan Coffee Morning
OCTOBER Har vest Festival Ser vice Tuesday 10th October Service at St Martin-in-the-fields followed by supper in the Club. Application form in Harvest Journal
Harvest Festival Service
Trip to Portugal – FULL Monday 16th - Thursday 19th October Tour based in Oporto, taking in wine, food and farming.
NOVEMBER U30s November Dining Evening Friday 24th November Speaker to be confirmed Trip to Portugal
IT system Some of you may be aware we had significant problems with our website recently, due to our website host being acquired by another company and moving into an area of the IT market in which the Club does not fit. Despite many frustrations with transferring the site, its data and elements of the Jonas management system, we finally completed the task, thanks to Herculean effort from our IT manager Jesus Reina, at precisely the moment he became a first-time father! I now intend to forge ahead with the analysis phase of replacing the overall Club IT management system, so it better facilitates the business of the Club.
August event Club Administrator Anita Kaur secured 25 places for a tour of Clarence House and a trip to the Theatre Royal in Haymarket to see Queen Anne, with lunch and a pre-theatre buffet both in the Club. This event was fully subscribed in less than seven days, despite the short notice. It seems to be the type of event members appreciate and called for in the recent survey, so more are planned for Easter and August 2018.
Statoil Masters Tennis
DECEMBER Statoil Masters Tennis – FULL Friday 1st December Farmers Club 175th Anniversar y Dinner Friday 8th December Celebration dinner in Club, guest speaker Lord Taylor of Holbeach. See p22. Application form enclosed
New Year’s Eve Dinner Sunday 31st December 175th Anniversary Dinner
Black tie dinner in Club with great view of London fireworks display. Application deadline 22nd September
JANUARY 2018 Wednesday 3rd January Club resumes full service at 3pm following festive period New Year’s Eve Dinner
Cirque du Soleil Friday 26th January Supper at Club and OVO stage show at Royal Albert Hall. See p22. Application form enclosed
Charles I: King and Collector Friday 2nd February Cirque du Soleil
Private lecture, lunch at Club and exhibition at Royal Academy of Arts. See p22. Application form enclosed
www.thefarmersclub.com • 05
Charles Abel • Welsh Show
Royal Welsh Show The Royal Welsh Show is Europe’s largest farming event, drawing a hugely enthusiastic audience and showcasing all that’s best about Welsh agriculture. Charles Abel reports
BEST OF WALES Huge crowds, competitive livestock entries and a tremendous community spirit reflected an industry that employs over 53,000 on-farm, and underpins a near £7bn food and drink sector with 223,100 jobs, and tourism worth £2.5bn. In research 75% of UK consumers say Welsh food ‘tastes fantastic’ and 59% reckon it ‘feels natural’.
GREAT RECEPTION Farmers Club members and guests gathered in the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society’s Pavilion for drinks, canapes and a vision of the show’s future from RWAS Assistant Chief Executive Aled Jones. This year’s Feature County, Carmarthenshire, was fundraising well over £250,000 for improved showground stabling, noted RWAS Chairman Brian Jones.
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Welsh Show • Charles Abel
PROTECTED STATUS Maintaining EU protected status for Welsh foods is a priority for Hybu Cig Cymru/Meat Promotion Wales, with pre-Brexit Defra meetings underway. Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef gained protection in 2002/3. Now 14 Welsh food products are protected against imitation, which boosts consumer confidence and aids marketing. Precedent exists for PFN status for non-EU produce, such as Café de Colombia. Or the UK could create reciprocal EU recognition.
WELSH BARD Ceredigion poet and dramatic reader Karen Brewer’s “Seeds from a Danedelion” reflects farm life, especially through “Super view from top field” and “Farmer’s Den”. Available from on-line booksellers.
GLORIOUS FOOD More than Welsh cakes and cawl! Food and Drink Wales is embarking on a major food promotion, as part of the #ThisisWales campaign. Branded “Wales. Food odyssey” it aims to champion the people, provenance, taste and design of Welsh food and drink. Potential buyers were treated to a slick presentation of hundreds of Welsh food products in a professionally managed trade lounge above the Royal Welsh Show Food Hall. Research suggests that initiative alone boosted sales by £2m over the past two years.
BVD IN FOCUS The whole-of-Wales BVD eradication strategy proposed by Gelli Aur College got the go-ahead for a September 1st start.
RURAL SUPPORT A 16-mile Tywi Valley path/ cycle-way aims to attract 15,000 visitors a year to boost the rural economy as part of an overall £1.3bn investment in the Swansea Bay City Region.
SHEARING CONTEST Competitive sheep-shearing is alive and well, with crowds of 500+ and competitors training as for a sport, says Sennybridge hill farmer Brian Davies, of the Welsh Shearing Equipment Centre, 1975 world champion and world record holder at the same time with 609 sheep sheared in 9 hours.
GOVE’S VIEW “The world knows Welsh produce is of the highest quality, so as we leave the EU we can be sure there are fresh markets to exploit, so producers can sell more, and produce more,” insisted Defra secretary Michael Gove, who said he was embracing Welsh government views “more than ever” and would “respect the devolved deal”.
TOURISM TARGET Black Mountain bespoke shepherd’s huts are hugely popular, offering 5-star Gold standard boutique accommodation for the burgeoning staycation market.
FARMING PRIDE Spelling it out to the public – at the show and across the country – Welsh farmers are proud to produce the nation’s food.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 07
James Bolesworth • Grain trading
Managing price risk Coping with volatility is key to profitable farming. Club member James Bolesworth of CRM Agri takes a closer look
VOLATILITY in commodity markets is nothing new, particularly in agriculture. The Chicago Board of Trade was established in 1848 so farmers and merchants could agree forward contracts, as opposed to turning up to the local corn exchange and accepting whatever price was offered or returning home with unsold bushels.
