General News

On November 8, a group of liverymen visited RAF Waddington for lunch, hosted by the Station Commander Mark Lorriman-Hughes OBE, and presentation of the WCF award by the Master.

The visit was organised by LO Michael Chennells in conjunction with LO, FS Steven Wheatley and Sargent Ross Mc Keon, ably assisted by Stacey Jones.

Our visit was led by the Master Guy Brogden and his wife Catriona. The group of 33 liverymen arrived at the officer’s mess at 8.30 for a 9.00 start.

We then travelled by coach to the part of the base where the Red Arrows are based, and split into two groups to take it in turns to enjoy a detailed presentation on the Red Arrows and a visit to the hanger where they are housed, along with a detailed brief when there was plenty of time for questions.

We then returned to the Officers Mess where we were welcomed by the Station Commander, who updated us all on the current activities on the base, this followed by a presentation from LO Steven Wheatley.

The morning session was then concluded by the presentation of our award along with a keepsake by the Master to Corporal Matt Healey in recognition of his excellence in implementing systems changes and upgrades across the base.

Lunch was then taken in the Officers Mess where we enjoyed a three-meat carvery, following which the Master expressed our thanks to the team at Waddington for entertaining us for the day.

We completed the day by a visit to the RAF Waddington Heritage Centre which covers all aspects of the history of the RAF from the very beginning to the present day.

This year’s Lord Mayor’s Show was blessed with blue skies all day, which helped swell the cheering crowds lining the route.

Our ‘float’ consisted of two Case tractors, one of which – the enormous Quadtrac – attracted most of the public’s attention.

Richard Price and the team from the NFU; headed by Minette Batters, Red Tractor and Surrey Docks Farm did a splendid job preparing for the Show, and the incredibly warm reception from the crowds along the way made it all worthwhile.

During the half-term break the Farmers’ Livery Company and Redhill branch of the NFU funded and organised two visits to three working commercial farms in Surrey and Bedfordshire.

Sincere thanks must go to our very accommodating hosts, Nellie Maiklem, Paul Knight and Tim Burton for opening up their farming businesses to more than 75 young people from Surrey Docks, Wellgate and Stepney City Farms.

The main enterprises on the farms we visited focused on the rearing of dairy cow replacements, with two farms also operating large dairy herds. We were also taken on a walking and tractor and trailer tour of the farms to see the arable and other diversification enterprises.

Animals are always a point of interest for the farm visitors,with some watching the cows being milked and others bottle-feeding the calves. Fortunately, it didn’t rain on our visits so a sunny and cheery day was had by all.

The Worshipful Company of Farmers has been working with a project to help create spaces for pollinators in London. We recently were awarded our membership certificate with thanks from the project: Pollinating London Together.

On Tuesday 26 September the Master attended the 2023 Graduation Ceremony at the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester.

The WCF Prize for Best Agricultural Dissertation was won by Jasper Merrick for his dissertation entitled: ‘An investigation into the dependency of UK agriculture on fossil fuels; motivating change’.

The Master was on hand to see Vice Chancellor Professor Peter McCaffery make the award and to congratulate Jasper personally afterwards.

The Master’s Research Report for 2023 has been published, as some may have seen in the Farmers Guardian on 15 September.

Entitled ‘Future Business Leaders in Agriculture: Who Will Lead the Industry Forward?’, and written by Caroline Nye and Matt Lobley of Exeter University, it has some penetrating insights into the barriers that would-be farming entrants experience.

You can read the report here.

The Worshipful Company of Farmers has supplied four new Middle white piglets to Surrey Docks Farm.

Pictured below is Claire Elson holding one of the piglets, which were delivered by supplier Guy Kiddy (right). Volunteers from Barclays Bank helped them to settle in.

The Annual Livery Halls Walk, wonderfully well organised each year by the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners, took place on Monday 4 September.

It saw 20 Masters and their Consorts crocodile the square mile, visiting 40 of the 41 Livery halls in the City – the exception being the Gunmakers’ Hall which is located, apparently for historical safety reasons, just outside Aldgate and the old City Walls.

The Master completing the Halls Walk – hot but determined

The walk, which lasted all day, was carefully and expertly led by Environmental Cleaners Liveryman, Sean Canty, and shepherded by the Company’s Wardens and Clerk.

The Mistress Farmer and I managed to survive the nine and a half miles but, with temperatures on the day close to 30 degrees and the Masters all suited and booted, wearing Livery gowns, chains, badges and hats, frequent stops for water and other refreshments proved essential, and of course highly enjoyable.

The morning stop for Madeira Wine was at Ironmongers’ Hall, lunch was taken at Pewterers’ Hall, with afternoon refreshments at the Furniture Makers’ hall.

There was a final stop, for a very welcome beer, at Southwark Cathedral.

A brief stop at Haberdashers’ Hall

With representation from across the Livery, from the Great Twelve to the very newest Company; the Nurses, this was a really wonderful opportunity to spread the word about the Farmers and to talk and with other Companies about how they combine fellowship with charitable good works and all their other activities.

A fascinating and very enjoyable, if rather warm, day.

Thirteen riders took part in the inter-livery cycle ride on September 2, with perfect off-road conditions along the Essex Way south of High Easter.

“We plan to hold the event on the same course next year, given how fabulously varied the route was and with three distances; 30, 45 and 65 miles, it is accessible for all,” says Joint Organiser, Liveryman Richard Anscombe.

In the photo above are Liverymen Richard Whitlock and Richard Anscombe, flanking Penny Anscombe and guests at the WCF stand ahead of their 65 mile gravel ride.