Callington Young Farmers is a club for young people between the ages of 14 and 27 years. We meet every Thursday evening and go on visits to businesses to look around, have talks by some very interesting people, or go bowling and other social activities. You name it we have done it or will do it!
Over the last few months Callington Club has been very busy.
It held its AGM in October where a cheque for £1000 was presented to the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution and Rob Vine took over the reins as chairman and Lucy Ede as Secretary. After a great weekend at Officer Training held at Porthpean Activity Centre filled with outdoor activities and team building games, officers were ready to get stuck into their new roles within club. Their year kicked off with Honey Fair, where Callington YFC had a stall to promote the club which gained a lot of interest and then Liskeard Primestock show where several prizes and silver was won.
Competitions are a big part of club life from public speaking, sports and crafts to cabaret and panto. There is definitely something for everyone whatever your talent, hobbies or desire to give anything a go. The club entered a team into the counties After Dinner Speaking Competition. With making it through to the final Callington’s team made up of Cat Ede, Lucy Ede, Letty Greenfield, Nicole Doidge and Sarah Biffen, came a very respectable third place in Cornwall. Another competition to get Callington motivated was the Indoor Sports. Again making it into the final, Callington came second to St Buryan.
It has to be said that for Young Farmers social life is a highlight with some great parties being held throughout the year by different clubs and the county federation all in aid of charity. Young Farmers work hard and also party hard but this amazing atmosphere allows you to meet some great people and create great memories. Christmas parties were held in Truro and Newquay with up 500 members attending. With a live nativity carol service in the Cathedral first then a disco in Newquay, all got into the festive spirit and partied the night away.
Fundraising has already kick started with a Mulled Wine and Quiz evening in December raising money for this year’s chosen charities; Children’s Hospice South West Little Harbour and Cornwall Air Ambulance. A total of £300 was made. Thank you to all who supported.
Callington Young Farmers held a Charity Big Breakfast on Saturday 31st January at Polhilsa Farm by kind permission of the Bariball Family in conjunction with Farmhouse Breakfast Week. Members sourced produce from local businesses including all the meat from Tamar Valley Meats, eggs from Haylake Farm, bread from Cornish Bakery Callington, mushrooms and tomatoes from Cornish Produce and various other generous donators helped supply the rest. Many thanks go to these businesses and to all who came and supported the event. £718 profit was raised to the clubs chosen charities being Cornwall Air Ambulance and Children’s Hospice Southwest. In February we held our Annual Dung Sale selling manure to local people for their gardens.
Over the past month members have been working hard with a pantomime for the Entertainments Competition. The club wrote its own script, Cinderella, and have gone it alone without any professional producer. They have worked extremely hard and had a lot of fun with it. Although they didn’t make it to the final in the competition they put on a couple of great performances and gained some fond memories. Good luck to Launceston club who are Cornwall’s finalists and who will be representing Cornwall at South West Area in March.
Young Farmers offers travel with the Discovery programme taking young people all over the world but also through competitions by representing the county in some amazing places. Callington as a club have performed many times at the Hall for Cornwall, Truro and even Blackpool for cabaret. It has also taken members of the club up Ben Nevis, kayking up the River Thames and pretty much cycled most of the British Isles for one fundraiser or another. Congratulations goes to Nicole Doidge who has gained a place for the second year running on the YFC discovery program! This time a trip to Switzerland! We all hope you have a fab time in Switzerland as much you did in Austria!
Cornwall Federation of Young Farmers Clubs has 20 clubs across the county with over 700 members. It is an amazing organisation which offers so much to all involved. The more you put in, the more you get out… Confidence, opportunities, achievements, qualifications and lifetime fond memories and friendship to name a few. If you would like to find out more information or would like to be a part of this organisation (you don’t have to be a farmer to be a member!) Contact Rob on 07980 833918 or Lucy on 07561 057969.