events
All members are welcome to attend regional and national meetings but are asked to register their interest with the organiser for catering and in case of limitations on numbers.
2008
Friday, February 22 Deadline for applications to the Guild’s John Deere-sponsored new entrant journalist training course. Applications and candidate recommendations to organiser Steve Mitchell of ASM PR.
Tuesday, February 26 Scottish group visit to Epidemiological and Population Health and Infectious Disease Control Centre (EPIC), Glasgow University veterinary school. Contact Joe Watson.
Tuesday, March 4 Places available on the Garden Media Guild’s internet publishing seminar, Farmers’ Club, 3 Whitehall Court, London. 10.00am for coffee, presentations from 10.30am to 4.00pm; buffet lunch included in £50 fee. Bookings: Barbara Segall at the Garden Media Guild.
Tuesday, March 4 Midlands group presentation by Cedric Porter on Grove House Publishing portfolio – Farm Business, Farm Life, Agronomist, Over the Counter. All members welcome. RASE, Stoneleigh Park, 6pm. Book a place with Liz Snaith.
Saturday, March 8 Scottish group annual dinner, Jade Garden Chinese Restaurant, Scott Street, Perth. Guests include Janette Elder, retiring SAC head of communications. To book a seat, contact Joe Watson
Friday, March 14 Presentation on the spread and implications of Bluetongue and African Horse Virus by Prof Philip Mellor of the Institute of Animal Health, Pirbright. Followed by Annual General Meeting to hear about Guild activities and affairs, elect new Council members and enjoy a buffet lunch. Details from the secretary, Don Gomery.
Monday, March 31 Deadline for amendments to the 2008/09 Guild Year Book. An amendments form is available for downloading here. It should be sent to Peter and Wendy Ryder of Lancer Public Relations, who publish the annual Year Book on behalf of the Guild.
Saturday, April 12 Deadline for entries to the Guild’s Perkins Engines sponsored Power on the Farm award. See past winning articles and download an entry form here.
Thursday, April 24 ‘Question Time’ style panel discussion with Chartered Institute of Marketing, Food Drinks & Agricultural Group. Reading University, 7pm. Reserve a place with Nick Beard , Department of Agricultural and Food Economics.
Wednesday, April 30 Deadline for members’ nominations for the Guild’s prestigious Netherthorpe Award, which celebrates a sustained contribution to agricultural communications. Read about past winners and download a nomination form here.
Wednesday, April 30 Deadline for entries for the open Tetra Pak Processing Solutions Award, recognising excellence in writing and broadcasting about liquid food processing. Full details, including past winners, and entry form available here.
Thursday, May 1 Deadline for entries to the Star Prize agricultural photography contest organised by the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) sponsored by DeLaval. See full details and previous winning entries here.
Thursday, May 15 Eastern group meeting hosted by Chamberlain PR in Cambridge for a talk by Julian Gairdner, on-line editor at the Farmers Weekly Group, about writing for on-line media. Details: Louise Impey 01582 872271.
Thursday, May 15 Scottish group visit to Scotherbs, one of Britain's leading herb producers, Langforgan, Dundee, including buffet lunch. Details from Joe Watson.
Wednesday, June 4 Midlands group meeting to BBC The Mailbox, Birmingham. A popular biennial visit to meet the rural affairs team producing Farming Today, On Your Farm, Ramblings, Costing the Earth, Open Country and Countryfile. Meet the team members and learn about the BBC’s current rural reporting strategy and how to get a news story on to the airwaves. Details: Liz Snaith 01743 344986.
Thursday, July 3 Royal Show Conference: Food Security, Water & Global Commodity Demands – supported by Farm Business and sponsored by the McDonald’s Restaurants in conjunction with the Guild of Agricultural Journalists. Conference centre (above press room), 2.30pm. Details here.
Thursday, July 3 Guild Awards Evening & Barbecue, Royal Show, NAC, Stoneleigh. YFC pavilion (main concourse), 6.15pm. Members free; one guest £8. Details: Don Gomery 01892 610628.
Friday, July 4 Royal Show Conference: British Food & Food Service Opportunities for Farmers – supported by Farm Business and sponsored by the Country Landowners Association in conjunction with the Guild of Agricultural Journalists. Conference centre (above press room), 10.30am. Details here.
Thursday, July 10 Eastern group meeting to Fengrain grain co-operative, Wimblington, March, Cambs PE15 OQN hosted by new chairman Paul Wilkinson. Details: Louise Impey 01582 872271.
Tuesday, August 5 Midlands group meeting tat John Plumb's Southfields Farm, Packington Lane, Coleshill, Birmingham B46 3EJ to learn more about the LEAF organisation’s communications strategies and what it takes to run a LEAF demonstration farm. Details: Liz Snaith 01743 344986.
September 7-10 IFAJ pre-Congress farm, rural businesses and tourism tour, Bratislava, Slovakia. Details – Congress 2008 website.
September 10-13 IFAJ Congress, Graz, Austria. Mountain farming, biomass, salt production and other farm and rural business operations in Austria and Slovenia. Details – Congress 2008 website.
Thursday, September 18 Eastern group meeting: farm/workshop visit, including lunch, to Bedfordia's anaerobic digestion plant near Bedford, including speaker on climate change impacts from DEFRA's Forum for the Future. Details: Louise Impey 01582 872271.
Thursday October 8, 5.45pm Midlands meeting the Milverton Suite, Stoneleigh Park, Warwicks when Farmers Guardian editor Emma Penny will set out the five golden rules for writing press releases that meet an editor’s requirements before going on to give a who’s who on the title. Hosted by the AHDB. Register with Liz Snaith by October 2. £5 each to cover costs.
