Exciting year ahead for NSA Next Generation Ambassadors

31^st January 2015

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is delighted to announce the 12 young individuals selected from all over the UK for its 2015 Next Generation Ambassador Programme.

The Ambassador Programme was launched in 2014 and provided a hugely successful series of events for selected individuals, covering a wide range of sheep topics, business skills and personal training. Thanks to the financial support of the nine NSA regional committees and the generous support of a number of delivery partners, NSA is thrilled to be able to offer the same experience to 12 young people in the sheep sector this year.

Joanne Briggs, NSA Communications Manager, says: “The NSA Next Generation initiative is about encouraging the enthusiasm and quality of young people coming into the sector, be they farming sheep themselves or supporting businesses in an ancillary role. An important part of the initiative is the Next Generation Ambassador Programme, which takes 12 individuals and provides them with the skills to be develop their own businesses and careers, as well as the training to promote and support the sheep sector in future as a long-term NSA Ambassador.

“The 2014 Ambassadors are still closely linked to NSA and play an active part in encouraging other young farmers and discussing the issues facing sheep keepers around the UK. We look forward to another 12 individuals coming through the process this year and are particularly excited about the broad range of geography, sheep enterprises and ages in this year’s group.”

This year’s Ambassadors are:-

1. Lynn Allison (22) Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire: A recent graduate from the Scottish Agricultural College (SRUC) who splits her time between the family farm, establishing her own sheep flock and working in the local auction market.
2. Sam Bullingham (23) Okehampton, Devon: A new entrant with a shearing round of 20,000-head, his own flock of commercial New Zealand Romneys and stud flocks of Romneys and Southdowns. He is also a seasonal lamb procurer for an abattoir.
3. Thomas Carrick (32) Alston, Cumbria: A sheep farmer with a degree in human genetics, and a passion to see the sheep sector make use of breeding technology. He is a partner in the family farm breeding Swaledales and Mules.
4. Ewan Cumming (21) Denton, Norfolk: A new entrant balancing management of his Poll Dorset flock with a full-time job on a pig farm. Surrounded by arable farmers, he has a vision for arable and sheep enterprises to complement each other.
5. Jonny Farmer (33) Ballymena, County Antrim: A part-time farmer and part-time landscape gardener determined to grow a sheep business big enough to support him full time, while also sharing the farming message with the general public.
6. Harry Frederick (27) Tonbridge, Kent: A uni course in architecture persuaded him he wanted to be a farmer, and he in turn convinced his beef-farming dad to let him establish his own sheep flock, selling lamb via farmers markets.
7. George Gough (22) Knighton, Powys: A young contract shepherd who manages other people’s sheep while running his own flying flock and looking for his next big venture in the sheep sector. He is also a keen sheepdog trainer.
8. George Hartley-Webb (23) Bury St Edmunds , Suffolk: A self-employed shepherd with regular work for one of the biggest store finishers in the country and his own flock of North Country Mules on various grazing agreements.
9. Clarke Hibberd (24) Iverurie, Aberdeenshire: A new entrant with a rapidly growing shepherding and sheep shearing business, and a sharp eye for a future farm tenancy or share-farming agreement.
10. Oliver Newman (21) Cirencester, Gloucestershire: An employed shepherd running an organic outdoor-lambing Lleyn flock of 600 ewes. He is enthusiastic about performance recording and looking to grow to 800+ ewes in the coming years.
11. Georgie Radmore (23) Yelverton, Devon: A soon-to-be agriculture and animal science graduate, with big plans for building her career in the livestock sector while running her own sheep and continuing to spend time on the family farm.
12. Lewis Sayers (19) Bingham, Nottinghamshire: A brand new face to the sheep sector with only a couple of years of experience behind him but a steadily growing direct-sales business and a big dream of one day having his own farm shop.

Mrs Briggs continues: “The fact it was so tough to choose these 12 individuals and that we were forced to turn away some truly remarkable young people shows just how exciting the sheep sector is at the current time. There are some inspiration people taking on family businesses, starting from scratch themselves or building careers, and the professionalism and dedication of these young people means there is a very bring future for UK agriculture.”

The NSA Next Generation project is not just about the Ambassadors that are selected each year, but also provides information and promotes opportunities via the website, runs an annual conference and sees NSA regional committees sponsor and support young people in their area. Find out more at www.nsanextgeneration.org.uk, and click on the “Ambassador Group” tab for mini-profiles of each of the Ambassadors.

Notes to editors:-

• Visit www.nsanextgeneration.org.uk for more details on each of the 12 Ambassadors. Contact NSA Communications Manager Joanne Briggs on 07807 237982 or joanne@nationalsheep.org.uk for individual pictures and additional information.
• The National Sheep Association is an organisation that represents the views and interests of sheep producers throughout the UK. It is funded by its membership of sheep farmers and its activities involve it in every aspect of the sheep industry. More at www.nationalsheep.org.uk and www.nsanextgeneration.org.uk.