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WALES YOUNG FARMER’S CLUBS AWARDED FOR THEIR ENVIRONMETAL PROJECTS AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT
Three Wales Young Farmers Clubs have been awarded for their environmental projects and community spirit as part of the Wales YFC Community and Environment Challenge (CEC).
The Wales YFC clubs, taking part in the challenge, presented details of their community work to a panel of judges at this year’s Winter Fair.
Dylan Jones, Wales YFC Rural Affairs Committee Chairman said: “The awards are a great way of getting members to work together and learn new skills. They also ultimately benefit the wider Welsh environment and rural community.”
Entries for 2009 were once again diverse. Clubs from across Wales entered a variety of different projects within the three categories - countryside and environment, community and heritage and events or entertainment.
The much deserving winner of the ‘Countryside and Environment’ Challenge was “The Secret Garden” of Wentwood YFC, Gwent. The club working with designs from schoolchildren transformed a disused area of land into an outdoor classroom and secret garden for their local primary school. The club have produced a safe secure area for pupils of A.R.W. School to play and explore nature. The garden includes a sensory path, log circle for story telling and a willow sculpture is currently being produced to add the finishing touch.
Speaking on behalf of the judges, Mr John Lloyd Jones, Chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales said: “We were very impressed by the way this club undertook a major project to create a place of both fun, tranquil and outdoor education in the school while maximising the opportunities for local wildlife. The club worked hard and made well-informed decisions making full use of recycled materials such as old tyres and using local businesses and the skills of local experts. This was an excellent environmental and community project, a “Secret Garden” which provides the school, local organisations and wildife with a wonderful resource.”
Llantrisant YFC, Glamorgan were the winners of the ‘Community and Heritage’ Challenge with “Care about your FOOD, WE DO”. The club had taken an active role in the local Open Farm Sunday event which is an annual event coordinated by LEAF (Linking Environment and Nature) on the first Sunday in June every year. Encouraging the public, which are form a largely urban area in the Glamorgan area to discover how their local food is produced and where it comes from is important for the club members. During the day, they also incorporated nature walks to show the local community the vast amount of wildlife that can be found on a typical farm and finished off by serving home made cawl.
“We were thoroughly impressed by how this club worked in partnership with a local farm to not only open their gates on Open Farm Sunday, but provide wildlife tours and educational sessions on food and farming. This partnership between the farm and the club has developed well and they are determined to make this an annual event and hopefully encourage others to repeat the idea throughout Wales.”
Erwood YFC, Brecknock won the Entertainment and Events category. The club raised over £6,000 for charity by staging a number of very successful and innovative events. These ranged from a historic drovers themed meal, served in a barn on Eppynt mountain to a fashion show with a twist. The fashion show used “recycled” clothes from a charity shop which were then auctioned off, a vey unique idea. The club also got involved in the National Campaign of Welly Week to raise support and awareness for RABI.
Dylan Jones added: “Many of our clubs across Wales get involved in community and environmental projects on a regular basis - volunteering skills, labour and fundraising. The Community and Environment Challenge help these clubs gain recognition for all their hard work. With the money available through Wales YFC, with grant support from the Countryside Council for Wales, we are able to offer financial assistance to make these projects happen.”