James Bolesworth
170 years later and markets have significantly evolved, with many more participants and exchanges all over the world providing much needed liquidity. Some criticise the speculators and ‘black box’ funds, but they are required for an efficient marketplace. The tools and security at the disposal of producers and consumers provide an exceptionally powerful mechanism for managing the risk of increasingly volatile grain markets. Farmers worldwide use the tools available more actively than those in the UK. However, a growing number of UK farmers are embracing the need for risk management, not only for protecting yields by using fungicides for example, but also for protecting revenues using options and a well-planned marketing strategy. Managing yield risk When a farmer applies fungicide or takes insurance on his machinery, he is not hoping for a wet spring and high disease pressure, or that his tractor is damaged. However, if one of these unfortunate events does occur, the farmer knows he has a level of protection and is not taking a gamble. CRM Agri works with farmers to ensure they have a similar mind-set for grain marketing
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and price risk management. Many farmers don’t realise they can put a floor or ceiling in the price they will receive, whilst still benefitting should prices rise or fall. Being fully independent, CRM Agri works alongside farmers to ensure they fully understand each part of a professionally managed grain marketing strategy. We also help with the ongoing management of an evolving strategy. It’s like having your own on-farm professionally managed pool, without any constraints or commitment to any one buyer, and having constant knowledge of your average price and how much has been sold. Farmers are faced with risks every day. It’s the nature of the job. For many it is what makes it so exciting, and provides fantastic opportunities. CRM Agri’s method focuses on first mitigating some of the riskiest factors (volatile grain markets), and having reduced this risk then builds on the strategy throughout a marketing window, which can be up to two years. A lot can happen with weather, politics, currency and trade over two years, which is why farmers need a dynamic strategy. The marketing campaign for the 2016 harvest shows the merit of mitigating downside risk. Farmers would have been able to justify taking good levels of cover for their crop in April 2016, when prices were around £110-115/t, as global supplies and stocks looked set to continue rising and very few production issues were present. As a result prices within the main exporting nations continued to drift lower, whereas in the UK, following the Brexit vote on June 23rd 2016, UK wheat prices have risen by nearly 30% as Sterling
Grain trading • James Bolesworth weakened 20% after the referendum causing UK stocks to tighten as exports accelerated, leaving the UK a net importer for the season. The risk to UK farmers in April 2016 was that if Sterling had strengthened after a remain vote, which was a strong possibility at the time, UK prices would have followed global prices as they drifted lower. CRM Agri clients insured against this downside by using ‘put options’ on a third of their production, but were still able to sell physical grain into a market at a £20-30/t premium. The cost of that insurance – £5/t. Overall for the 2016 harvest year farmers following the CRM Agri strategy have achieved a result in excess of £130/t ex-farm for feed wheat, without taking major risks.
event required to sustain any long term correction in prices. With currently ample stocks and minimal weather risks of significance seen at present, the market is likely to remain sluggish for now and remain in a consolidation pattern with short term weather issues leading to funds buying back positions and providing selling opportunities for farmers. Increasing global demand does feature, but this remains a standard trend and therefore fairly predictable. The main price influencing factor is supply. In order to help farmers get to grips with their grain market, the CRM risk management program is run through one day courses and regular regional seminars, to keep farmers updated on the markets and suggested strategies.
Elastic prices Historically, prices have had the ability to remain at lower levels before a correction for much longer than they do when prices are higher before a fall, predominantly as a result of price being more elastic to supply than demand and a more consistent level of global consumption.
Where next for the market? Independent analysis and information is key to CRM Agri’s service and ultimately drives it’s strategy and advice. An extensive and growing network gathers relevant, timely data on what is driving UK prices. When considering any sort of sustained recovery for the UK market, it is important to view this in the context of the global market, which ultimately sets the export price. At the time of writing the UK is one of the most expensive origins (see graphic). In this context farmers globally continue to feel the full effects of the supply glut, with US wheat prices trading near to decade lows and farmers planting the lowest winter wheat area for over 100 years, although recent dry condition in the US have provided a short term rally, which presented a good selling opportunity with funds buying back huge positions and sending prices higher (they do provide some benefits).
World Wheat FOB Prices ($/T)
KEY France Russia US SRW US HRW UK
With global coarse grains stock continuing to rise, there is a sufficient cushion to help mitigate the impact of any regional supply shocks, with a major weather, macro or politically influenced
“ Managing price risk is far easier than you think.”
More info crmagri.co.uk
www.thefarmersclub.com • 09
Charles Abel • Brexit challenge
Get smart before Brexit Brexit demands a fundamental rethink for the vast majority of farmers. Charles Abel relays the views of a senior Government adviser
“It’s controversial, but we have quite a large part of the farming industry not doing a very good job.”
IRRESPECTIVE of Brexit the agrifood sector is immensely important to the UK, accounting for 14% of its economy. But it is a very diverse and fragmented sector, which brings challenges. What’s more, for many farmers, Brexit is going to demand a fundamental re-think about how they do business. Such were the views of Prof Ian Boyd, Defra Chief Scientist, at the launch of a key initiative to help the agrifood sector improve its productivity. “Clearly there is going to be significant change, but it will not be sudden and it will be structured and driven by strategy,” noted Prof Boyd, stressing that his comments were personal and not UK Government policy. Productivity was key. “Agrifood is a very advanced sector, but when benchmarked against developed country competitors we are flat lining, whereas they are improving, and we don’t understand why. If we project that into very different trading relationships and competition in the marketplace we could see extreme changes quite quickly. So the challenge is around innovation to develop into more high-value niche markets and marketing in very different ways.” 80:20 dilemma The way agriculture is structured is also an issue. “The advantage at Defra is the helicopter view we have of the world, where we can see 80% of production is from 20% of farmers on 50% of the land. That leaves 80% of farmers producing 20% of the produce.
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“It’s controversial, but we have quite a large part of the farming industry not doing a very good job. So whilst we can develop new technologies, if [that less productive 80% of] farming is not geared up to take the technology, then it is all for nought.” Of that less productive 80% he felt some genuinely aspired to moving into the top 20%, but were held back by lack of capital, business structure or a lack of information. However, a lot were lifestyle farmers, who chose to continue to farm in broadly the same way as their parents and grand-parents. Others call themselves farmers, but aren’t, since the farming is done by what Prof Boyd termed ‘service providers’, be that through a rent, lease, deal or partnership arrangement. None of the equipment was theirs, neither were they involved in on-farm activities. “There is a lot more of this ‘servicisation’ going on than we might imagine, and it can be a good idea in terms of bringing specialism to the farm, but we actually have no idea of the size of this.” “Other farmers are just useless, as is the case in every walk of life.” Effective public spending “The key issue for policy is understanding the segmentation and structure of the industry and ensuring public money is spent most effectively to drive towards objectives. Those could be productivity, in which case helping the 20% of aspirational farmers move out of the [less productive] 80% would make sense. It could be outcomes based too. But whatever happens it is moving in those sorts of directions. We are not
Brexit challenge • Charles Abel going to be able to afford to have the agricultural support systems that we had in the past and we will probably [look to] drive up productivity.” “The question is how to get technologies into the 80%, because the 20% are probably very receptive to that already.”
