Farming charities offering vital support to the agricultural community in tough times will benefit from proceeds raised at the Future Farmers of Yorkshire Harvest Dinner Dance at the Great Yorkshire Showground this autumn.
Tickets are now on sale for the Harvest Dinner Dance which will be held at Pavilions of Harrogate on the evening of Saturday 23rd November 2024. The event is sponsored by agricultural machinery manufacturer Krone UK and rural insurance specialists McClarrons. It will raise funds for The Farming Community Network (FCN) and the Yorkshire and Humberside Rural Initiative of Samaritans.
Future Farmers of Yorkshire is holding the event to bring together its members, everyone connected with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and members of the wider farming community across the county – all are welcome.
With a dress code of black tie with a hint of agriculture, the dinner dance will be a relaxed, fun evening in great company to celebrate the end of a busy season on farms. It offers a much-needed opportunity to let your hair down without the usual formalities of Future Farmers’ popular knowledge exchange events.
Future Farmers of Yorkshire is a thriving network, supported and funded by farming charity the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and sponsors, which brings together like-minded farmers, vets and industry professionals to further their personal and professional development.
South Yorkshire farmer Nick Grayson, chair of Future Farmers of Yorkshire, said: “Our Harvest Dinner Dance is for everybody in farming to get together, let their hair down and renew or perhaps make new connections with others whose lives are dedicated to the industry. It is a great opportunity for Future Farmers to support some fantastic causes too; charities which are so important for those of us in farming to be able to call on during challenging times.”
A roaring success in its debut year, the first ever Future Farmers Harvest Dinner Dance in 2023 welcomed more than 300 guests and raised £7,000 courtesy of a charity auction and raffle. A share of the proceeds was donated to The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) and Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
This year’s chosen good causes are active in the region too. FCN is a voluntary organisation and charity that supports farmers, farming families and people in rural communities through difficult times and periods of change. In addition to local groups of volunteers providing in-person support, FCN runs a confidential national helpline, 03000 111 999 and e-helpline, help@fcn.org.uk which is open every day of the year between 7am and 11pm.
Samaritans is a registered charity that provides confidential, non-judgemental, emotional support to those in need. Its Yorkshire and Humberside Rural Initiative was established six years ago in response to the particular challenges that rural communities and those working in farming face. The Samaritans free phone number 116 123 and email service jo@samaritans.org is open 24 hours a day, all year round.
Nick added: “Our choice of charities has been influenced by the mental toll in farming at the moment. The impacts of volatile weather conditions, adapting to changes in government payments and the spread of the bluetongue virus are just some of the challenges on the minds of farmers in Yorkshire and beyond.
“The Harvest Dinner Dance gives us a chance to highlight the work of two charities that farmers can feel comfortable turning to at tough times, but it is also an invitation to cast aside everything else for one night, to leave business at home, and get off-farm for a real celebration of the strength we have as a community. I am really looking forward to it.”
Dr Marcus Oliver, managing director of headline sponsor Krone UK said: “Back for a second year, Krone UK is delighted to once again be sponsoring the Future Farmers of Yorkshire’s Harvest Dinner Dance. We are proud to support this inspiring group in developing the network for forward-thinking members of the agricultural industry in Yorkshire, and to celebrate their achievements during the last 12 months.”
The occasion is also an opportunity to find out more about what Future Farmers of Yorkshire has to offer. Future Farmers is run by a voluntary management board of farmers and allied industry professionals and the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, for the benefit of farmers and industry professionals. It offers a varied, rolling programme of events, training and bursaries opportunities to further personal and professional development, guided by the needs of its 1,000-plus members.
You do not need to be a Future Farmer to book a place at the Harvest Dinner Dance, however, signing up to join the group is free and with no obligation.
Tickets are priced £55 for individual places and £500 for a table of 10. The evening, strictly for over 18s only, starts at 6.30pm with a welcome drink, followed by a three-course meal and disco. For more details about the Harvest Dinner Dance, to book your place and to join Future Farmers, see yas.co.uk/futurefarmers.
