Beckett Scholar Group

BECKETT SCHOLAR GROUP GROUP REPORTS

The Beckett Group’s 2020 annual meeting planned for April of that year was an early victim of Covid closure restrictions. It had been timed to coincide with the 90th birthday celebrations of the sponsor and founder of the Group, Alan Beckett. It might have been possible to reschedule in 2021 but most of the Group trade so comparatively near market that their businesses were more affected than those of commodity Scholars by the country’s economic background – so were deemed simply too busy to spare the time.

So it was with great enthusiasm that as many of the Group and their partners as possible – those not affected by weddings, new babies, lambing, birthdays or other anniversaries - met up in April 2022 for a Weekend hosted by the Becketts and an opportunity to offer belated congratulations to Alan.

The theme of the Weekend’s programme was Farming on the Edge of a City. Simon Beckett gave a comprehensive and confidential overview of the direction the Becketts Farm business had taken, and was going to take, to keep it modern and competitive in the present day. Location, population and geography affected farming business wherever it was situated. One had to develop within the parameters of the local demand, population and councils. Scholars were shown round the Farm Shop and given a coach tour of some of the Becketts Farm developments. After lunch, as light relief and an apposite appreciation of how the local economy and manufacturing management had changed, Scholars took a tour of the Needle Museum. This celebrated the fact that Redditch in the 1800s was manufacturing and supplying 90% of the world’s requirement for needles for every conceivable use. Yet this business has completely fallen away and the town has needed to reinvent its economy.

Then a local entrepreneur told the Group of his struggles and ambitions as he came from a council house background in the city, via egg retailing from his bicycle as a schoolboy, to building up a truly large egg production and packing business. His current largest enterprise is a beautifully constructed Farm Park, employing several members of his family as well as external employees, where all sorts of animals and activities are provided as amenity for families from the surrounding conurbations. This entrepreneur was totally candid with the Group as he confided details of how financiers and advisers had tried to swindle and ruin his developing business. This candour was greatly appreciated by the Group and echoed one of Simon Beckett’s themes that the greatest threat to managing a growing business was that posed by wider financial and legislative themes. At the Group’s AGM the next day it was emphasised that, excellent programmes nonetheless, the greatest benefit of attending a Group Weekend was the interaction between Scholars: particularly as the Beckett Group are all trading in slightly different businesses and with different financial backgrounds. All participants were given copies of a booklet, specially written and printed to celebrate Alan’s 90th birthday, which detailed the Story of Becketts Farm – personnel and finances – as far back as the original Beckett could be traced. The 2023 Weekend will be in Northumberland – a total contrast in venues - hosted by James and Amy Drummond and in particular demonstrating latest sheep management techniques.