Former editor of The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph and The Spectator Charles Moore will be President for the South of England Agricultural Society in 2016, it was announced today.
Born in East Sussex and brought up on a small mixed farm there, Charles is a current resident in the county. He is married with adult twins and is a keen supporter of country sports.
Charles said, “I am honoured to be the new President of the South of England Agricultural Society. It is a great institution of farming and country life in the region. This is a time when the achievements and innovations of our agriculture need to be better understood. Events such as the South of England Show provide some of the best opportunities in the South for all these good things to be appreciated and enjoyed.”
Charles Moore writes a weekly column for the Daily Telegraph and The Spectator. As well as this, he is the authorised biographer of Margaret Thatcher, the first volume of which appeared in April 2013 shortly after she died. He has recently released the second volume called Everything She Wants.
Brian Williams, who is Chairman of the Society’s Equestrian Committee and has been involved with the Society for many years will be the Deputy President in 2016. Brian, who has also served as Chairman of the Society in recent years, has a lifelong love of the countryside and horses. He is a retired solicitor and together with his wife, Jane, ran a stud farm.
The Society will be celebrating a ‘Year of Sheep’ across all it’s shows and events in 2016, raising the profile of these much loved animals as well as the hard working sheep farming community, which has played a vital role in the UK since medieval times.
Promoting innovation and education in agriculture and showcasing the best examples of horticulture, land based industries and the rich produce of our countryside will remain a priority for the Society throughout 2016 at the Spring Garden & Leisure Show in May, the South of England Show in June, the Autumn Show & Game Fair in October and the Winter Fair in December.
Charles and Brian will attend the shows and support the Society’s various educational events and schemes such as Connect with the Countryside in July, attracting over 2,500 primary school pupils to the showground to discover more about food and farming; and its educational competitions including the highly regarded Young Craftsman of the Year for 14-22 year olds and the Student Assignment Competition.
Several scholarship and travel bursary schemes are sponsored by the Society and it works closely with agricultural colleges across the six counties in which it operates, Berkshire, East Sussex, Hampshire & the Isle of Wight, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex to support and nurture the next generation of farmers.
Members of the public are encouraged to get involved by volunteering at the shows, attending events and supporting the charity by becoming a member, which includes free entry to all the shows and exclusive access to the Members Pavilion. More info at www.seas.org.uk
Notes to Editors:
The South of England Agricultural Society is a registered charity that was founded in 1967 from a consolidation of agricultural societies going back to the 1830’s. The Society operates from the South of England Showground, a 150-acre site situated just outside Ardingly village in the heart of the West Sussex countryside.
Working across the six counties of Berkshire, East Sussex, Hampshire & the Isle of Wight, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, the Society’s aims are to showcase farming, agriculture and the countryside through annual shows and serve the community through the provision of education, grants, awards, bursaries and scholarships for people with an interest or involvement in farming, agriculture and other related land based industries.
The Society’s flagship event is the South of England Show, which takes place in June each year. In 2016, the Society will be hosting the following events and initiatives:
Shows 2016: Spring Garden & Leisure Show – 1 & 2 May (incorporating The Open Dog Show, The Alpaca Show) South of England Show – 9, 10 & 11 June (incorporating The Hackney Horse Show and The Hound Show) Autumn Show and Game Fair – 1 & 2 October; Winter Fair – December 3 & 4.
Educational events & competitions: Connect with the Countryside; Jim Green Memorial; Young Craftsman of the Year Competition and The Student Assignment.
Industry events and schemes: The South of England Farming Conference 2016
Awards and bursaries: Award of Honour, travel bursaries, Nuffield Scholarships and grants to land-based colleges.
