By Community contributor
OUTSIDE Newton Rigg College, Cumbria YFC chief officer Joanne Mills and Farmer Network managing director Adam Day BUSINESSES and charities that shared the site of Newton Rigg College in Cumbria are on the hunt for new homes after it was confirmed that the college will close this July. The fate of Newton Rigg, at Penrith, has been in the balance since York-based owners Askham Bryan College announced closure plans last year. With news that the campus and an associated farm were being put on the market from Tuesday, May 4, the other organisations located on the site are now faced with the prospect of becoming homeless.
Membership drive: Cumbria Young Farmers annual show A campaign to ensure the survival of young farmers clubs in Cumbria has paid off. Thanks to the exceptionally hard work of club secretaries and officers, membership has soared from just 35 last October to the current 800-mark. A plea had gone out nationally urging young farmers to renew their club memberships amid concern that cash-strapped county federations were struggling in the face of dwindling support during the coronavirus crisis. Only one in three members in the country had renewed their Young Farmers’ Club (YFC) membership from last year. It is thought the lack of physical events, meetings and activities as a result of Covid-19 restrictions is behind the alarming drop-off.
Surrey councillor Jack Hundial produced a motion last month to “develop a meaningful, respectful acknowledgement before every Council and Committee meeting … in recognition that we are settlers here on this Coast Salish Land.” However, Safe Surrey Coalition (SSC) council members, including Mayor Doug McCallum, rejected the motion January 11 in a 5-4 vote. SSC councillor Allison Patton said Hundial was not being “authentic.” While Hundial expressed he was “shocked” after the rejection, McCallum explained, “we [City of Surrey] treat them [First Nations] better in Surrey than anywhere.” McCallum agreed with his fellow SSC councillors Laurie Guerra and Doug Elford that there is nothing wrong with a land acknowledgement; however, it ought not to be legislated, or mandatory, under city policy.