Annual meeting – February 11
A copy of the secretary’s report of the year’s activities and achievements will be posted on the club’s website before the annual meeting on Wednesday, February 11.
The annual meeting starts at 7.30pm at the Sutton Staithe – and after the formal business, Dr Belinda Clarke, director of Agri-Tech East, will be talking about the aims and objectives of a major initiative to boost long-term productivity, efficiency and profitability of the food and farming sector.
Members will be most welcome to the supper beforehand, served from 6.15pm. Cost £15 per head (includes first drink) and please let the secretary know if you’d like to attend – by close of play on Tuesday, February 10.
Bowls/10-pin on Friday, February 20 at Rossi’s, from 4.15pm, against Holt Farmers’ Club. Bowling and the meal will cost £20.
After the success of last year’s first ten-pin, both clubs are keen to stage the event again. It requires a total of 18 players for bowls and also for 10-pin from the club, so 35 more names please to the secretary, please!
For the first time for many years, our veteran skipper and organiser William Donald – now back home from hospital - has been forced to take a back seat, so I hope that we can recruit full teams.
For any further details, please contact me – 01603 486997.
And finally, a new range of silk ties is now available – navy blue, claret or green – with an enhance Stalham hoe – cost £20 – or special early bird deal, ending on February 11 – two ties for £35!
Entry added: 30 Jan 2015 |
Tickets for the annual dinner on Wednesday, March 11 at the Sutton Staithe Hotel, 7pm for 7.30pm, will cost £30 – unchanged from last year.
The speaker, Ed Parker, co-founder of the North Norfolk-based charity, Walking for the Wounded, will also present the club’s trophies and awards.
And there will also be a fun charity raffle or draw - details on the night.
The three-course meal includes roast beef to be carved at the table, with a selection of cheeses, including Fielding Cottage goats’ cheese, and coffee.
There will be a total of 17 tables of 10.
To obtain tickets, please send a cheque, payable to Stalham Farmers’ Club, to the secretary, Michael Pollitt, 60 Chamberlin Road, Norwich NR3 3LY.
As the dinner, one of the year’s highlights, always attracts good support, please make applications in good time and members will be given priority.
As the club has to pay the entire cost of the dinner on the night, payment for tickets must be made beforehand. A refund cannot be guaranteed for late cancellations because it is almost impossible to re-sell a ticket 24/36 hours before the event.It would be extremely helpful to avoid duplication if the names of the members could also be listed.Please ring me – 01603 486997 – if I can help.
Entry added: 30 Jan 2015 |
Dinner tickets - Applications for tickets for the club's annual dinner are now welcome. Tickets will be £30, the same as last year. Again, members will be invited to carve a joint of beef at tables of 10 at the Sutton Staithe Hotel on Wednesday, March 11. Please send applications to the secretary, Michael Pollitt, with cheques for £30 per head, payable to Stalham Farmers' Club, 60 Chamberlin Road, Norwich NR3 3LY. Payment direct to the club's bank account will also be welcomed but please in form the secretary by email when an application for tickets has been submitted- michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com. As the dinner has always been a sell-out, early application is suggested. The dinner, from 7pm, starts at 7.30pm sharp and the guest speaker, who will also present awards and trophies, will be Ed Parker, co-founder of the charity, Walking for the Wounded. Further details will be sent out to members later in January.
Entry added: 24 Jan 2015 |
Congratulations to award-winning North Walsham YFC – the top club in the eastern area.
It won the award and the Bond Cow Cup at the latest eastern area annual meeting earlier this month – ending a nine-year drought for Norfolk.North Walsham YFC was nominated by Norfolk and won the votes of the federation's county officers as the region’s best achieving and performing club.
The cup, which was presented by the late Pat Bond, also a former president of Norfolk YFC, was first won by Diss YFC in 2002. Then North Elmham YFC won in 2005 and earlier this month, North Walsham YFC became the latest winner for 2014.
