Staffordshire - Trish Parrott

Vice Chairman/Secretary: Julie Scott
Treasurer - Sandy Cole
Livestock Rep - Jayne Bower
Projectline coordinator - Carol Bloxham

Many of our meetings are held in the evening and mostly held at the YFC Centre, Staffordshire Showground

Farming in the Classroom - 30th May 2006
Members enjoyed a Training Session for Farming in the Classroom in Stafford on Tuesday evening. Maureen Friday travelled up from Kent to talk to a smaller group than hoped for, but it was a very pleasant evening and everyone was very enthusiastic. It gave everyone a few more ideas and demonstrated the support that is available to members. The main message was to keep visits short and focused visits and not try to do too much in the session with the school.

Events held so far in 2006:

British Breakfast Week

On Sunday 22 January we met with the Stafford Rugby under 7's group for early Sunday morning training. The coach Tony Turner was very supportive of the event. We talked about breakfasts and energy to play the game, the types of breakfasts they had eaten that morning with the most extraordinary breakfast being: 'toast and brown sauce' from one very swift player. A hamper containing a variety of breakfast cereals brought with us and the children (and siblings watching) took them home with them to 'make time for it' the next day.

On Monday 23 January a similar hamper containing breakfast cereals was brought into Anson Primary School, Great Haywood , Staffordshire to a class of Key stage 2 children. The teacher used the 'make time for it' poster and theme during the week for her class. The group talked about breakfasts, who had eaten what for breakfast, they drew up a bar chart in numeracy using types of breakfast eaten as medium. The children each had a bowl of breakfast cereal to eat in the class and more to take home with them for 'make time for it' next day. Materials were left with the teacher for the children to draw their ideal healthy breakfast and we will be returning to the school to judge the best poster/drawing and talk further about farming and food. The Teacher was delighted with the support and we left the HGCA educational packs there for her to use, or to use when we next visit.

On Friday 27th January several of our members were present to support and help with the Breakfast week celebrations at Amerton Farm, Stafford, managed by WFU member Eunice Finneywhere, 300 guests attended.

Meetings

Dianne and John Lloyd-Sutton from the newly formed consortium of local producers, FarMeats.com came to talk to us in February. They are able to provide meat from pedigree herd of Gloucester Old Spots, Dexter, Longhorn, Angus and Hereford beef a well as lamb, mutton and goat. They have recently formed a collective group of other suppliers in order to maintain supplies all year round.

The Staffordshire WFU branch were invited to a meeting in March held in association with Harper Forum and the CIM Food Drink and Agriculture group on 'Building brands'.
Matt Gorman, Marketing Manager of JCB World Brands, talked about the development of Daylesford Organic arising from the Bamford family business, (the Daylesford brand, the Farm shop with a difference in Gloucestershire, café in Sloan Square, London), how they communicate with their customer base and their plans for the future in response to changes in the food industry.

Food Hygiene Certificate

Some members of the branch suggested that they would be interested in undertaking a basic food hygiene training course. Consequently, over two evening sessions in September/October 2005 the branch members studied and were examined in Foundation Certificate in Food Hygiene.

Farming in the Classroom

Several members asked about receiving training in order to go into school classrooms and talk about farming and food. In May 2006, Maureen Friday, WFU Farming in the classroom co-ordinator travelled up from Sussex to talk to WFU members and others who were interested. Maureen will covered all aspects of planning a session, meeting with the school teacher and suggest classroom activities to get maximum impact and enjoyment.

Chairman's Report for 2005

Report of 2005

British Breakfast Week
We had a very busy week organising events for the British Breakfast week in January 2005, and Frances Kennedy produced a splendid feast for the breakfast at Berry Hill using local produce where possible. David Chambers, the local MP came along to talk to the large gathering of people and there was some useful press coverage of it in the local papers.

Further events for undertaken in British Breakfast week , included Stafffordshire WFU members going to a local Primary School and undertaking an educational session with the children on the theme of British breakfast and linking it with farming and food topics and activities. They loved looking at the hen which was brought into the school and helping to make Staffordshire Oatcakes.
They produced some drawings on paper plates, their idea of a healthy breakfast and these were then put on display at the County Show later in the year.

Meetings

Organic Dairy Market
A joint meeting was held with the local Agricultural Training Group, and Michael Allwood from Nantwich came to speak to the branch in February 2005 on 'The Organic Dairy Market'. The Allwood family have been in Cheshire since 1750 and farming 200 cows and followers. More recently Michael has been involved in milk processing and initially sold frozen yogurt to supermarkets and the milk to airlines, before further developing into soft cheese production.

Ethical issues
Ralph Early (Senior Lecturer in Food Science and Moral Philosophy) kindly offered to come and talk to the branch in April 2005 about food in a modern society with an orientation to ethical issues. He shares many of the WFU values on food issues and food labels and stirred the branch with his observations and views. Ralph has a particular interest in farm food products and specialist cheese manufacturing, and is actively involved in developing new cheese products, namely the recently launched 'Wrekin White' and 'Wrekin Blue' which he brought along to the meeting for the branch to sample

Staffordshire County Show
The branch organised a stand at the Stafford County Show - Wednesday 1 June and Thursday 2 June 2005 along the theme of healthy eating promoting British Food and used a life size creation of a vegetable and fruit man - Healthy Henry - sitting on a bench, with a picnic background and integrating a cheese promotion as requested by national WFU.

Staffordshire WFU members make healthy Henry.

Children were encouraged to tell him their 'Cheesiest Jokes' while parents were able to take photos and everyone was encouraged to sample the selection of cheeses and talk with WFU members. Further links with schools and school teachers was made and it was a very busy and enjoyable time.

Personal Image for Business meeting
In June 2005 we were invited by Staffordshire WiRE to join an informal and enjoyable workshop looking at how to create the image you want and need for your business through dress, body language and voice. It also covered the effects of colour, creating confidence through clothes and creating your own image action plan. It was a very interesting evening and we all came home with tips and ideas.

Summer Visit - Robert Ward's Farm shop, Greenfields
The branch usually enjoys a farm/ rural enterprise visit in the summer and this year the branch visited Robert Ward's farm shop, Greenfields in June 2005.

Robert Ward owns the award winning farm shop Greenfields. His family was one of the first strawberry farmers in the area and he developed the table top strawberry system for ease of picking and reduction of waste. His business experience led him to be one of the Judges for the television programme 'Mind your own business' and as a consultant for diversifying into farm retail enterprises. Rob Ward organised a splendid BBQ at Greenfields using Shropshire meats and vegetables, followed by strawberries and cream and the branch munched through this wonderful food, (trying to ignore a wicked thunderstorm which gathered pace overhead) while Rob talked about the business and factors influencing both its development and success. Partners and friends were also invited to attend and some took pleasure in trying out the farm trampolines in the children's amusement area.

Food Hygiene Certificate
Some members of the branch suggested that they would be interested in undertaking a basic food hygiene training course. Consequently, two evening sessions are planned in September/October 2005 for the branch and members will be taking the Foundation Certificate in Food Hygiene.

Access seminars
20 June 2005, Uttoxeter Racecourse, Wood Lane, Uttoxeter, Staffs at 10a.m.
Seminars have been arranged to explain the new category of access land under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (the right to roam). These come into force in the autumn and the exemptions and restrictions, which landowners and farmers can apply for. The seminars are organised by the CLA and chaired by NFU.

www.wfu.org.uk