TRILLICK and District Young Farmers Club (YFC) recently held its AGM via Zoom online meeting, with Colin McKinley, Club Leader, welcoming David Oliver from Dungiven YFC, who conducted the meeting. Secretary John Armstrong delivered a comprehensive report of the club’s workings in 2020, despite Covid-19 bringing its regular activities to an abrupt halt. Treasurer Shannen Vance presented a very satisfactory financial report and reported that the club presently has 41 members. At the AGM, the following officials were elected for the 2021/2022 season: President, Rachel Law; Club Leader, Colin McKinley; Assistant Club Leader, Charlie Henderson; Secretary, Megan Birney; Assistant Secretary, Jane McGrade; Treasurer, Jamie McCutcheon; Assistant Treasurer, Shannen Vance; PRO, William Graham; and Assistant PRO, Rebecca Mulligan.
Praise: Jess Rogerson, SD chair CUMBRIAN young farmers have been praised for their resilience and hard work during the Covid pandemic. Lockdown restrictions forced young farmers clubs to deliver their 2020 programme of activity digitally, streaming live stockjudging and public speaking competitions, as well as hosting weekly virtual meetings to maintain member engagement. One virtual competition the ‘Toilet Roll Challenge’ captured the imagination on the internet with 335,042 viewings of the video that went global. The 39th Southern District’s AGM, which saw a departure from its usual format and was hosted via Zoom, heard how the district’s clubs had raised a total of £17,106 for charities and good causes. One cause close to the hearts of the young farmers saw the SD turn out in force to campaign against the closure of Newton Rigg College at Penrith, with a tractor run taking place in September. Over 80 tractors took part from all over the county with young farm