HARPER LIFE 2017/2018 The Harper Adams Club Harper Adams Alumni Association
T Q’ A P F H F E
LIFE AFTER HARPER - ALUMNI GIVING BACK HARPER LIFE IS PRODUCED HEADERTHE HARPER XXX AND PUBLISHED BY: Harper Adams University on behalf of its alumni association, The Harper Adams Club. ADAMS CLUB: Compiled and edited by: Julie Brook – Alumni Officer
Annabelle Gardner – Marketing and Communications The Harper Adams Club committee meets approximately four times a year, Assistant usually weekday evenings at the university. Its activities include organising Contact: social and networking events and running the Harper Adams Club Scholarship The Alumni Office programme. Harper Adams University Newport We would like to hear from alumni to represent groups who graduated in the last ten Shropshire years. Come along to meet the other committee members informally at one of our TF10 8NB meeting with no obligation. Direct Line: +44 (0)1952 815297 Email: [email protected] If you would be interested in joining the committee please contact Julie Brook in the Alumni Office. Website: www.harper-adams.ac.uk/alumni Facebook: www.facebook.com/harperadamsalumni/
HARPER ADAMS CLUB COMMITTEE 2017-18 Twitter: @haclub President: Development Trust Representative: Other material (text and images) supplied by Press & Alex Law (1999-2003) Simon Jones (1996-2000) Publications staff: James Armstrong, Jaclyn Green, Tom Klages, Vice President: Advisory Members: Adreen Hart-Rule, Claire Robertson-Bennett Sarah Furniss (1998-2002) Nick Green (1995-1999) Designed and Printed by: Committee Members: Paul Rooke (1986-1992) Creative Digital Ros Barsley (1970-1973) Governance Representative: 01743 263 030 Sarah Collier (1999-2003) Richard Hambleton (1973-76) [email protected] www.creativedigitalprinting.com Michelle Evans (2011-15) Sam Green (2012-16) The views and opinions expressed in Harper Life Stephen Mansbridge (2007-15) are those of the contributors and, as such, do not Victoria Stead (2010-16) necessarily represent the views and opinions of the Donna Tavernor (2000-2004) Harper Adams Club or Harper Adams University. Ben Palmer (1996-2000)
HARPER ADAMS CLUB COMMITTEE AND GUESTS AT THE 2016 ALUMNI OPEN DAY:
Left to right: Sarah Furniss, Michelle Evans, Ele Acaster-Law, Alex Law (Harper Adams Club President), Simon Jones, Julie Brook, Dr David Llewellyn (Vice Chancellor), Richard Hambleton, Ros Barsley, Richard Barsley. CONTENTS
Hands Free Hectare...... 02 Count Back to Harper...... 13
Queen’s Anniversary Prize...... 05 1940s Memories...... 14
Harper at the Top...... 06 Alumni News...... 17
Final Temperton Report...... 08 In Memoriam...... 24
New Veterinary School...... 09 Thomas Harper Adams 200 years on...... 27
Apprenticeships & Training...... 10 Field to Fork Festival...... 28
New Laboratories...... 11
2 HARPER LIFE LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Harper Adams Club Members,
On behalf of the Harper Adams Club may I welcome you to the latest edition of Harper Life. As you will read the University continues to go from strength to strength, leading the way with exciting projects such as the ‘Hands Free Hectare’, and as it produces ever more exceptional graduates our club membership continues to grow.
