NFU Community Farming Heroes – see who was nominated in your area

J & J Roberts

Following a short battle with cancer the son, David Roberts, passed away leaving behind a young family and a working farm. After this, the family pulled together and decided to gather a group of 70 members to complete the Bridgnorth Walk in Dave’s memory. This raised nearly £15,000 for Severn Hospice and Bowel Cancer UK.

Harry Hall

Harry is incredibly generous in supporting local causes. For example, at nearby village fetes he donates free fruit, and has transformed an area of six tired looking, old potato fields into one of the most successful businesses in the constituency.

Glenn Anderson

Glenn is the driving force behind the Wendling Beck Exemplar Project, blazing a trail that will allow farms up and down the country to deliver '21st century' farming and 'ecosystem services' while significantly boosting the local tourism offer.

Graham Warburton

The Warburton family show pride in their role in feeding the nation through their passion and enthusiasm for their farm along with how they engage with the community, open their farm to educational access and integrate their farming practices closely with the care of the natural environment.

Paul Griffin

Paul's farm has amazing dairy products produced by its herd of Guernsey cows, a commitment to looking after the land it occupies, and provides a farm shop facility to both showcase Isle of Wight produce and to meet the growing demand for Island produce. His business is a family-run business run by Islanders, for Islanders.

Alex Drake

Alex is always one of the first out to help clearing fallen trees after storms, making sure people are safe and alerting services to where power lines are down. His farm has established a milk vending machine service, have done a brilliant job connecting local children with the milk they drink and organises an annual charity tractor run on Boxing Day.

Robert Atkin

Rob is nominated for his vision for the future of farming and the responsibility he takes for educating others about farming and his role in tackling climate change.

Bill Alexander

When a fire broke out on a neighbours farm and was spreading towards a residential area, Bill bravely cultivated a firebreak which contained the fire.

Eleanor Gilbert

Eleanor has a mission to educate and inspire residents of West Berkshire and beyond about farming in the twenty-first century through her Twitter and Instagram.

Liz Godsell

Liz is always going the extra mile for others and is always willing to host meetings and open the farm to the public with initiatives like Open Farm Sunday.

Jonathan Huntley

Jonathan has campaigned and worked hard to keep farming free of bovine tuberculosis in his community and has supported farmers across Wales to tackle this devastating problem over the years.

Jake Freestone

Jake is a fantastic advocate for the food and farming industry and is very enthusiastic about no till conservation agriculture and regenerative farming practices.

Ray Brown

Ray is nominated for his innovation in developing milk production, ice cream making, and development of popular local visitor centre.

Tim Malpas

Tim regularly supports Open Farm Sunday, running orchard tours for the public and teaching them about sheep and farm machinery.

Andrew Bebb

Andrew has worked for years to support those living in rural areas with mental health. Much of his work goes unseen but his selfless work and campaigning has made a huge difference to his local community.

Ray Broadsmith

Ray has worked tirelessly to support the Lymm community over a period of more than 40 years. Throughout the pandemic, his milk retailing business was invaluable and he prioritised deliveries to the elderly, vulnerable and key workers to help get them through lockdown when there were shortages on supermarket shelves. 

Robin Cropper

Robin stepped up during the pandemic and went from providing potatoes to fish and chip shops across the North West to donating thousands of tonnes to local food banks and distribution networks.

Andy Roe

Team Flavourfresh are known for their community activism. In one of their recent projects, they have been showcasing modern farming techniques in local schools to encourage young learners to be the growers of the future.

Andy and Lynda Eadon

After the tragic death of their son, Andy and Linda launched a campaign to raise awareness of the mental health challenges often faced by people living in rural areas and have raised over £60,000 for good causes.

Bill and Kim Homewood

Bill and Kim add to the community spirit with their annual pumpkin picking days, opening the farm up for school visits or supplying the village with trees and turkeys at Christmas, everything they do is based on staying in touch with the local community.

The Fielding Family

Rebecca and Colin regularly organise charity events and raise money for the local community, alongside keeping the community supplied with fresh milk and dairy on their milk round and educating the local community on what goes on, on the farm.

