Warwickshire - Gill Hudspith

Vice Chairman: Helen Hammond
Secretary: Agnes Penrice
Treasurer: Diane Smith
Dairy Committee: Gill Hudspith
Livestock Committee: Ann Woodward
Crops Committee: Angela Meadows

Why Beef and Sheep Farming Matters
NFU, EBLEX and TG are arranging a two day-long seminars in April focusing in more detail on Why Beef and Sheep Farming Matters including talks, butchery and cookery demonstrations from Urban Chef Oliver Rowe.

The seminar will take place on Saturday 5th April at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon

The National Council of Women and Women’s Food and Farming Union each have the opportunity to invite 25 guests to each seminar, free of charge. Food and drink is also included on the day.

Farmhouse Breakfast Week January 2008

Warwickshire members held a fund raising breakfast at Stoneleigh Park, on the 23rd January in the morning for RABI & ARC Addington fund. They delivered breakfast to the various offices on the showground of bacon/sausage rolls followed by sit down full English/scrambled eggs in the Jersey Cattle pavilion.

Warwickshire members in the kitchen

Programme 2007

1 May	7.00p.m Visit TOFT ALPACAS, Dunchurch, Rugby. Meet at the farm. Contact Helen Hammond on 01926 651790
17 May	7.00pm Visit WYKHAM PARK FARM SHOP, Banbury (lies between Broughton & Bodicote). Meet at the farm; see the cattle & the shop, refreshments after. Contact Gill Hudspith on 01789 450384 (numbers needed because of catering)
3 June	(Sunday) KENILWORTH SHOW. Cheese promotion. 6 people needed to do ½ day each. Contact Gill 01789 450384
20 June	7.00 p.m. Visit VLA Luddington for a tour. Meet at the lab just outside the village. Contact Gill 01789 450384
1 - 4 July	ROYAL SHOW Cheese promotion with F.A.C.E, paid volunteers needed, being run by National WFU, local contact, Sue Kinnersley on 01527 852621.
12 August	FILLONGLEY SHOW (set up night before), ½ day, cheese promotion 3 people, contact Sue Archer, mobile 07778 144042.
7 October	APPLE DAY MARY ARDENS HOUSE Cheese promotion Set up before 9.00am 6 people ½ day each. Contact Gill 01789 450384
21 October	2.30pm LUNCH AT HILLTOP, Hunningham, numbers to Helen 01926 651790 please by 15/10.
4 November	WFU NATIONAL AGM London
29 January 2008	WARWICKSHIRE WFU AGM Nfu Mutual, Tiddington

Warwickshire Lunch
Sunday 15th October 2006
12.00 for 12.30pm

Proceeds to West Midlands Lupus Group
£10 per ticket including a glass of wine
Raffle

To be held at:

The Lodge
Willows Farm
Warton
Tamworth
Staffordshire

Please confirm with Edith by 12th October on Tel: 01827 892318

BRITISH FOOD & FARM PRAISE 2006 - Saturday, 30th September 2006
By kind permission of Mr BE Merriman and Mr MJ Thwaites & LB Thwaites Farms
Saturday 30th September 2006 at Kingston Farm, Beggars Lane, Harbury, Warwickshire 10-4.30pm

Promoting British Food Fortnight, Warwickshire Food Producers, The Rural Church and the ARC-Addington Fund

An enjoyable day out for anyone interested in British and locally produced food.

Programme:

10.00am: Event opens.
10.30am: Farm walks commence - visit fishing lakes, beef sucker herd, field margins, woodland and regeneration, traditional grassland and arable rotations.
Noon: Lunches: High quality retail outlet of local food supported by Ladies in Pigs, Local Beef Producer, Warwickshire Women's Farm Union British cheeses, British Fruit, English Wine Producers Tasting.
2.00pm: Introducing 'The Greengrocer'.
2.30pm: Farm Praise: An informal Service of thanksgiving, Preacher The Rt. Revd Colin Bennetts, Bishop of Coventry.
3.30pm: Reception.
4.30pm: Close

FREE ADMISSION - FOR FURTHER DETAILS TEL: 02476 690587

2005/6 Report

We started the 2005 with a series of meeting to get things together for the national conference that Warwickshire WFU had decided they could handle in 2006. A hectic summer show season ensued with a cheese and wine evening at Marston Mill and then three days of cheese sampling at the Town and Country Festival at Stoneleigh. Members lit bonfires for the Trafalgar day celebrations and Christmas lunch was enjoyed by members and partners at the Glebe Hotel at Barford.

