Farmers Club Chairman’s Comments

3 Chairman’s Comments

4 Club News

Includes Club dress code update

6 2023 Pinnacle Awards

The Farmers Club award for farm business management

8 Minister of State Addresses The Club

Rt Hon Mark Spencer MP delivers the Monday Evening Lecture

10 The Chairman’s Tour Chairman Meurig Raymond welcomed members to experience the rugged beauty of the Pembrokeshire coast

12 New Chief Executive & Club Secretary

Didi Wheeler introduces himself

14 John Kerr

In June, Andrei retired as our Chief Executive after seven years navigating The Club through some difficult times, particularly the global pandemic. We owe him a great debt of gratitude as he leaves a huge legacy: the finances are strong, and the membership is growing. The General Committee, with the Vice Presidents, Trustees and Chairmen who served during his time, treated Andrei and his wife, Alison, to a splendid Retirement Dinner at The Club. The huge turnout highlighted the warmth and respect everyone has for Andrei and Alison and the emotion he showed when awarded Honorary Membership of The Club was obvious. We wish them both all the very best in their retirement and there is no doubt we will see them at The Club in the future.

We warmly welcome Didi Wheeler as our new Chief Executive & Club Secretary after an accomplished career in the Army reaching the rank of Brigadier. Having spent some time with Didi, I am certain that members are going to warm to his personality.

At the halfway point in my year as Chairman have thoroughly enjoyed the role so far, particularly meeting members at events and the Agricultural Shows. The Member Experience Team, Craig and Kirsty, have been extremely busy organising a variety of excellent events and it has been a privilege to meet so many members across the UK.

In March, I attended the Annual Dinner of the Association of London Clubs at The Royal Overseas League Club and was proud to hear how highly regarded The Club is within the Association. Our April Monday Evening Lecture was very well attended with Mark Spencer, Minister of Agriculture, as speaker. He showed his grasp of all the issues affecting the farming industry.

We welcomed Club Member, Mr Adam Henson, to our St George’s Lunch as our guest speaker. His life journey, passion for farming and enthusiasm for educating the general public was impressive. His farm park is certainly helping to bring town and country folk closer together.

I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the well-attended BCPC/Farmers Club Seminar hosted at The Club and chaired by Mr Stephen Howe with a wide range of speakers. Without doubt everyone went home with pertinent messages and objectives for the future.

At the end of April was honoured to host the past Chairman’s Lunch, many of whom offered advice to assist and guide me through the remainder of the year.

Visiting the national and regional Agricultural Shows across the UK is a privilege and great pleasure. The season commenced in May with the Royal Balmoral Show in Northern Ireland, hosting dinner for 66 members at the Royal Belfast Golf Club where we enjoyed the address by Mr Peter Hannan, MD of Hannan Meats. Subsequently, we attended a breakfast meeting at the Suffolk County Show which was well attended by 52 members. I congratulate this year’s President, Mr Stephen Fletcher and his wife Marion, and thank them for their very warm welcome to us all. Mr David Barker gave an informative address and we were honoured the Secretary of State, Thérèse Coffey, joined us at the breakfast and spoke positively on the future of agriculture.

In June I visited the Royal Highland Show, holding an excellent pre-Show Dinner for 81 members at the New Club in Edinburgh. Mr Jamie Blackett, farmer, journalist and businessman, spoke on the need for the UK to produce more food and protect the rural way of life. We held a reception on the first day of the Royal Norfolk Show where 46 people attended and listened intently to the wise words from Mr Henry Cator. These excellent shows highlight the importance of agriculture societies in promoting the very best of farming to wider society. We will also be travelling to visit The Kent County, Great Yorkshire, Royal Welsh and the Westmorland Shows to meet our members.

One of my highlights was to be a member of the judging panel for annual

Pinnacle Awards, which recognises entrepreneurship of those at post graduate level. High calibre entries prove the future of the industry is in good hands. I thank Prof Bill McKelvey on his retirement as chairman of the judging panel after the last eight years and wish his successor, Prof Nigel Scollan well.

I thank all the members who travelled to Pembrokeshire for the Chairman’s Trip. The weather was kind, we were treated to some amazing hospitality alongside excellent farming, and real entrepreneurship. Thank you to Mr Edward Perkins for his detailed commentary on the history of Pembrokeshire during the tour and particularly at Pembroke Castle.

Another memorable visit was to Lloyds of London and the Bank of England Museum. I am indebted to Mr Mike Lampard for arranging the day and for his fascinating presentation.

Thirty members had a fascinating day at the Dyson Farming Business at Nocton and the Carrington Estate in Lincolnshire. A huge investment by the Dyson family to improve the technical efficiency of British Farming. Thanks to Mr Philip Wynn for organising the event and for his insightful speech at dinner.

I am grateful to Mr Paul Heygate who was invaluable at helping organise a 2-day trip to Norfolk prior to the Agricultural Show. We visited Holkham Hall on Monday, with a farm trip with Mr James Beamish in the morning and a visit to the Hall and gardens in the afternoon. On Tuesday morning, Mr William Gribbon, Farm Manager to Paul Heygate gave a wonderful tour of the Estate. We saw thirty irrigators working to produce top class produce and were treated to a delicious lunch by Ally and her team. A visit to the Sandringham Estate and stud farm followed in the afternoon and I thank Mr Edward Parsons, Land Agent to the Estate, for an excellent presentation and tour.

We were all devastated to hear of the passing of two of our past Chairman, Mr John Kerr MBE and Mr Peter Jinman OBE. Our thoughts are with both families at this very sad time. They will be greatly missed at The Club by all that knew them. May they Rest in Peace.