On Sunday 27th October, Hereford city centre was full of the Herefordshire Young Farmers community.
Over 300 members of HFYFC past and present gathered at Hereford’s Town Hall.
Members separated into their club’s with generations of families and friends ready to walk the streets of Hereford to celebrate the momentous anniversary.
The procession from the Town Hall was led by a Pedigree Hereford Bull owned and bred by Matt Gray and Louise Crowther from Buckenhill Poll Herefords nr Bromyard.
Followed behind were members and associates of Allensmore, Craswall, Dilwyn, Eardisley, Golden Valley, Hereford, Ledbury, Lugg Valley, Orelton, Pencombe, Pontrilas, Teme Valley, Welsh Newton, Woolhope and Yarkhill Young Farmers Clubs.
The procession led from St Owen’s Street, to the Hereford Bull statue, along High Town and up Broad Street to the Cathedral.
Supporters and the public stopped to admire the procession, waved and took photos of the gathering. smiles, waves and looks of joy burst through the streets as the walk took place.
As the procession made their way to the Cathedral they were met with eight tractors outside the entrance, a tractor was featured from each decade HFYFC was celebrating.
The parade was joined by more YFC supporters at the Cathedral for the celebration service with around 550 people coming together.
The service was a celebration of hymns, poems, readings and even a drama performance to reflect Herefordshire YFCs range of talents.
The event continued with a tea and cake filled afternoon reminiscing at Hereford Town Hall with an almighty collation of photos and memorabilia of the last eighty years of young farmers fun.
The Federation of Young Farmers Clubs was a National post-war movement that began in Herefordshire in 1944.
The idea behind it was to give young people a chance to improve their skills in key farming duties such as looking after stock, machinery skills and hedge laying.
As well as allowing young people to show case their cooking, fabricating and craftsmanship to like minded people. Not forgetting, the movement proved a much needed social scene for young people in rural parts of the county to get gather and socialise.
Although many things around us have changed greatly in the last eighty years, Young Farmers in Herefordshire has remained a reliable and inclusive community for young people to learn new skills, share their talents and make friends for life. May Herefordshire YFC have another eighty years filled with fun and success.
About Herefordshire Young Farmers
Herefordshire Federation of Young Farmers Clubs is a self-governing youth organisation open to young people between the ages of 10 to 28.
Herefordshire has over 550 current members but is part of the wider Young Farmers movement across the country which has 23,000 members UK wide.
Members of Young Farmers Clubs meet on a regular basis to learn new skills, take part in competitions, raise many for charity and hold social events.
All clubs are peer-led by the young people themselves, and all time is given voluntarily.
15 clubs across Herefordshire from Ross on Wye to Wigmore with over 550 current members aged 10 to 28
Members learn key skills and compete in areas as diverse as public speaking to hedge laying.