Olly Harrison

Olly takes an active part in local charity fundraising. Every year, Olly grows a Sunflower Maze and in 2021 it raised over £40,000 for NHS charities. He is the founder of Liverpool’s Christmas Tractor Convoy to raise money for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and earlier this year he also turned over space on his farm to house supplies for Ukrainian refugees.

Phil White

Phil has an extensive programme to educate young and old about agriculture at his farm, teaching the public about producing food in an environmentally conscious way.

Richard Roderick

Richard is a forward thinking farmer who understands the vital importance of looking after the environment, and sustainability is the core of all his farming practices.

John and Sally Banks

John and Sally are passionate about dairy farming, hosting school and retailer visits and would like to do more. They currently host an annual open day on their farm attracting hundreds of people from the locality.

John Longmire

John has worked to support Cumbrian Young Farmers Clubs for decades, he is a Parish Councillor with an extremely active and altruistic presence in his local community, supporting his neighbours and fellow parishioners.

Simon and Chris Mead

Simon and Chris are excellent 6th generation farmers who have helped their local community tremendously by helping people receive food during the pandemic and supporting young people wanting to get into farming as well as their dedication to conservation.

David Robinson

David and his family engage with the local community quite a lot, they have open farm Sunday, hold carol singing and other events on farm from time to time and have given land for a Men In Sheds unit at New House farm.

Susie MacMillan

Macs farm is a great family farm who are passionate about what they do, regularly hosting engaging community events and always opening their farm to visitors from all over the constituency.

Karl Franklin

Karl has made an exceptional contribution to the community in West Oxfordshire, not just through his social media channels to educate the public on farming, but also his work with Scouts, fundraising for Witney-based charity Antics.

David and Julia Cross

David and Julia have made the farm a hub of the community. They have school visits and also a café & shop which is now famous for local produce. The shop has become a community asset and 'crown jewel' and David and Julia have worked tirelessly to involve local residents in the life of the farm.

Ben and Charlotte Hollins

Charlotte and Ben run a community youth project for students struggling with mainstream education and has a care farm providing activities for a wide range of vulnerable people. People with learning disabilities are able to learn new skills at the work placements as well as gaining qualifications. 

Philip Smallwood

Phil shows anyone who wants to learn more about farming what his family do and how they do it, including taking his hatching chicks with him to events and schools. He also gets involved in raising money for two farmers' charities, bringing together rural communities, helping to improve farmer welfare and tackle isolation in farming.

James Robinson

James is an example of true innovation within farming. He demonstrates the importance of the centralisation of food production and encourages others to farm efficiently and sustainably.

Helen Chappell

Helen at Ridgeway Farm offers an insight into this industry for Fylde residents and beyond. These visits are offered free of charge and Helen's engagement with school groups is particularly important, especially those from Blackpool, Preston and other local urban areas, who may not have any prior knowledge of farming and what the sector entails.

Danny Newton

Danny is passionate about engaging and educating the public and has hosted numerous open farm Sunday events, attracting over 800 people. Danny is very much at the heart of the Macclesfield community, promoting Cheshire farming by hosting events to delivering his farm's milk on the doorstep to customers.

Duncan Priestner

After completing a Higher National Diploma in Agriculture at Harper Adams University College, Duncan has been a Poultry Farmer in Lymm Greater Manchester, and has remained a dedicated and popular farmer throughout his years of farming.

Emily and Luke Knight

Emily and Luke have done an amazing job on their county council holding, opening up the community and getting all ages and abilities from the community on farm to learn about food production. Not only do they do a great job of promoting the industry they also help build confidence, teamwork and independence of those that attend.

Nicholas Watts

Nicholas has a passion for farming, wildlife and the environment. Within his remarkable conservation work, he supports and promotes the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, with 4% of each sale from his bird food business being donated to the Trust.

