Conference Torquay

More than 4000 young farmers from almost every county of England and Wales will be heading for the English Rivera this weekend, 23 to 25 April, for their national annual convention.

The convention is taking place at the Rivera International Conference Centre in Torquay and Young Farmers from across the country are planning to travel to the event in a variety of novel and unusual ways to raise money for charity.

Members from Worcestershire will be arriving on quad bikes having ridden the 1000 miles from John O'Groats to Land's End and then on to Torquay to raise cash for Acorns Children's Hospice in Worcester and Diabetes UK.

Four Kent members are raising cash for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI), by cycling the 300 miles from their home county to Torquay. They are aiming to raise at least £2000.

Ten members of Lancashire YFC are setting off from Black pool Tower on 19 April for their five day, 300 mile sponsored cycle ride to the event. They have already raised more than £3000 for RABI, and are hoping to ultimately double that figure.

A team of 14 Yorkshire YFC members have built their own amphibious vehicle out of recycled junk to make their way by land and water to the resort. They set off from Huddersfield on 20 April and hope to keep afloat on their homemade contraption for the 340 mile trip. Their four day challenge will raise more than £2000 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Meanwhile, another member, Antony Morris, is planning to make the trip on a ride on lawnmower. He plans to leave his home in Herefordshire on Thursday 22 April and arrive in Torquay early afternoon the next day. Antony's lawnmower has been customised so it is suitable for travelling on the road and has a top speed of about 35mph.

"According to my satnav, the trip is 173 miles, but I am sure will get lost so I will probably end up doing more like 200 miles," he told Farmers Weekly. "I'll be raising money for my local air ambulance and hopefully I can raise over £1000."

The National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs (NFYFC) chairwoman Helen Roberts said: "YFC members are wonderfully innovative and resourceful when it comes to devising fun and funky ways of raising the many hundreds of thousands of pounds they generate for charities up and down the country.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing what else they come up with on their way to the NFYFC annual convention and AGM in Torquay on April 23 to 25, as well as during the rest of the year."

Highlights of this year's convention are the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Forum on Saturday 24 April, which will debate future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform, affordable rural housing and securing successful farming futures with representatives from Defra, the European Commission and a panel of other industry experts.

NFYFC will celebrate the year's successes and present its silverware at its AGM on Sunday 25 April, and the weekend also sees the national finals of hotly contested performing arts competition, plus final selection of the YFC Ambassador of the Year.

This will be the organisations' eighth visit to Torquay since 1995. Event sponsors include Mole Valley Farmers, Torbay Cab Company, HOPS Labour Solutions, Farmers Guardian, Robert Wiseman Dairies and Defra.

In photograph:
Four members of the Yorkshire team arriving in Torquay for the NFYC Annual Convention after their four day journey.

More photographs available at: http://www.nfyfc.org.uk/news/article.1963

For more information please contact Sarah James, PR and Marketing Co-ordinator, Conference Torquay 01803 206 303 or email sjames@ricc.co.uk

The National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs (NFYFC) is one of the largest rural youth organisations in the UK.

The NFYFC heads a nationwide body of 662 YFCs throughout England and Wales dedicated to supporting young people with an interest in agriculture and the countryside.

Led by young people, for young people, YFCs provide their 25,000 members, aged 10 to 26, with an opportunity to develop skills, work with their local community, travel abroad, take part in a varied competitions programme and enjoy a dynamic social life.

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