“Government will partner with industry to innovate, but it does need people at the end of the pipeline waiting for the innovations. Reform of the subsidy system will cause land prices to drop and more younger better educated people to come in, creating that pull. But at the moment it is not happening at sufficient volume to make a difference.”
Skills are a key issue, he stressed. “When surveyed only 30% of farms run a cashflow and business plan. That is just amazing. You can’t run a business without that. Is it any wonder 50% of lowland livestock producers are unprofitable, even after subsidy. We need to be talking about just how to run a business. “If we could just get the 80% to be 5-10% better the productivity problem would be solved over-night. That means simple ideas taken up by a large number of people.” Extension services, now largely in private hands, were key. But they were mainly accessed by those who could afford to pay for them, namely the top 20%. “So how can we support the farmers that need the help?” Controversial comments He acknowledged that his comments were controversial, and that there was a tension with rural community issues. “We have two to three years in which to think very seriously about our future farm support system, and training and education targeted at the right people needs to be at the top of the agenda. There are lots of ways of getting it wrong, and far fewer ways of getting it right.” He agreed Defra acting as a supporter of farming to help it achieve productivity and ecosystem services goals was preferable to it being a policeman/watchdog. But the culture was deep seated, and probably went right back to World War 2 and the need to feed the nation.
AFTP LAUNCH AgriFood Training Partnership offers a single entry point for high level training, from field to fork, using six leading UK universities to translate cutting edge academic research into applied industry expertise. Upcoming courses include Antimicrobial Resistance in the Food Chain; Agro-ecosystem Services; Meat Science and Meat Quality; Sustainable Grassland Systems; Food Business Operations Management. www.aftp.co.uk
www.thefarmersclub.com • 11
Mike Broomby • Golf Society AS can be seen from the report below, from April to October there are many events available for Farmers Club Members who are golfers. Currently around 80 Members of the Farmers Club have registered an interest, but we are always pleased to welcome new golfers. We are well into our season of golf matches. Our first match of the year was held at the New Zealand Club in Surrey against the East India Club. The format for this event is two rounds of foursomes and I’m pleased to say we achieved an emphatic win, which had not happened since 2011. However, having received the Young’s Trophy, it became apparent that we have now each won 11 times over the 22 years this match has been played.
Golf Club
The Farmers Club Golf Society is thriving, with matches played across the UK, as Golf Captain Mike Broomby explains
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This was followed by matches against the NFU at the Crookham and Newberry course where we recorded a win and then against the British Veterinary Association at the Worcester Golf and Country Club where the match was halved. The events then moved to Scotland where we play an afternoon match against the Edinburgh New Club at Luffness in East Lothian, where again we enjoyed success. However, our successful start to the season was brought to an abrupt
Golf Society • Mike Broomby halt the following day by the Farmer Members of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers at Muirfield. Royal St Georges at Sandwich on the Kent coast was our next venue where we played the XL’s Club, unfortunately without success. This again is a match which has been played for many years. The venue is very special and we assemble on the Sunday night for a black tie dinner before two rounds of golf the following day. There are two further matches later in the year, and in addition we enter a team of four to compete for the Bath Cup at Woking Golf Club, where 20 London Clubs enter the competition. All Farmer’s Club members and guests are invited to play in the Club Championship event, which was held on 5th July at Blackwell Golf Club near Bromsgrove in Worcestershire. This is a very fine golf course and this year 40 golfers participated under blue skies, Jeremy Coleclough winning The Farmers Club Putter (37 points), Sally Dare the Eric Wilson Trophy for ladies (29 points), Michael Turnbull the John Roberts Cup for men over 70 (32 points) and Tony Marchland the guest prize (36 points) (pictured below left).
The final event of our year again for all Members and guests is our Autumn meeting, which, traditionally, is played over two days at venues chosen by the Captain. This year we will be playing at Sevenoaks in Kent, at Knole Park Golf Club on Thursday 28th September and Wildernesse the following day. The Autumn event has normally proved very popular with Members and guests and we look forward to a good turnout again this year. As will be appreciated these golf matches and other days have to be planned in advance and each event properly organised. This very full administrative task is handled by Martin Shaw, who is one of the golfing members. Without Martin’s dedication to this task Farmers Club golf would not exist and the Captain’s role would become impossible. So we thank you Martin for the wonderful work you do for us.
“ Currently around 80 Farmers Club members have registered an interest, but we are always pleased to welcome new golfers.”
This is the second year of my Captaincy and I would like to record my thanks to all the members who have given me so much support and made the task so enjoyable. Finally I’m delighted to be able to announce that my successor next year will be David Reading and I wish him well for his two years in office.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 13
Jane Craigie • Food for peace
Food for thought Food is a starting point for healing deep wounds in damaged societies, as Club member Jane Craigie discovered
“Food unites the people of Beirut – can we learn from them?”
IF I’m honest, I didn’t wholly understand the current conflicts in the Middle East until I visited the beautiful country that is The Lebanon in May of this year. Having been born in Cyprus, and spending part of my childhood living in the Turkish city of Istanbul, this complex region has long been a special place in the map of my family’s story. I went to The Lebanon to spend time with Kamal Mouzawak, an incredible man whose mission has been to unite The Lebanon’s war-torn people through food and the shared history of food traditions. We met when he spoke at an event called The Do Lectures – an Ideas Festival – held in Wales in the summer of 2016.
Two travel companions trusted me sufficiently to join me on the trip, they were my father, Iain Craigie, whose far-reaching career was with GCHQ, taking him to posts all over the world and Matthew Naylor a farmer who thinks so differently that he gracefully challenges your every pre- or misconception. They were perfect people to be with – open, trusting and eager to understand the places we visited. Lebanon’s civil war raged from 1975 to 1990 and the country, bordered by Israel to the south and Syria to the east and north, has not known real peace since. The Lebanon is fairly prosperous and superficially peaceful, despite its complex religious landscape [18 official religions, and six unofficial others]. Tension is rising in its twelve refugee camps and the country as a whole as a result and influx of over 2.5 million Syrian war refugees, burgeoning Lebanon’s population to 6.5 million over the past four years.
