The Guild’s flagship event of the year – our annual Harvest Service and Lunch – is open for bookings with welcome and generous support from our sponsors.
Tickets to attend the prestigious occasion on Thursday, 17 October, are on sale now at a special rate of £65 for BGAJ Members and Friends, and £85 for non-members.
For our Harvest Service, we will once again be welcomed to the historic St Bride’s Church on Fleet Street – known as ‘the spiritual home of the media’ and will be addressed by the Bishop of St Albans.
This will be followed by a sparkling wine reception and three-course dinner seated in the elegant surroundings of the City livery hall, Painters’ Hall, a short walk from the church venue.
This year’s guest speaker is Sam Watson Jones, co-founder of the Small Robot Company.
Guild members and friends are encouraged to secure their bookings now and take the opportunity to invite colleagues, clients and industry contacts.
“It’s always a popular event and a chance to network with fellow Guild members which we know is one of the primary reasons why membership is so valued,” says Guild chairman Catherine Linch.
“The day could not go ahead without the tremendous industry support that we attract to the event and we’d like to thank all our sponsors,” she adds.
Long-term Guild supporter and agricultural insurer NFU Mutual is this year’s lead sponsor.
We are also welcoming John Deere as sponsor of our pre-dinner drinks reception.
As this year’s sponsor of the choir, we are delighted to welcome back crop protection firm Certis; and agrochemical distribution firm Hutchinsons is generously sponsoring the wine.
Animal nutrition business Alltech and KEENAN has once again taken sponsorship of the church.
UK Agricultural Finance is sponsoring the production of the Guild film footage and we also welcome seeds business DLF as a supporter and environmental market experts Entrade who have recently taken up one of our new BGAJ sponsorship packages.
The display in the church will once again be provided by Bill Kelsey of Kelsey’s Farm Shop.
Thanks also go to Guild members Mike Gooding and Doreen Forsyth for coming forward following our appeal for in-kind sponsorship of key British ingredients on the menu.
The main course of British lamb is generously supplied by Farmers Fresh, with the rose veal starter kindly supported by the Buitelaar Group.
Derbyshire-based Guild member and professional rural photographer Ruth Downing is once again providing the photography.
“The 2019 Harvest Lunch is set to be a harvest celebration, a networking opportunity and a chance to indulge in some of the finest British produce,” notes Catherine.
To reserve your place(s), please download and complete the Harvest Lunch 2019 booking form – and email it to Guild secretary Nikki Robertson at gajsec@gmail.com.
Alternatively, pay direct into the BGAJ bank account (details below) and email Nikki to confirm your attendance.
- Your Reference: 17/10 – Your Surname
- Bank Sort Code: 30-80-34
- Bank Acc No: 49237468
- Bank Acc Name: British Guild of Agricultural Journalists
