This eAlert will remain available to read in the eAlerts Archive on the Guild website.
At the first Council meeting of the year, Jane Craigie (pictured) was elected deputy chairman and Doreen Forsyth took on the role of co-ordinating the Guild's awards programme.
See more in News on the Guild website, where plans are revealed for the annual Harvest Lunch to be held in one of the livery company halls in the City of London, and there is acknowledgement of the generous legacy of a former Guild chairman that will help the work of the Charitable Trust.
Power on the Farm award
The Guild’s Power on the Farm award, sponsored by Perkins Engines, has been launched with a stylish information and entry panel on the Guild website. The long-running award is for articles published in 2010 and carries a very generous prize fund – £2000 to the winner, £1000 to the runner-up – presented at a special lunch in London. Thursday, May 12 is the deadline for entries.
Organiser Claire Purdey emphasises that the award’s title does not restrict entries to articles on machinery: “Think of power on the farm in its broadest sense,” she advises. “We usually get a good cross-section of topics.” For further guidance, see the judging criteria for the award and also the winning entries from past years in the Awards section of the website.
Guild Regional Events
Midlands: Half-day members course Video production for the web. Practical skills and potential as a marketing and promotion tool. Wednesday, May 4 at Harper Adams University College, 3.30pm to 7pm. £60. Download full details and booking form here. Further details - see website News or contact Midlands chair Julie Mate.
Scotland: A Guild members’ briefing by Food Standards Agency Scotland on latest policy issues will be held on Monday, May 16. Details, including venue and time, from Scottish co-ordinator Joe Watson.
Under 35s
The first meeting for ‘Under 35’ members of the Guild will be held on Friday, July 1 at 2pm in the Farmers Club for a professional development workshop on video production and presentation skills. Details from Council member Julie Mate.
OFC Directors The Oxford Farming Conference, which already has several Guild members on its organising Council, is seeking applicants to fill some forthcoming vacancies. Among directors completing their term this year is OFC chairman Cedric Porter, who works as a food chain journalist and consultant. See the Oxford Farming Conference website for details.
OFC Secretariat The OFC also invites bids to provide the secretariat and management for this major agricultural industry event. A tender document, which must be submitted by the end of next week (April 30) can be downloaded here.
Jobs & Recruitment
Vacant positions are mentioned in Guild eAlerts as a service to members but a recruitment advertising service is also available to organisations that wish to put full details about a post in front of the Guild's 440 members involved in journalism and commercial communications. More details about this service are available on the website here.
PR Manager Communications agency RDP Advertising & Marketing, run by Guild member Angus Chalmers, is recruiting a PR specialist to join the Gloucestershire-based business as an Account Manager. Because of the short notice given in last month's eAlert, the closing date for applications has been extended. More details of the post are available here.
Year Book updates
Production of this year’s Guild Year Book is close to completion and it will be published in June. Meanwhile, here are some more contact updates - see earlier updates in the eAlert Archive of the Guild website:
Mary Vere Parr has a new address – Forgate House, Upper Chute, Andover, Hants SP11 9EW.
These members have new email addresses: Liz Wright lizzarawright@googlemail.com; Sue Bennett suebennett2011@hotmail.co.uk; Phil Christopher phil@redrock.uk.com; Roger Gilbert rogerg@perendale.co.uk; John Swire john@broglio.co.uk
It has transpired that Guy Faulkner’s contact details were omitted from the current Year Book due to some confusion over his membership. Apologies to Guy, who is joint editor/publisher (with fellow Guild member Cedric Porter) of World Potato Markets. His contact details are - Tel: 01892 523635 Email: guy.faulkner@agrimarkets.net
New members We are delighted to welcome the following new members to the Guild. Existing members who would like to invite colleagues to join, or industry contacts to become a Friend of the Guild, can download a 'benefits of membership' leaflet in pdf form here and an application form here. Alternatively, contact membership secretary Liz Snaith.
Rachel Addison, Press Officer, Bishop Burton College, Bishop Burton, East Yorks HU17 8QG. Tel: 01964 553038 Mobile: 07901 338042 Email: rachel.addison@bishopburton.ac.uk
Olivia Cooper, (freelance), Lily Vale, Huxham, Exeter, Devon EX5 4EW. Tel: 01392 840009 Email: Olivia.cooper@btinternet.com
Jo Crowley, Communications Executive, AHDB – HGCA, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwicks CV8 2TL. Tel: 02476 478720 Mobile: 07543 972156 Email: jo.crawley@hgca.com
Jennifer Forrester, Communications Executive, AHDB – HGCA, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwicks CV8 2TL Tel: 02476 478728 Mobile: 07590 183539 Email: jennifer.forrester@hgca.com
Laura Temple, Communications Executive, AHDB – HGCA, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwicks CV8 2TL. Tel: 0247 6478756 Mobile: 07872 507262 Email: laura.temple@hgca.com
Friends The following industry people have become Friends of the Guild:
Roger Trewhella, Director, Adela Booth Associates, Higher Moorlake, Crediton, Devon EX17 5EL. Tel: 01363 776623 Mobile: 07968 182896 Email: roger@adelabooth.co.uk
Marcus Battung, Vegetable Breeding Laboratory Technician, Elsoms Seeds Ltd, Pinchbeck Road, Spalding, Lincs PE11 1QS. Tel: 01755 715000 Email: m.battung@elsoms.co.uk
Keely Watson, Crop Specialist, Elsoms Seeds Ltd, Pinchbeck Road, Spalding, Lincs PE11 1QS. Tel: 01755 715000 Mobile: 07825 941080 Email: keely.watson@elsoms.com
All members of the Agri-food team at DHL, the logistics company, have become Friends of the Guild. They are based at: DHL Supply Chain, DIRFT South, Celtic Way, Daventry, Northants NN6 7GW.
Angharad Evans, Product Development Consultant. Mobile: 07834 904106 Email: angharad.evans@dhl.com
John Humphreys, General Manager, Business Development. Mobile: 0770 721979 Email: john.humphreys@dhl.com
James Hurrell, Head of Business Development. Mobile: 07796 191807 Email: james.hurrell@dhl.com
Richard Pope, Business Development Manager. Mobile: 07825 365700 Email: richard.a.pope@dhl.com
Jason Smallwood, General Manager Product & Account Development. Mobile: 07788 970561 Email: jason.smallwood@dhl.com
Roly Taplin, Vice President. Mobile: 07836 334835 Email: roly.taplin@dhl.com
Note: Friends of the Guild are listed in the Year Book as an acknowledgement of their interest and support and receive a copy of that publication in addition to the monthly eAlerts. Friends pay a subscription equivalent to that of a Guild member but have no voting rights and are not eligible to enter awards.
Send in your news Please send any career news, publication/website launches or redesigns, agency appointments, award wins and campaigns, etc, to website and eAlerts editor Peter Hill.