Mariam Shaar, Borj El Brajni
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Our host, Kamal, is a farmer’s son, he set up a farmers’ market in 2004 in downtown, trendy Beirut. The market, called Souk el Tayeb [‘souk’ means market, ‘tayeb’ translates to good], has grown to over 85 stalls, attracting up to 3,000 shoppers during the peak months from October to May. The stalls are all run by small farmers and producers from all over The Lebanon.
Food for peace • Jane Craigie up Soufra, a food catering enterprise – the Women’s Programme Association (WPA) – recruiting 20 other women from the camp. The team has learnt how to prepare and make food to a professional standard. They now run a food truck and are catering with traditional Palestinian foods to organisations outside the camp like embassies and universities. Soufra has given the women meaning and purpose in what would otherwise be a diminished and sometimes demeaning existence.
Three ladies who sell sweet treats at the Souk Make food, not war The souk’s slogan is ‘make food, not war”. Kamal’s vision is that social and religious divides can be bridged through the sharing of food by the people who prepare and serve it, whatever their beliefs. Souk el Tayeb’s social endeavour hasn’t stopped with the market. Kamal and his team also run food festivals and have established five restaurants named Tawlet, or table and a number of B&Bs in stunning old Lebanese houses.
The parallel of the ability of our many farmers’ markets and farm shops to build mutual understanding between consumers and our industry wasn’t lost on me. On my flight home, my trip made me think about what we can learn from Kamal and Mariam, despite our cultural differences. It strengthened my belief that engaging with consumers by sharing our food and food stories is hugely powerful; it demonstrated how making and eating food with interested people – whatever our differences with them – can build strong and lasting relationships and it confirmed something we all know so well, food brings happiness.
JANE CRAIGIE Jane is a marketer with a background in farming. She lives in Scotland, is British representative for the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists and a Scottish Enterprise Rural Leader. Both Jane Craigie and Matthew Naylor attended the Windsor Leadership Trust as part of the Farmers Club’s Charitable Trust investment in industry leadership, supported by Mrs Stella Muddiman.
We met an Armenian woman at the Tawlet in Beirut the day after we arrived. She had travelled in from her village to prepare the food in the restaurant for the day. The spiced and herb-laden foods were delicious and unique to her village and culture. The following day’s catering would have been by a woman from another village; she may have been of Christian, Suuni or Shia in another faith; her food would also have been made with love, and shared with many people of differing beliefs. The most challenging of our visits was to Borj El Brajneh, a Palestinian refugee camp in the southern suburbs of Beirut – against the Foreign Office’s advice. We were all nervous during our drive there as we passed through a number of heavily guarded check points dotted throughout the city.
Clockwise from Top Right: Rima Massoud from Mount Lebanon who sells at the Souk Nicholas – the Souk Manager Preserved food is very popular in The Lebanon
Camp living Borj El Brajneh is a ramshackle, hugely overcrowded camp built in 1948 during the Arab-Israeli war, the residents – many of whom were born there – live hand-to-mouth; the women rarely work and struggle to make ends meet. To make matters much, much worse, a Beirutbased friend of mine, who works for the UN, said that the refugee camps are where ISIS fighters come for ‘R&R’ and to recruit the sons of these women as their new fighters. With the help of Souk el Tayeb, an incredible young woman called Mariam Shaar who has set
Beit Douma, one of Kamal’s Bed and Breakfast Houses
www.thefarmersclub.com • 15
George Daniels & Alex Williams • Farm Shops
Farm shops driving quality food agenda
Keelham Farm Shop – busy marketing great-tasting fresh local food to customers directly.
Farm shop innovations are flourishing, as freelance contributors George Daniels and Alex Williams explain
“Keelham is about offering great tasting fresh local food for everybody, every day. We are a shop where people come and buy their weekly food.”
FARM shops across the nation are increasingly plugging the gap between artisanal food producers using great produce from British farms and consumers who can’t find the innovative, tasty foods they hanker after at multiple-retailers. A prime example is Keelham Farm Shop in Yorkshire, winner of the 2017 Farm Shop & Deli Retailer of the Year Award, presented at the 2017 Farm Shop & Deli Show at the NEC in Birmingham, where the wealth of innovation on show, ranging from slow-cooked black garlic to baked milk smoothies (see right), highlighted the surge of enthusiasm for the sector. Serving up to 19,000 customers a week and championing over 400 local farmers and producers, Keelham owners Victoria and James Robertshaw believe, quite simply, that, ‘food tastes better from the farm’. “It’s exactly what our dad and grandad believed in – both were devoted farmers and expert
16 • The Farmers Club Autumn Journal 2017
butchers,” says Victoria. “By following in their footsteps, it means that for over three generations, our family has been dedicated to nurturing and celebrating great tasting food.” “We run our business by doing what ‘feels right’ – that’s hard to quantify and even harder to massproduce, but that’s how we like it. Maybe it’s our farming and butchery heritage, but we instinctively know when food is first-rate, and if we love it, we’ll support it ‘til the cows come home. We believe in every single item we sell.” The almost purpose-built Skipton outlet, a former garage opened in June 2015, works in tandem with the original Thornton shop, which opened 40 years ago on the family farm. The Skipton store includes a bakery, juicery, alehouse, flower shop, butchers, and barn stocked with seasonal produce, plus Keelham Kitchen, the on-site café/restaurant open seven days a week with everything made from scratch everyday using produce that can be bought from the shop.