We started the 2006 by taking part in the HGCA Breakfast always a great event for educating people about how to eat properly. Our AGM was held that week as well with West Midland WFU Branch being invited.

Then we got stuck into the final organisation of the National Conference to be held at Stratford upon Avon at the end of March. We were thrilled by the amount of positive response we received from speakers, sponsors, WFU members and guests. The weeks just whizzed by and then we were reading reports about the conference in the Farmers Guardian and it was all over

We visited Puckpitt Farm on a damp Tuesday evening in May to see the llamas and alpacas and just what people do with them. A pub supper at the White lion was enjoyed by all. Sue Kinnersley and Sue Archer visited the House of Commons on behalf of WFU for a reception held by ARC Addington Fund And Gill Hudspith attended Campden and Chorleywood Research Centre Open day on behalf of Iownen Lewis.

Sue Kinnesley and Edith Critchley hand out samples of British cheeses to eager volunteers

Kenilworth Show was the first of the Cheese promotion days, followed by a The Royal Show where we worked closely on the stand with FACE to provide children with the different cheeses, the baker provided home made bread and the cereal story was told to hundreds of youngsters. The feedback from the schools was very encouraging and hopefully we will work with FACE and other organisations on other projects in the future.

A small group of Warwickshire members attended the WFU National Seminar held at Portcullis House in conjunction with The National Council of Women on Thursday 13th July, listening to Sir Don Curry, Baroness Hazel Byford, Henry Fell and Sir Stuart Hampson.

Cheese again on a very wet August day at Fillongley Show and we are booked to join a visit with Northamptonshire WFU to the Royal Agricultural Society of England Library on 12th September which will include a lunch provided by ARC Addington Fund. Warwickshire WFU has been asked to take part in British Food and Farm Praise 2006 to be held locally in Harbury on Saturday 30th September. Apple Day will be another huge cheese outing to be held on Sunday 8th October in Stratford upon Avon. The fundraising lunch will be on Sunday 15th October in the Tamworth area. The Christmas lunch, at which we encourage partners to come along, will be held on Sunday 26th November. The Branch AGM will be on Tuesday 23rd January 2007 as well as taking part in HGCA Breakfast week.

In between our socialising at various events and shows this summer our members have been attending National WFU meetings including the CEC, Chairmen's and the various commodity committees. We have also held business meetings so that everyone is kept in touch with what is happening in WFU.

Programme 2006

4 January	AGM
7 March	HSE Cascade Event
30 March	Warwickshire hosts National AGM SonA
24 April	Food Hygiene Training
4 June	Kenilworth Show
2 - 5 July	Royal Show working with FACE
August	Branch Meeting
13 August	Fillongley Show
12 September	visit with Northamptonshire WFU to theRoyal Agricultural Society of England Library
30 September	Harvest Event for the Addington Fund
8 October	Apple Day at Mary Arden's House
11 October	National AGM at Chatsworth House
15 October	Fund Raising Lunch at Edith Critchley's
26 November	Christmas Lunch, The Glebe Barford
23 January 2007	Branch AGM

WFU National Confernce 2006

Warwickshire branch are hosting this year's National Conference "Where Does Our Food Come From?" - 30th March - 1st April 2006
Details .............
Programme ...............
Booking Form ..............

Programme 2004

15 March	7.30 pm Talk on Health and Safety at the Health and Safety Building, 10th Street, Royal Show Ground
26 April	Meal and talk on local sourcing for the restaurant trade at Poppies Restaurant Balsall Common.
6 June	Kenilworth Show
17 June	LEAF Farm visit
22 June	Ragley Hall (Warks WFU stand)
4 - 7 July	Royal Show
9 July	Visit to HRI Wellesbourne in conjunction with National Crops Committee
14 July	Visit to Sue Williams farm to see sheep being milked and watch sheep milk ice cream being made. Afterwards we are very kindly being entertained by Northamptionshire Branch.
2 August	Business meeting at Sue Archers at 7.30pm
28 - 30 August	Town and Country Festival
21 September	7.30pm Visit to Welford on Avon Vineyard
10 October	Harvest Meal at Jean Hadleys - a fund raising event
1 November	A talk by Richard Lindsey veterinary surgeon at the Dun Cow Pathlow
December (TBC)	Visit to Findons to see Poinsettia production

Town and Country Festival - 24 August 2003

Warwickshire WFU will be handing out free samples of cheese at the Town and Country Festival's attempt to break the record for the world's biggest picnic on Sunday 24th August.

Attention all Festival Visitors

Attempt to break the record for the
World's Biggest Picnic
at the Town & Country Festival

Sunday 24th August 2003

You are invited to join in the fun with the Royal Agricultural Society of England as it attempts to break this record at the Festival.

