Royal Visit for Young Farmers
Young Farmers in Staffordshire celebrated the opening of their new headquarters 26 years ago with a Royal visit from the Princess Royal. Princess Anne returned to the Young Farmers’ office on Tuesday 26th July 2011 as part of a day to celebrate ‘Rural Activities in Staffordshire’.
Some of those members involved 26 years ago were there to welcome Her Royal Highness, along with today’s Young Farmers who were keen to demonstrate the skills and activities, which ensure the organisation is sustainable as the rural youth movement of the countryside.
Members from all over the county were in the YFC marquee, which was attached to the headquarters’ building on the Staffordshire County Showground, situated on the Weston Road, Stafford.
The activities, which the members demonstrated to the Princess included traditional activities such as: members of Ridware YFC showed a display how to prepare an animal for showing; Eccleshall Young Farmers demonstrated the art of sheep stock judging; members from Leek YFC demonstrated butchery skills and Young Farmers from Stone showed off their cookery skills. The highly competitive and popular competition of Tug of War was demonstrated by Chase YFC; the craftsmanship of hedge laying was displayed by Uttoxeter JNFU and the skills involved in bricklaying was shown by Waterhouses YFC. Members from the recently reformed Lichfield YFC read a specially written poem to demonstrate their Public Speaking Skills and a member from Ashley YFC sang for the Princess. Members from Cheadle YFC prepared the posy for the Princess and demonstrated the fine art of floristry. The two youngest members in the Federation presented HRH with a posy and two Staffordshire YFC mugs.
Paul Worrall, County Chairman of Staffordshire YFC said, ‘We had hoped the Princess Royal would come last year to celebrate Staffordshire YFC Centre’s 25th Anniversary, but that was not possible. However, 26 years on it is good to celebrate our many achievements in the YFC movement. What was important to young people 25 years ago is still important today and the opportunity to participate in rural activities, with like-minded people, is as valuable today as it was then. We have lots of fun in Young Farmers, with an opportunity to learn and train, particularly through our Competitions Programme and the Federation’s Development Committee which organise a vast range of activities throughout the year. We had two members of the Staffordshire YFA (Young Farmers Ambassadors) Committee present, to explain about the fantastic opportunities that Young Farmers have to apply for trips abroad and travel the world with the NFYFC Discovery Programme. Her Royal Highness is a Past President of the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs and we look forward to welcoming her to Staffordshire again.’
The County President, County Officers of the County Federation along with representatives from each of the ten clubs were introduced to Her Royal Highness and were joined by Vice Presidents of the Federation on the day. The Staffordshire Federation of Young Farmers Clubs was formed in 1952 and there are almost 600 members in the county in 10 clubs.