Farm shops • George Daniels & Alex Williams
Breckland Orchard’s founder Claire Martinsen set out to recreate the delicious fresh taste of Granny’s lemonade, leading to this great range of ‘posh pop’ soda drinks. Tangy, flavoursome and free from artificial colours, flavours and sweeteners. www.breckland orchard.co.uk
The Froggatt family’s cold-pressed extravirgin rapeseed oil from their farm in Hill Ridware, Staffordshire, with half the saturated fat content of olive oil and 35% less than sunflower oil, is also used to create a delicious variety of crisps, snacking peas and beans. www.justoil.co.uk
Drawing on eight generations of traditional curing and smoking methods the new snacking salami range from the Woodall family uses best British outdoor-bred pork. Gluten and lactose free. www.woodallscharcuterie.co.uk
This young West Sussex business aims to promote the UK’s ancient mead heritage and support its bee population, producing flavour-infused meads from delicious elderflower to spicy ‘chilli sting’. www.chalicemead. co.uk
The Amazing Chocolate Workshop’s novel handmade chocolate creations are also available in gift sets for an ideal present. www.thechocolateworkshop.co.uk
The two outlets now employ 320 people, with the Skipton store alone selling 50,000 bottles of beer annually, and even more drinks from its juice bar, 20% of which are green! Keelham is a ‘quirky and fun’ business which makes ‘fabulous use of local producers and good investment in educating staff and customers’, noted chair of judges and food journalist Nigel Barden. “Fresh food sales are the key to both stores, with the butchery, bakery, fruit and veg and deli departments being outstanding. Combine that with energy self-sufficiency through wind turbines and solar power, and you have a slick, professional set-up, underpinned by cheerful Yorkshire service, expertise and of course excellent produce.” The Keelham Way, focused on making great tasting food affordable, for everybody, everyday, includes initiatives such as a Veg Exchange Scheme, whereby green-fingered customers can bring surplus home-grown produce to the shop to swap for Keelham vouchers, as well as weekly shopper-hopper transport from local communities to the store.
Marc and Kate Birch’s Plenty Pies of Nailsworth, Glos offers over 150 recipe options, including tartiflette, wild boar and chorizo, and smoked salmon parmentier. Little wonder they are British Pie Awards winners. www.plentypies.co.uk
Oak-smoked garlic powers a staggering range of products, from pork scratchings to honey mustard and even Black Garlic vodka, all from a farm on the Isle of Wight. www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk
Biotifuldairy produces this award-winning kefir original bio-live drink, made from high-quality British whole milk, cultured and baked, to give a novel flavour. www.biotifuldairy.com
Grouse joins Club menu Chef is pleased to announce that grouse fresh from the Yorkshire Moors is now on the menu of the Club’s increasingly popular Restaurant. Served with bread sauce, game chips and blackberries, grouse is just the latest addition to a menu that has been designed to showcase simply cooked, seasonal, quality British food. Table bookings: 020 7930 3557 option 3 or restaurant@thefarmersclub.com More info www.keelhamfarmshop.co.uk Keelham video: www.farmshopanddelishow.co.uk/videos 2018 Awards entries close 30 September www.farmshopanddelishow.co.uk/awards
www.thefarmersclub.com • 17
Charles Abel • Rural Tourism
Farming Figures A quick look at… farming in Wales …told through a few key statistics:
£1,282 million Total annual turnover of the meat industry in Wales
80% Proportion of chickens used for egg production in Wales which are free range
Two-thirds
Share of drink exports going to the EU, worth a total export value of £9.3 million
9.8 million
Sheep farmed in Wales, representing 29% of total UK sheep flock
1 in 10 Farm holdings lost since 2013, largely due to many obsolete holdings being removed from statistics in 2014, since when holding numbers have slowly increased, from 35,252 in 2014 to 37,282 in 2016
9,900 tonnes Seafood exports, worth £13.4 million/year, over half of which go to Spain
1.8 billion litres Annual milk production – accounting for 28.5% of Welsh agricultural output, compared with sheep sector accounting for 18.5%. By contrast Ireland produced 6.6 billion litres of milk in 2016.
10% Decrease in total labour engaged on farm holdings from 2014 to 2016, including falls in full-time, part-time and seasonal / casual workers, down to 53,500 in total
1 in 3
Farm holdings currently not in use, as of the end of 2016 Source: Farming Facts and Figures, Wales 2017, Welsh Government and www.gov.wales/ foodanddrinkwales
18 • The Farmers Club Autumn Journal 2017
Tourism income vital TOURISM generates more revenue and provides more employment for the rural sector than farming, and needs to be embraced by farmers and policy-makers alike as Brexit bites. So says John Hoy, the recently appointed head of rural at Bidwells, whose arrival emphasises the consultancy’s on-going focus on diversification as the core of rural business rather than mainstream farming. “There are 365 million trips to rural destinations each year, generating £18.6bn for the rural economy and providing 340,000 full-time jobs. So tourism actually provides more revenue and more employment for the rural sector than farming,” says Mr Hoy, who was chief executive of Blenheim Palace for 14 years.
Farm parks, holiday lets, sporting events, filming, photography and wedding venues, concerts and even hosting festivals can all feature. Britain’s outdoor events industry alone is worth over £41bn, he noted. And a £40m Visit England fund is geared to getting more people out of London over the next three years. Far from looking for all the new skills required to create a successful public-facing tourism enterprise themselves, he urges farmers to work with local providers to draw in the best expertise. “Farms bring in contractors for key farming tasks, so why not do the same with a tourism venture.”
Policymakers need to reflect tourism’s important role too, especially in post-Brexit rural policy. Reinstating positive tourism planning guidance is a step favoured by Farming needs to embrace the Tourism Alliance. “It is really tourism as uncertainties around farm important that linkages between support and trade intensify under farming, the environment and our Brexit. “There is a temptation to unique landscape are recognised become quite passive, to see what in future rural policy, it should be happens, but farmers should get woven through policy thinking, as the farm map out and have a look part of the rural sector’s DNA.” at where they can add a tourism venture to the farm, be it glamping, Policy also needs to focus on holiday cottages, or working with developing a skilled rural tourism neighbours to create an off-road workforce, cutting red tape and cycling route.” improving public transport. The market is nowhere near saturated, with demand is growing dramatically, as the weak pound sucks in international visitors and Brexit and economic uncertainty encourage UK residents to holiday at home with so-called staycations.
“The rural sector needs to look creatively in the post-Brexit market that we are in. It needs to be more entrepreneurial, find others things to do and discover just what opportunities there are out there.”