Thursday, October 16 Eastern group meeting: British Goose Producers annual farm walk at W E Botterill & Son, Lings View Farm, Croxton Kerrial, Grantham, Leics NG32 1QP. Welcome and introduction at 10am, followed by a farm tour and plucking and processing workshop. Ends with lunch at Eaton Village Hall. Please let Roger Ranson know if you will be attending.
11am farm tour, Michaelmas goose lunch, afternoon workshop session on plucking and processing. Details: Louise Impey 01582 872271.
Thursday, October 16 Annual Harvest Service & Lunch: St Bride’s Church, Fleet Street and Charing Cross Hotel, London. Details: Peter Ryder.
Wednesday, October 29 Outlook 2009 seminar organised by the Guild’s Charitable Trust to update sales, marketing and PR managers on factors affecting prospects for the agricultural industry in 2009. Details here. Tickets £125 (including lunch) from Wendy Ryder 01473 251991.
GUILD MEMBERS' "SAYONARA" TO JAPAN
The contingent of Guild members, partners and friends who took part in this year's Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists in Japan mid-September returned from their travels tired but with endless memories of their experience. Click here
RAIN DOES NOT STOP PLAY AT THE ROYAL
Wet weather did not dampen the enthusiasm of more than 100 members and guests who splodged their way to this year’s Guild awards party at the Royal Show. Click here
ROYAL SHOW CONFERENCE - 2007
It was standing room only at the Royal Show’s Monday conference Generating Energy: Sustainable solutions for livestock farmers which was organised by the Guild in conjunction with sponsor McDonald’s Restaurants and the RASE. Click here
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - 2007
A well-attended annual general meeting of the Guild, followed by an enjoyable buffet lunch, witnessed the election of a new president, Margaret, the Countess of Mar and a new chairman Joe Watson. Click here for a report and pictures
BURNS SUPPER - FUN AND FUND RAISING
Scottish farmers, seed merchants, grain traders and agricultural journalists were at the forefront of a special Burn's Supper in London on January 25th in aid of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists Charitable Trust. Click here for a report and pictures
HARVEST RECORDS ALL ROUND
An all-time record attendance of 143 members and guests enjoyed the Guild’s Harvest Lunch at a new venue, the Thistle Charing Cross Hotel, London, following the traditional Harvest Service at St Bride’s Church, Fleet Street.
Click here for a full report and pictures
ROYAL SHOW EVENING
The 2006 Awards Presentation event at the Royal Show was held in less formal, but no less enjoyable, surroundings than in the past few years as the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs provided their hospitality marquee as the venue.
Some 80 Guild members enjoyed English wine, ably dispensed by Wendy Ryder, Joe Watson and Ray Vale (uncharacteristically in charge of soft drinks!) and after the presentations everyone tucked into a very tasty hog roast of locally reared Saddleback with home-grown salads. This was followed by ice cream, freshly made with British milk, and most members returned for second (even third) helpings of everything, such was the quality of fare.
Thanks are due to the generous sponsors of this event – ADAS, McDonalds, NFU Mutual and John Deere; to Arla Foods for providing the ice cream and the machine to make it; the YFC office holders and staff for the venue (especially Sarah Palmer and Wendy Nyirongo for their support in the planning and organisation); the Guild’s Nick Bond for handling much of the organisation of the event; and Guild members who weighed in to help on the night.
Everyone who commented on the evening enjoyed this year's format and would like it repeated next year. If anyone thinks differently, please let us know.
Guild chairman Roger Abbott welcomes members and guests to the Awards Presentation evening at the Royal Show.
About our Events
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting is held in March to consider reports on the Council’s management of general and financial affairs. It is followed by an informal lunch for members only.
2005 event sponsored by: Shepherd Publishing
ROYAL SHOW AWARDS EVENING
This popular event provides the perfect opportunity for Guild members to meet and relax at the end of the first day of the Royal Show at the National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Warwicks in July. In addition to a welcome meal and other refreshment, the Guild’s prestigious Netherthorpe Communicator of the Year and John Deere Training Scheme ‘top student report’ award are presented.
2005 event sponsored by:
HARVEST SERVICE & LUNCH
The Guild’s Harvest Service and lunch, held in October, is one of the most popular events in the Guild’s calendar. The service, held at ‘the journalists church – St Bride’s in Fleet Street – is a traditional celebration of harvest with a display of produce, which is sold off afterwards for the benefit of the Guild Trust, kindly supplied by Bill and Andree Kelsey who farm at Sidcup in Kent. It is then just a short walk to the world-famous Simpson’s in the Strand restaurant for a hearty lunch. Generous sponsorship ensures that Guild members enjoy ticket prices significantly lower than cost. Members can book individually or organise tables of 10 for friends, colleagues or guests. In addition to a keynote speaker, who usually talks on a topical subject that provides news copy for journalists inclined to put in a few minutes work at this enjoyable event, the Harvest Lunch sees the presentation of the Yara Journalist awards and a draw for the Guild’s Charitable Trust.
For further information, please contact the Guild social secretary Peter Ryder
2005 event
This year’s church service was sponsored by Howard Venters, Shepherd Publishing, publisher to the National Sheep Association and National Beef Association and a stimulating address was given by John Thorley, British Sheep Association chief executive and general secretary.
The Harvest Lunch was sponsored by the British Pig Executive and National Pig Association – grateful thanks to chairman Stewart Houston. Farmers Club chairman and farmer Barclay Forrest spoke on the role of the British-China Business Council (of which he is vice-president) and the growing role of China in world agricultural trade.
Maintained by Landwriter - Created by The Cogworks