Kevin Batey

Alongside managing the grazing of over 550 cattle, Kevin enables the use of the grassland as public open space. The land is used by thousands of members of the public for leisure, exercise, and community events through a network of public rights of way.

Tanya Robbins

Tanya has helped promote farming to a much wider audience by taking part in Open Farm Sunday, welcoming the public onto her farm in order to show them how food is produced whilst also caring for the environment. In addition, she has helped organise a Farm & Rural Economy Day and has volunteered with Facetime A Farmer, where she engaged with local primary schools.

Tom Parkins

When a combine fire incident at Westmill was attended, Tom initiated a response from the rural community to support Fire and Rescue with water and cultivation capability which resulted in the fire being controlled and extinguished in a timely manner.

Ian Watson

On the hottest day of the year, when a fire broke out in a field near Louth, Ian has played a vital role in rolling out a fire training programme and developing an adapter that can be carried by fire services to enable them access to on farm water sources helping to save lives, property, livestock and crops.

James & Emma Loder-Symonds

James and Emma use the farm as an outdoor classroom. Over the past year, they have welcomed over 1000 children and adults to the farm for educational lessons. In addition, they do a vast amount of environmental work, with initiatives focusing on wild bird and bee plots where 13 out of 16 birds species on the Red List visit the farm.

Will Terry

Will farms near Ravenscar and is a great farming ambassador. Recently, he has been on ITV News explaining the impact of the dry weather conditions on local farming. Alongside farming, he is also a maritime and coastal volunteer, helping with the rescues of those in distress.

John Duggleby

John has consistently supported the local community during hard times through his tireless campaigning for better water management following catastrophic floods in 2007 and again in 2018 as Chairman of the Beverley and North Holderness IDB. He passionately believes in watercourse maintenance and never is afraid at meetings to stand his ground.

Richard Bower

Richard has a passion for educating the public and has created many opportunities for them to come onto the farm. He also uses traditional and modern methods to communicate and educate about modern farming. He has also taken environmental measures on the farm, which show a good example of how farming can work to tackle climate change.

Ann Darlington

Ann and her family opened Hall Hill Farm in 1981 as a tourist attraction, after showing people around at lambing time and it has continued to grow, even after being devastated by Foot & Mouth. They continue to operate a working farm alongside organising activities for visitors.

Morgan Tudor

Determined to carry on his Dad's legacy, Morgan took up the reins of his family farm after his father died tragically in a tractor accident. Since he has expanded the herd (now milking 500), employed local people in the business and alongside this has found the time and energy to give much back to the community.

Cathy Leahy

Cathy has worked hard over many years as a trustee for the disabled trustee. However her most recent work as a key organiser of the St Albans Park Run has been fantastic. She has been one of the most regular weekly volunteers and is often the race director. It is not unheard of to get over 1000 runners at this weekly activity.

Graham Harvey

Graham has been Felstead Parish Council Chair for 18 years and a Councillor for 35 years in total. In addition, he has been an NFU group Secretary for 20 years helping the farming community in mid Essex in particular. I would like to thank Graham for all of his hard work for the constituency and the wider farming community.

Andrew and Alison Musson

Andrew and Allison play an invaluable role in providing safe and supportive homes for their community's most vulnerable women and children.

Vicky Cartwright

Throughout the COVID-19 Vicky co-ordinated her parish’s community response, delivering literature and establishing a network of contacts for vulnerable people, running a prescription and shopping service and turning her dining room into a factory with her children to sew facemasks for the Cornwall scrubs group.

Edna Davies

Edna has given huge commitment to the local YFC movement and has been a Club Leader with Llysyfran YFC for over 40 years and has mentored, trained and supported countless young members and officers to gain confidence and learn new lifelong skills, particularly in public speaking, which has helped in their education and careers.

Rob and Sally Mercer

Rob & Sally run educational projects which involve classes of school children visiting the farm to learn about food, farming and the countryside. They host between 80-90 such visits per year. They also run a charitable foundation donating 5-10% of their profits each year, concentrating on education, health and social mobility.