Chef • Paul Hogben
A Family Affair EARLIER this year I had the opportunity to visit Packington Free Range in Staffordshire to see a true “family affair”. I was met at Derby station by John Connolly, a great host for the day. We didn’t stop, first visiting a local farm shop to see and sample some of Packington’s produce, then on to the family farm and offices before visiting one of their Free Range Pig Farms and Chicken Farms. What an experience! Robert and Alex Mercer are fourth generation farmers, both with a lifetime of knowledge passed down to them from their father, grandfather and great grandfather. The family has farmed in rural Staffordshire since 1930 and today the story remains very much the same – it is still very much a family affair. Like their great grandfather before them, who began farming pedigree large white pigs and award winning dairy cattle, Roger Mercer and his two sons, have focussed their experience and passion on providing low density, environmentally sound and welfare orientated farms. Packington Free Range firmly believes what is good for the animals and the land will naturally be good for the consumer, enabling them to produce succulent, richly flavoured meat, something often lost in today’s intensive farming methods. The Mercers are very passionate about the environment, introducing new methods of farming that support their beliefs, with all land and livestock in environmental schemes, encouraging bio-diversity.
There is a 1.8mw Solar Farm (10 acres) making farming activities carbon neutral, plus 450Kw of solar on the roofs in the farm yard feeding power to the offices and cold stores. All pig fencing is powered using small solar chargers, and all water for the animals is drawn from boreholes The business has 7,000 outdoor breeding sows in Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire each producing 10 to 15 piglets per litter, with an average of 2.3 litters per year, destined for Marks & Spencer under a sole supply contract via Cranswick, or sold directly to butchers and farm shops. Packington Poultry was started in 2007 where again high standards of bird welfare and environmental sustainability were paramount. The bird houses are like huge trailers that get moved across the field to fresh feeding and sleeping areas for the nights, then opened every morning for the birds to roam all over the fields during the day. I loved my day out to Staffordshire, seeing a couple of the farms that make up Packington Free Range, the way the animals are reared and the great way they are looked after. Oh to be a pig at Packington Free Range! Chef
“ T his is the kind of produce that really appeals to me as I strive to have the best quality British produce on our menus at the Farmers Club, for you the members and your guests to enjoy!”
More info on-line at: www.packingtonfreerange.co.uk
www.thefarmersclub.com • 19
Charlotte Harris, Chairman; Emily McVeigh, Vice Chairman; Anita Kaur, Secretary • U30s
Chairman’s Jottings
Pimm’s event considers NZ model
I am very pleased to announce that The Farmers Club is generously sponsoring an Under 30s member to attend the 2018 Oxford Farming Conference (www.ofc.org.uk) from 3rd -5th January 2018. The event comprises educational seminars, sessions and debates in the Oxford Colleges, all geared to the central theme of Embracing Change. The conference will have a particular focus on digital opportunities, policy mindsets and disruptive business models. The Scholarship includes overnight accommodation and delegate dinners, but not travel. Application forms will be emailed out to all Under 30s members and should be returned to Club Administrator Anita Kaur (administrator @thefarmersclub.com) by Friday 6th October. I look forward to seeing many of you at our September Dining evening on 15th September.
Contact Charlotte for more information: Charlotte Harris U30 Chairman Job Title: Head of International Supply Chain Where: The Coconut Collaborative, Westminster, London charlotte.harris90@gmail.com 07766 954 718
ANOTHER well attended Under 30s event took place in July – the annual Pimm’s reception and dinner. With harvest and a busy summer approaching it was fantastic to see so many attending, and the summer weather stayed with us as the evening began with Pimm’s and canapes on the terrace. Following drinks, members and guests moved into the Farmers Suite, albeit with a detour via the Shaw Room to check the Wimbledon tennis score. After grace we were treated to a wonderful seasonal three-course dinner; starting with scallops with lemon oil and strawberries, followed by pork cutlet, and finishing with a summer berry pudding. Coffee and treats from Chef preceded our speaker for the evening, Heath Milne, General Manager for ANZCO Foods UK. ANZCO is a major New Zealand agricultural company with annual turnover of NZ$1.3 billion (£736m). Heath spoke about his role in importing New Zealand beef and lamb into the UK supply chain – particularly pertinent in the light of Brexit. ANZCO aims to offer a sustainable resource and to fill the supply
gap during the UK’s off season in domestic lamb production. By keeping lamb available throughout the year consumers maintain their purchasing habits, boosting sales for all suppliers, he suggested. Waitrose is a key ANZCO customer. Heath also explained the history of New Zealand agriculture after the removal of subsidies in the mid1980s and drew parallels with UK agriculture’s potential post-Brexit future. The impact on meat sales of changing consumer habits, and the influence of those who blog and self-promote, was discussed. Heath urged the UK to identify how it can market its products and trade on provenance and quality as it shifts from the EU market to accessing international markets. A full and frank question and answer session emphasised the need to continue investing in precision technology, embrace greater knowledge-sharing and ‘get out and get busy’. ELEANOR KAY Job Title: Knowledge Exchange Manager, Rothamsted Research Under 30s Committee Member Current Part-time Postgraduate at Royal Agricultural University (MSc Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security)
20 • The Farmers Club Autumn Journal 2017
U30s • Charlotte Harris, Chairman; Emily McVeigh, Vice Chairman; Anita Kaur, Secretary
One potato, two potato… Mash Direct was a popular case study at the 2017 Oxford Farming Conference. We take a closer look
time for potatoes and vegetables to catch up,” says Jack, New Markets and Marketing Director for Mash Direct. “With more people now following a ‘free-from’ diet out of choice, not due to an allergy or intolerance, it is important for us to keep ahead of consumer demands and provide gluten-free alternatives.” The field-fresh range is free from artificial flavourings, colourings and preservatives, so the flavours come from the six generation heritage of the soil, not from additives. Mash Direct vegetables are gently steamcooked to maintain the taste and texture of home-cooked food. “Unlike many similar companies, we do not use pumps, which ensures the vegetables’ cell walls are not broken down, so that the nutritional benefits naturally inherent in every vegetable used are retained.” Using older heritage vegetable varieties grown for taste rather than appearance, the team began selling products at St George’s Market in Belfast, then a few local independent stores. As popularity grew, the family invested in a factory to meet demand. Free samples key “We believe the best way to market our vegetables is to get them into people’s mouths,” Jack says. “In 2016 alone we handed out over 110,000 free samples to customers at food shows.”
Family business Mash Direct, run by Martin, Tracy, Jack and Lance Hamilton, won UK Overall Food Manufacturing Company of the Year 2016.
