THE Director North of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), Dorothy Fairburn, has announced her retirement in spring this year. Miss Fairburn first joined the CLA more than 20 years ago, initially involving herself with farming and landowning matters across Yorkshire, before also taking in Lancashire, Cumbria and the North-East. A farmer’s daughter from the North York Moors, Dorothy has clocked up more than 40 years’ service to the rural economy since graduating from Wye College (University of London) with a degree in agriculture. She qualified as a rural practice chartered surveyor (land agent) while working for Savills plc in London and York, dealing with sales and purchases of country houses and estates, as well as the management of investment estates for financial institutions.