Martin Hamer

From clearing snow and delivering salt to houses in winter, to organising litter picks and offering a helping hand at village events, Martin can always be relied on to get stuck in. A champion of regenerative agriculture, Martin has long grown cover crops, as well as flower, nectar and wild bird mixes on headlands, and planted over 1000 trees last year alone.

Anthony Hopkins

At the start of the Ukrainian conflict Anthony quickly arranged a collection point for supplies on his farm and arranged transport of two articulated lorries to transport the aid to Slovakia and Poland. Via social media and other methods he collected emergency supplies including clothes, tents, medical supplies, etc.

Ian Norbury

Ian runs a pedigree Mobberley Aberdeen Angus herd and is keen to ensure that he farms in a sustainable way as possible and his farm is involved in Countryside stewardship along with selling the beef of his farm locally to pubs and restaurants.

Vaughan Hodgson

Vaughan has devoted his role as an active member of Allerdale Borough Council to helping those who may otherwise not have been seen or considered. Vaughan takes part in Farm Safety Week, raising awareness to local farmers about the importance of safety on farms for owners, employees, and contractors whilst at work.

Neil Brough

Neil is very active in the farming community and an experienced and shrewd businessman. He's a dairy farmer with excellent cattle and farms using the latest technology such as robotic milking machines.

Alistair Mackintosh

Alistair is a leading Cumbrian farmer and has held many prominent NFU positions, including being a past County Chairman. He is passionate about British agriculture and the top quality food produced here in Cumbria.

Alex Dixon

Alex led and hosted the Cumbrian Young Farmers Southern District Field Day event in May this year, the first event of its kind since the pandemic. 

John Millin

John's Farm is on a very popular walking route and the staff always have a friendly smile for any passers by. They are only too happy to offer advice to any ramblers and will always go out of their way to clear the roads around their farm in adverse weather.

Jonathan Connolly

Ivor Beech

Ivor has recently suffered the loss of his nephew, not only has Ivor continued through this turbulent time with tremendous strength, he continues to actively engage with stakeholders on behalf of the agricultural industry.

Lyndon Edwards MBE

Within his peer group, Lyndon is considered the 'go to' person for almost everything related to livestock farming. His passion, commitment and understanding of the industry are exemplary and he has given up countless hours to educate people about agricultural matters.

Tom Cowcher

Tom is the Director of a not-for-profit organisation managed by volunteers, to help build a strong and viable future for the communities of Llandysul and Pont-Tyweli through integrated action to sustain, enhance and promote the area`s environment, local economy, distinctive culture and quality of community life.

Peter Appleton

Peter is a third-generation dairy farmer whose farm also co-hosts a bluebell walk trail which attracts 23,000 visitors annually and has already raised in excess of £1m for local charities. Peter and his wife Jackie are passionate about teaching children about where their food comes from and host "Open Farm Days".

Hugh Passmore

Hugh runs “Open Farm Sundays” as well as welcoming schools and larger groups, educating on food production and farming in the natural environment. Hugh’s farm has long been associated with good environmental practices and works closely with local organisations on this. 

Dan Burdett

Dan's work on ecological and regenerative farming systems is inspiring and his farm is always open to locals to roam freely and enjoy the countryside.

James Baird

James has partnered with six other major landowners in the Sussex Weald to create the Weald to Waves project, the mission is to improve connections for wildlife and enable nature recovery by building a wildlife corridor 50 miles in length from the Ashdown Forest to the Climping Gap near Littlehampton.

Graham Young

Alongside his wife Janet, Graham runs a herd of almost 200 cows who are milked using their voluntary milking system, as well as keeping his farm shop stocked with local produce from the surrounding area. Graham has opened up his farm to local people and is consistently speak out for farming and for the local area.

Owen Piper

Owen is always promoting farming to young people. The family a have run various charity horse riding event and are keen advocates for public access as well as important environmental work, introducing hedgerows, diverse mixes of wildflower and grasses as well as preserving wet grassland in their path.