WITH vegetable consumption declining year-on-year, fifth-generation farmers Martin and Tracy Hamilton realised they needed to adapt and add value to their produce to secure the future of their family farm in Comber, Northern Ireland. “One night in 2004, after discussing the situation with a close friend over a glass of Irish whiskey, my father came up with the idea of producing a traditional Ulster Champ that was both convenient and healthy,” recalls Farmers Club Under 30s member Jack Hamilton. Consumers were increasingly favouring convenience and speed, so creating products that took the time and hassle out of preparing vegetables was key. Champ, a Northern Ireland staple made from mashed potatoes, mixed with spring onions softened in hot milk, fitted the bill perfectly. Playing catch-up “With pasta and rice becoming quick and easy to prepare decades ago, it has taken
Transparency is now a key issue. “We didn’t want to hide our product behind a big cardboard box, so we created innovative packaging where the product is visible through a clear film lid, with a cardboard half sleeve so customers still receive necessary information.” From supplying two independent stores in County Down in 2004 to selling one dish every second in 2017 the farm has now expanded from 70 to 1,400 acres in order to cope with demand for more than 40 different dishes, ranging from traditional accompaniments to complete ready meals. www.mashdirect.com
THE FUTURE Video marketing started in 2016 with drone footage of vegetables travelling from field to fork. “We’ve had over 7,500,000 views in the past 12 months – which shows provenance plays a big part in how consumers, especially millennials, think about their food,” says Jack.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 21
The Farmers Club • Club Information
Club Information
020 7930 3557 • www.thefarmersclub.com Office Holders Patron – Her Majesty The Queen HONORARY VICE PRESIDENTS Peter Jackson CBE, Roddy Loder-Symonds, Sir David Naish DL, John Parker THE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB 2017 VICE PRESIDENTS Barclay Forrest OBE, Sir Mark Hudson, Mrs Susan Kilpatrick OBE PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN Tim Bennett TRUSTEES Jimmy McLean, Mrs Nicki Quayle, Julian Sayers (Chairman), Paul Heygate VICE-CHAIRMAN Peter Jinman OBE HONORARY TREASURER Richard Maunder IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN Richard Butler CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND SECRETARY Andrei Spence CLUB CHAPLAIN The Reverend Dr Sam Wells COMMITTEE Elected 2015: Tim Bennett, Matt Dempsey (Communications Sub-Committee), Richard Maunder, Gerald Osborne
Celebrating 175 years of The Farmers Club Friday 8th December 2017 A double celebration, as we not only raise a toast to 175 years of The Farmers Club, but also to 75 years in its wonderful location at 3 Whitehall Court. The evening starts with a Champagne Reception and Chef’s Treats at 7.00pm, followed by a three-course meal with wine, created for this event by Head Chef, Paul Hogben. Our guest speaker will be Lord Taylor of Holbeach, Government Chief Whip in The House of Lords, followed by a speech from our Chairman, Tim Bennett. The dress code is lounge suit and cost is £90 per person (excluding accommodation.) To register interest apply on-line at www.thefarmersclub. com or complete the enclosed booking form. Applications should be received by Monday 30th October 2017. This event is likely to be oversubscribed, in which case a ballot will be drawn on Monday 13th November 2017.
Elected 2016: Robert Alston, Andrew Brown (Membership Sub-Committee), Lindsay Hargreaves, Nick Helme (House Sub-Committee), Peter Jinman OBE Elected 2017: Kevin Beaty, John Lee OBE, Karen Mercer, Keith Redpath, Christopher Riddle, Allan Stevenson (re-elected), Campbell Tweed OBE (re-elected) Co-opted: Charlotte Harris (Chairman Under 30s), Emily McVeigh (Vice Chairman Under 30s) THE FARMERS CLUB CHARITABLE TRUST TRUSTEES Stephen Fletcher (Chairman), James Cross, Vic Croxson DL, The Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Club (ex officio). Patron Mrs Stella Muddiman
NEXT ISSUE
The Winter issue of the Farmers Club Journal arrives in early-November, with the latest Club news, a profile of our new IT manager, insight into the added-value leather sector and a report on the Club’s Harvest Festival Service.
22 • The Farmers Club Autumn Journal 2017
Cirque du Soleil, Royal Albert Hall
Friday 26th January 2018 A colourful carnival of crazy crickets, amazing ants and flexible fleas, OVO rushes us headlong into an ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and love. This non-stop riot of energy and movement features many of Cirque du Soleil’s mind-blowing signature acts, including a stunning 14m high flying trapeze act – the biggest of its kind! Our programme starts at 5.00pm with a two-course supper with wine in the Club, before coach transfer to the Royal Albert Hall ready for the performance at 7.30pm. Afterwards, at 10.30pm (approx.) we return to the Club by coach. This event is limited to 26 places and the cost is £122.00 per person. All applications should be received by Friday 20th October 2017. To register interest apply on-line at www.thefarmersclub.com or complete the enclosed booking form. If oversubscribed places will be decided by ballot.
Charles I Exhibition, Royal Academy Of Arts Friday 2nd February 2018 Charles I: King and Collector will reunite the greatest masterpieces of this magnificent collection for the first time. Celebrating its breadth and grandeur, the exhibition includes over 100 works, from classical sculptures to Baroque paintings, and exquisite miniatures to monumental tapestries, demonstrating the radical impact these works had at the time, fostering a vibrant visual culture hitherto unknown in England. A private lecture by Anne Haworth in the Club from 12.00 noon, will be followed by a two-course lunch with wine at 1.00pm. At 2.30pm we depart by coach for the Queen’s Gallery, entering the exhibition at 3.00pm. Afterwards
members should make their own way home. Cost is £64.00 per person. All applications should be received by 27th October. To register interest apply online at www.thefarmersclub.com or complete the enclosed booking form. This event is limited to 40 places. If oversubscribed places will be decided by a ballot.