• Picnic site opens at 11.30
• Picnic to commence at 12.30
• No cost to participate
• Meet the Yella Fella and members of the Festival Circus inc. Stilt Walkers, Jugglers, Uni-cyclists
• Location: By the lake & the RASE gardens, Gate 4
• Prize Draw to win numerous picnic goodies!

Event Objective
To encourage the purchase of locally produced food at the Festival as part of the c/o British Farming initiative to raise awareness for local produce

RULES
To break the record, participants must follow the rules stipulated by the Guinness Book of Records

1. A head count of participants will be taken prior to commencing
2. All participants must bring a picnic meal, individually or as a group. The minimum requirement is for two 'courses' (e.g. a sandwich and fruit or cake) and a drink. You can bring your picnic from home or purchase food from the many food exhibitors at the festival.
3. All participants should bring their own mats/rugs to sit on for the picnic.
4. All participants should attend the picnic simultaneously.
5. Please take your rubbish away with you or use the rubbish bins provided.

For further details about this promotion please contact:
Annette Gann, Media Relations Officer, T: 02476 858 267; E: annetteg@rase.org.uk
See: www.cobritishfarming.co.uk for further details on locally produced foods

The World's Biggest Picnic

• Coventry City Football Club will send a couple of officials with clickers to validate the entrances to the picnic - and confirm that the rules were followed etc
• All three T & C Festival charities will be supported at the picnic via joint collecting buckets (proceeds split equally three ways) carried by representatives from all three charities, situated around the enclosure of the picnic. Each charity to provide stickers for buckets.
• Tysoe Children's Group will send their charity teddy bear, complete with fireman's helmet (to put out forest fires) - can they provide collecting buckets?
• Macmillan Cancer Relief will confirm their plans, can they provide collecting buckets?
• Anker Radio are very kindly providing the PA system for commentary, and also background music; can they provide collecting buckets?
• Dr Gordon Gatward OBE, director of the Arthur Rank Centre will be saying a five minute grace at the picnic
• The onsite Festival Circus will divert jugglers, stilt walkers, uni-cyclists to entertain picnickers
• The event mascot - the Yella Fella, will be also be circulating around the picnic, saying Hi to the kids
• Picnickers are invited to either bring their own food, or buy from the Farmers Market exhibitors and Heart of England Fine Foods in support of locally grown produce as part of the c/o British Farming initiative
• All food exhibitors have been advised about the initiative and invited to incorporate it as part of their own promotional campaigns to encourage visitors to buy picnic items from them (attached)
• All visitors purchasing advance tickets have been sent fliers advertising the picnic and providing the rules (attached)
• The picnic will be publicised via pre-Festival PR, inclusion in 'What's-on' ads in 37 local publications; inclusion on the T & C website - www.townandcountryfestival.org.uk.
• The Royal Agricultural Society will be running a prize draw to allow Picnickers to win some fabulous Picnic goodies - 20p per ticket - money split equally between the three charities

Strawberry Day 2003

• Kenliworth Show – stand with Strawberry day.
• Working with Young Farmer Clubs.
• Presenting baskets of strawberries to side saddle winners.
• Stand at Ragley Hall Strawberry Event, offering tasting.

Programme 2003

15 April	Evening visit to John Taylor, Butcher
10 May	Saturday visit to Beckford Silk, Beckford, Gloucester. 10.30am meet in car park for 11.00am tour of Silk factory. Lunch in a small café on site
20 May	National WFU Open Day by kind permission of Philip Merricks, Icklesham, Rye, Sussex. (Branch meeting cancelled)
1 June	Kenilworth Show (Warks WFU Stand)
17 June	LEAF Farm visit
22 June	Ragley Hall (Warks WFU stand)
29 June-2 July	Royal Show - Contact Sue Kinnersley for details (National WFU Stand Help is always needed!!)
23rd-25th August	Town & Country Festival

AGM - 29th January 2003, NFU Building, Stoneleigh

2002
In October 2002, Warwickshire ladies visited Snitterfield Fruit Farm to see the new shop and hear about plans for its development..

In November members enjoyed watching a demonstration of table arrangements using only five blooms.

December was Christmas celebration time with a dinner at Findons - sadly missed by SUe who was noyt back from Wales in time!

"Ladies in Pigs"
Cookery Demonstration

7th May 2002 at 7.30pm

NFU Pavilion, NAC, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire

RSVP:
Helen Hammond
(by 4th May 2002)
Tel: 01926 651790

Tickets £2.50

www.wfu.org.uk