John Hinchliff

John has a passion to educate pupils about food production and the farm to fork journey, as well as farming in the natural environment and the importance of delivering environmental benefit. John has also appeared in various media discussing vital ways to develop climate resilient varieties to combat climate change.

James Edgar

James educates people of all ages about food production and the environment, hosting over 1000 people during Open Farm Sunday every year. During their last ‘open day’, they raised £1500 for Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance.

Peter Hall

Peter has managed the family farm since 1980 and has been dedicated to farming in a manner that minimises the impact of food production on this ecologically rich Low Weald farm whilst developing science based organic and ICM systems to increase biodiversity and habitat.

Geoff Hotchkin

Geoff recently spent his 80th birthday driving the tractor for the trailer rides at the Sleaford Open Farm Sunday. He kept going after the official closing time to ensure every child had a go! He has dedicated his lifetime to promoting and supporting farming and the local community.

Chris Hogg

Chris, Valdine and George run so more than just a farm. Caring for local birdlife is a particular priority for them. They produce their own bird food and provide other services for local birdkeepers and bird lovers in the area.

Jane Marsen

Jane is Chair of the Hathersage Parish Council and works tirelessly to help everyone in the community, especially throughout lockdown. She encourages the next generation of farmers and those from non-farming backgrounds to learn more about agriculture, all whilst cultivating and protecting this very special corner of the Peak District.

Anthony Seaman

Anthony does an outstanding amount of work chairing the Broadland Agricultural Water Abstractor Group which seeks to work constructively with farmers and growers and the Environment Agency to better manage water in our area.

Chris Suckling

Chris recently held an Open Farm Sunday event in aid of the East Anglian Air Ambulance, a fantastic initiative allowing members of the public to learn more about our brilliant farmers. Chris also supported his local community by launching a small Potato Hut shop to help people out during the pandemic.

Greg Parkes

Greg has played a crucial role in developing the farming community in Bosworth, by taking a conscientious and diligent attitude to his work responding to post Covid challenges in the farming sector, as well as staging a set piece rally and agriculture debate. Greg is an active charity supporter and is undertaking training to invite schools out to farms.

Angela Sargent

Angela has done extensive work promoting farming to a very wide audience. Over the years, she has delivered many talks to a variety of groups including the Women’s Institute, Probus and Round Table. She is due to retire soon, and it will truly be the end of an era.

Johnny Wake

Johnny is the driving force behind numerous projects that supports his community. This includes the formation of TRUST; a project which works with children, and their parents, who have experienced trauma, are in the care system or struggling to engage at school. The project gives children an opportunity to benefit from an outdoor classroom environment to express themselves and improve connectedness.

David Barker

David is a trailblazer in wildlife management. Alongside his son Patrick, he has championed innovative farming practises for many years, encouraging natural habitats for wildlife by cultivating hedgerows and reclaiming unused land.

John Millin

John's farm is on a very popular walking route and the staff always have a friendly smile for any passers-by. They are only too happy to offer advice to walkers and will always go out of their way to clear the roads around their farm in adverse weather.

Edward Lacey

Peter has managed the family farm since 1980 and has been dedicated to farming in a manner that minimises the impact of food production on this ecologically rich Low Weald farm whilst developing science based organic and ICM systems to increase biodiversity and habitat

Jim Barker

Jim and his family business, Udderly Fresh Raw Milk, have played a major role in supporting the local food and beverage economy. They have supported the local visitor and tourism sector a great deal in my constituency and should be recognised for their achievements.

Donald Arscott

Alongside farming, Donald devotes time to supporting the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI). The charity offers guidance, financial support and practical care to farming people of all ages through challenging times.

Lizzie Spencer

From the age of 3, Lizzie developed a passion for sheep which she shares through arranging educational farm visits for children with developmental needs and posting TikToks of lambs arriving. During lockdown, she recognised the need for the community to see something uplifting and shared positive recordings from the farm to the village Facebook page. The overwhelming gratitude from residents meant she has continued to do this annually, and everyone looks forward to seeing the arrival of the lambs and footage of the combine harvester in action during harvest.