NFU Cymru Community Champion Award shortlist

Three farmers who make an outstanding contribution to their local communities have been shortlisted for the NFU Cymru / Principality Building Society Welsh Rural Community Champion Award, with the winner to be announced at next month’s Royal Welsh Spring Festival.

The Competition, now in its sixth year, recognises the hard work farmers do off the farm in order to help their local town or village community. The Award winner will receive the top prize of £500 and an engraved Welsh slate clock and two runners-up get £100 each.

NFU Cymru Deputy President, John Davies said, “I am very pleased that this Award has really grabbed people’s attention. When short-listing we looked for farmers who contributed to the wider community. Sustainability of rural areas depends on more than us farmers. Conversely, it promotes our role when we are fully immersed in the workings of village life.”

The finalists for the Award come from Monmouthshire, Glamorgan and Gwynedd. They are:

Bryn Williams of Ty Coch, Cwm Cynfal, Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, is described in his application form as someone who goes ‘above and beyond for the people in his community.’ His tireless commitment includes decades of running various community projects, such as Cyfle Ffestiniog which organises walking, cycling and fishing activities for local people and visitors to enjoy, which have significantly improved the community as a place to live and visit. Come rain or shine, he delivers newspapers locally, including a daily delivery to the local elderly care home, whose residents all eagerly wait for Bryn, who finds the time every day to individually talk to them all.

John Biggs, a beef and sheep farmer at Pentwyn Farm, Penrhos, Raglan, Monmouthshire. John has been a community councillor for the past 40 years. He was the main driver in establishing the new livestock centre for Monmouthshire. He is one of just a handful of people that have been chairman of Monmouthshire county show on more than one occasion, he is also a Show Director. He is a lifelong member of Monmouthshire Grassland Society, and Raglan Farmers Association and a member of Abergavenny Forum.

John Hanks, a dairy farmer milking 120 cows at Ty Canol farm, Llantrithyd, Cowbridge. John’s application states he is ‘heavily involved in keeping the spirit of the community in Llantrithyd village, specifically at times of years – harvest, Christmas and spring time. He is the first port of call for emergencies like cars in ditches, phone lines down etc.’ John has been involved with the Vale agricultural show for the past 20 years. He helps with the local YFC, he dresses up as santa, he cuts the village’s hedges, and most recently he was involved with a group of local farmers that travelled down to London to explain to pupils of an inner city school how their food is produced.

Pat Ashman, Principality’s Sponsorship and Events Manager, said, “We have had a tremendous amount of support for this year’s award and we are grateful to all those who put applications in. It was extremely difficult to get down to a shortlist of three because Wales is full of hard working and committed farmers who do so much for their local communities but we had to make a decision and we have three very deserving candidates going through to the final.”

The winner of the NFU Cymru / Principality Welsh Rural Community Champion Award will be announced at the NFU Cymru stand at 12.30pm on Sunday, 17 May, at the Royal Welsh Spring Festival.