Club Information • The Farmers Club Honours and Awards The Chairman and Members of the Club congratulate the following members whose names appeared in the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s List: KCVO Sir Mark Hudson Denbighshire LVO Michael Lambert Surrey MBE William Campbell County Down BEM David Hodge Suffolk Deaths It is with regret that we announce the death of the following members: Mr P Chamier-Tripp Hertfordshire Mr P Davies MBE Herefordshire Mrs E Fowler Kenya Mr J Goldsack Dorset Mr C Hayes Shropshire Mr K Overbaugh Canada Dr A Pollock Kent Mr R Towlerton Nottinghamshire Mobile Phones, Briefcases and Business Meetings Mobile phones must not be used in the Public Rooms (except the Shaw Room). Briefcases should be left in the Cloakrooms and Business meetings must be conducted in the Shaw Room or designated and pre-booked meeting rooms. Members should speak with Liza Keoshgerian ext 109 or direct line 020 7925 7100 or functions@thefarmersclub.com Parking The Club has no private parking at Whitehall Court. However, the Club is pleased to be able to offer all its members discounted parking with Q-Park, our preferred parking partner. Discounts of 20% are available on the day and on prebookings. The nearest Q-Park is situated in Spring Gardens off Cockspur Street, approximately 5 minutes walk from the Club. Details of this can be obtained by phoning the Club Reception on 020 7930 3557 or by visiting the website at: http://www.thefarmers club.com/news/parking -5-mins-from-club
Reciprocal Clubs UK City Livery Club, London (No bedrooms) Royal Overseas League, Edinburgh Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh The New Club, Edinburgh Northern Counties Club, Newcastle Bury St Edmund’s Farmers Club OTHER AGREEMENTS Whilst not formal reciprocal agreements, we have informal agreements with the East India, Caledonia and Civil Service Clubs, for bedroom bookings if we have no accommodation available. The Reservations Manager will advise in this instance. If we are full, Reception also holds a list of hotels within a 15 minute walk that might be considered ‘good value for money’.
OVERSEAS The Western Australian Club, Perth, Australia (Bedrooms not reciprocated)
Business Suite The Business Suite provides PCs, printing and WiFi for members. WiFi WiFi is available throughout the Club at no charge. Shaw Room The Shaw Room may be used for meetings of two or three people for up to an hour without booking. iPads, laptops and mobile phones may be used but should be set to silent ring. Calls should be taken on The Terrace.
Club Contacts THE FARMERS CLUB
Serving the farming industry for 175 years 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EL
Dress code • Gentlemen should wear formal jackets and ties in the Bar, Lounge and Restaurant during the week. Ladies should be dressed conventionally, trousers are permitted. • There are Club jackets and a selection of ties at Reception, which may be borrowed in an emergency. • Members must advise their guests of the dress regulations. • Children should conform to the above guidelines as best they can. • Smart casual dress is allowed from 6pm on Friday until midnight on Sunday. Smart jeans and trainers are acceptable during this period. • Between 1 June and 30 September gentlemen need not wear jackets at breakfast.
Festive Period Opening Club bedrooms are available throughout the festive period. Breakfast will be served in The Restaurant on Friday 22nd December, thereafter The Restaurant and Bar will be closed, with no provision of Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner. The Club will resume full service at 3pm on Wednesday 3rd January 2018.
Queensland Club, Brisbane, Australia The Australian Club, Melbourne, Australia Royal Dublin Society, Dublin, Ireland (Bedrooms not reciprocated) Stephen’s Green Hibernian Club, Dublin, Ireland The Muthaiga Country Club, Nairobi, Kenya The Harare Club, Harare, Zimbabwe The Christchurch Club, Christchurch, New Zealand (operating from The George Hotel www.thegeorge.com and able to offer reciprocal visitors preferred accommodation rates) The Canterbury Club, Christchurch, New Zealand Members wishing to use any of the above Clubs should obtain an introductory card from the Secretariat.
Chairman 2017: Tim Bennett
Chief Executive and Secretary: Andrei Spence
Club Number 020 7930 3557 Reception ext: 200/201 reception@thefarmersclub.com Bedroom Reservations ext: 204 reservations@thefarmersclub.com Restaurant Reservations Option 3 restaurant@thefarmersclub.com Conference & Banqueting Liza Keoshgerian ext: 109 or direct line: 020 7925 7100 functions@thefarmersclub.com Administrator & Under 30s Secretary Anita Kaur administrator@thefarmersclub.com General Manager Virginia Masser ext: 102 generalmanager@thefarmersclub.com Head Chef Paul Hogben ext: 111 or direct line: 020 7925 7103 chef@thefarmersclub.com Financial Controller Zarreena Neeson ext: 106 or direct line: 020 7925 7101 financialcontroller@thefarmersclub.com Membership Mark Fairbairn ext: 107 or direct line: 020 7925 7102 membership@thefarmersclub.com PA to Secretary Claire White ext: 104 or direct line: 020 7930 3751 generaloffice@thefarmersclub.com Bedrooms ext: 3+ [two digit room number] eg. ext 301 for Room1 Whitehall Court Porters 020 7930 3160 Fax 020 7839 7864 Website: www.thefarmersclub.com THE FARMERS CLUB JOURNAL Editor and Advertisement Manager: Charles Abel 07795 420692 E-mail: editor@thefarmersclub.com Designed and produced by: Ingenious, www.ingeniousdesign.co.uk No film or film processing chemicals were used. Printed on Lumi Silk which is ISO 14001 certified manufacturer. FSC® Mix Credit. Elemental chlorine free (ECF) fibre sourced from well managed forests
www.thefarmersclub.com • 23
Christmas at
The Farmers Club
Have you started to think about your work Christmas Party? Where are you holding your Annual Christmas get together with friends? Why not bring them to your Club to celebrate the Festive Season. We have a selection of packages available including a delicious Bowl Food option for stand up Receptions.
The Farmers Suite and other function rooms are available to book up to and including dinner on Thursday 21st December. Alternatively, maybe move your party to January to help beat the New Year blues!
Club Christmas Card This year’s Farmers Club Christmas Card features an original photograph “Poll Dorsets in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales” taken by Wayne Hutchinson who has kindly donated the use of the image. The card, which measures 171mm x 121 mm (7” x 5”), is printed with the Club logo and the greeting “With Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year”. Packs of 10 cost £8.00 including VAT and may be bought at Reception or ordered from the General Office (insert enclosed). Image courtesy of Hutchinson Photography www.farm-images.co.uk All profits to RABI/RSABI.
For more function details and availability contact Conference & Banqueting Manager Liza Keoshgerian on 020 7925 7100 or email functions@ thefarmersclub.com