RASE scores a hat trick in the Queen's birthday honours
Jef Tuyn, Head of Countryside Communications at the Society is made an Officer of the British Empire in recognition for his outstanding service to the society spanning 34 years.
His role currently includes responsibility for the Rural Forum for Coventry, Solihull & Warwickshire whose purpose is to stimulate dynamic rural enterprise in Warwickshire and the rural West Midlands; and the national 'Towards Tomorrow's Countryside' initiative to support innovative rural enterprise through the dissemination of best practice. He is the society's key liaison with local development bodies such as Advantage West Midlands.
Reverend Canon Jeremy Martineau, National Rural Officer for the Church of England at the Arthur Rank Centre and an honorary employee of the society, has also been made an Officer of the British Empire in recognition of his service to rural communities. The Arthur Rank Centre is part of the Royal Agricultural Society of England and is managed in partnership with the Rank Foundation and national churches.
Ordained in 1966, he has spent the past 13 years at the Arthur Rank Centre supporting, inspiring and developing his wide network of rural Church of England communities. The focus of this group centres upon regeneration, social development and specific local agenda issues.
Malcolm Stansfield, Secretary to the English panel of the Council for Awards of the Royal Agricultural Societies has been made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to Agriculture and to the community in Reading. The Council is an independent body established by the Agricultural societies and is responsible for appointing Fellows and Associates of the Royal Societies.
"I am delighted to see such public, and resounding approval of the valuable role and work that these individuals have tirelessly performed for the Society and the Industry on behalf
of the national rural community," said Mike Calvert, Chief Executive of the Royal Agricultural Society of England.
Malcolm Stansfield was Chief Agricultural Advisor to the Royal Agricultural Society of England for 6 years, only retiring from this position last year, and was also a senior lecturer and Director of the Farm Management Unit at Reading University before retiring in 2001. Malcolm Stansfield was unchallenged as the UK's youngest farmer, when, aged 11 he was encouraged by his family to take over the family smallholding, buying and selling animals and taking responsibility for them with his younger brother, whilst still a school boy. "I am thrilled to bits with the award and feel very lucky to have lead teams who have been so successful in whatever I've been involved with, be those village affairs, teaching, farming, Rotary or the church. I feel privileged to have been able to have some input to numerous farming groups over the years".
2003 has been an auspicious year for the Royal Agricultural Society, with Margaret Backhouse, who is a committee member of the Arthur Rank Church Pavilion (providing the best of rural hospitality during the show) at the Royal Show, receiving an MBE for her services to the community especially health and elderly people in Warwickshire. The New Year's honours also saw the Director of the Arthur Rank Centre, Reverend Dr. Gordon Gatward being awarded an OBE.