John Withers, North Walsham’s chairman, gave the vote of thanks at Stalham Farmers’ Club’s January meeting when members were invited for supper and an illustrated talk by speciality goats’ cheese producer, Sam Steggles.
Entry added: 22 Jan 2015 |
Aylsham Agricultural Show Association elected your secretary, Michael Pollitt, as a life vice president in recognition of his four decades of support for the one-day show. A leading Norfolk farmer, Tony Bambridge, of Blickling, also the NFU's county delegate, was elected president and Simon Evans, chairman of council for 12 years and grand ring commentator for 23 years, becomes vice-president. While the association recorded a loss of £6,011 - the result of gate receipts halved to £56,000 by the bank holiday weather, it has strong reserves, it was announced at the latest annual meeting. Entry added: 21 Jan 2015 |
Inspiration
Young farmers from two Norfolk clubs, Acle and North Walsham, were entertained to supper at the Sutton Staithe hotel. John Withers, who responded on behalf of the two dozen young farmers, said that the success of Sam’s Fielding Cottage Goats’ Cheese, was an inspiration to so many of his members. It could help to inspire other members to start their own livestock ventures too, he said. John thanked the club for inviting members. The Growing Business Award, is run by Norfolk young farmers, and backed by the Norfolk Farmers’ Trust, Easton and Otley College, the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association, Anglia Farmers and the Clan Trust.
Entry added: 15 Jan 2015 |
Charity's key funding
Speciality Norfolk cheese producer Sam Steggles won a top business award and £5,000 funding from leading agricultural charities including the Clan Trust. As he told more than 50 members at the latest January meeting, when he banked his prize from the backers of the Norfolk Growing Business Award, he could actually write the £1,250 cheque the next day to buy a new cheese room for his Fielding Cottage Goats’ cheese business. Unfortunately, one of his mentors and a club member, David Hughes, who was in North Wales on business, missed the presentation.
Sam, who started with 10 goats in May 2009, took two samples to the World Cheese Awards last month. The business has expanded to such an extent – partly as a result of this core funding almost five years ago. His Wensum White was one of 2,600 samples judged by an international panel and won one of 62 gold medals.
As members tucked into samples, he was also doing a roaring trade in cheese and a new line of skin care products – now also being exported to China from his Honingham, Norwich, base. And some of his cheese will be served at the club’s annual dinner in March.
Entry added: 15 Jan 2015 |
A family tradition
A warm welcome to Norfolk NFU’s county adviser, John Newton, and our latest member, James Deane, of Ingham. It was only last month that his sister, Abby, joined the ranks. And of course, their father, Jonathan, was club chairman in 1988 – following a family tradition which saw Michael Deane serve two years in the chair starting in 1967.
Entry added: 15 Jan 2015 |
Challenge your taste buds and sample some award-winning cheese at the first meeting of 2015. An award-winning speciality Norfolk cheese producer, Sam Steggles - winner of a global cheese award at an international London show last month - will be talking about the dramatic growth of his business. From the kitchen table of their home on the edge of Breckland, the business has just mushroomed in the past six years.
The club will also welcome members from two YFC clubs, Acle and North Walsham, as our guests to supper at the Sutton Staithe on Wednesday, January 14. All members will be most welcome to come to supper - £15 and including the first drink. Come along from 6pm, supper at 6.30pm or just come to the meeting starting at 8pm.
And club ties in a range of three silk designs and colours will be available too.
If you'd like to join the supper, please let the secretary know by close of play on Tuesday at the latest on 01603 486997 or email - michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com to help with the catering.
Entry added: 08 Jan 2015 |
If you stuck for that last-minute Christmas present, then the latest design of top-quality silk tie is now available. Contact the secretary to obtain your tie. They cost £20 each.
They are available in a choice of three colours - a classic navy blue, maroon or green. The latest consignment only arrived this afternoon, Tuesday - just in time for Christmas and the New Year.
Contact Michael Pollitt - 01603 486997.
Entry added: 23 Dec 2014 |