Throughout the year the Harper Adams Club receives news and information from members all over the world, with our Alumni Officer, Julie Brook, acting as our main point of contact at the University. In June the club held another excellent annual open day, AGM and multiple year group reunion. The weather was exceptional with clear blue sky and temperatures reaching 30 degrees. It was again great to see so many club members and their families, many making their first trip back to Harper Adams since their graduation. The Harper Adams Club again awarded a record number of scholarships, receiving applications from an ever increasing The 2018 Alumni Open Day on 16 June will be even bigger and diversity and calibre of students. Fundraising for these scholarships better! Not only will we have our usual reunion marking 50, 25 and remains an important objective, with the club continuing its theme 10 year anniversaries but we will also be marking 40 continuous of ‘Count Back to Harper’ for our Annual Fund campaign. We had a years of engineering courses at Harper Adams (1950s vintage great response to past year’s campaign – thank you all. engineers will be very welcome too). But you don’t have to be in any of these groups to join us – come along anyway and meet The Harper Adams Club welcomes your feedback and ideas, and some new Harper friends! And if younger members of your family for those of you who may wish to have a more hands on approach are considering Harper Adams in their university choices there will or suggest new ideas for alumni activities there are always also be an Undergraduate Open Day on this date. opportunities to join the Club committee. Julie Brook in the Alumni Office will be happy to arrange for anyone interested to attend a committee meeting to find out more about us and what we do.
May I take this opportunity to welcome all the 2017 graduates to the Harper Adams Club, and encourage you all to keep in touch and share your news.
Best wishes, Alex Law Harper Adams Club President BSc (Hons) Ag LFM 1999-2003, MSc REALM 2007-2008
SAVE THE DATE! Saturday 16 June 2018 It’s all happening at Harper Adams! ALUMNI OPEN DAY UNDERGRADUATE OPEN DAY FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS ALL WELCOME TO CELEBRATE … Starts at 9.30 am 40 Years of Engineering at Harper Adams HARPER ADAMS CLUB ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 1968 entry Golden reunion 10.30 am 1993 entry 25 year reunion 2006 entry 10 year reunion HARPER ADAMS CLUB REUNION LUNCH And … individual alumni guests, small meetings of friends or larger reunion groups. CAMPUS TOURS including our engineering centres - drop in with your friends and family.
Please make sure we have your correct contact details so that we can send you more information nearer the time. Alumni Office 01952 815297, [email protected]
HARPER-ADAMS.AC.UK 1 HANDS FREE HECTARE A WORLD FIRST AT HARPER ADAMS UNIVERSITY
To achieve the ambitious project, the team modified existing machinery. A project specification was for the machines to be small in order to reduce the impact on soil health and biology.
The combine used for the harvest had a header unit of only two metres. The Hands Free Hectare team believe that the future of farming will be managing fleets of small and autonomous vehicles, allowing farmers of the future to use their time for more effectively.
Jonathan Gill said: “There has been a focus in recent years on making farming more precise, but larger machines are not compatible with this method of working. They are also so heavy that they are damaging farmers’ soils. If combines in the future were similar to the size of the machine we used in this project, a little Sampo combine, it would allow more precise yield maps to be created. Despite our combine being 25 years old, it performed absolutely wonderfully.”
Preparations started in December 2016 when the team received an Iseki tractor and made it fully autonomous for the drilling, spraying and rolling of the hectare. By March 2017, the team Hands Free Hectare project autonomous vehicle. had made it over their first significant hurdle, when the tractor navigated the whole field sowing the spring barley crop in six hours. The pioneering Hands Free Hectare project has completed the Martin Abell explained, “The tractor is able to navigate the hectare world’s first autonomous harvest. The project run by Harper using an autopilot system for drones. This allows it to follow a pre- Adams University and Precision Decisions has successfully determined path in the field. It runs entirely on GPS and follows grown, tended and harvested a hectare of spring barley using only the requested route making its way between waypoints, digital autonomous vehicles and drones. GPS markers which we have positioned at the ends of the field It all started in October 2016 for the team of three engineers, for the tractor to navigate to. Our waypoints for the drilling also Jonathan Gill, Kit Franklin and Martin Abell and ended in September incorporated lifting and lowering signals that picked the drill up at 2017 with spectators watching the autonomous machine in one end and place it back down once it had turned around. The amazement as it combined the hectare. SimTech Aitchison drill is normally used for drilling between the
2 HARPER LIFE Anyone who is interested in the project and wants to help keep it alive for 2018, please get in contact with the Hands Free Hectare team. vines of vineyards to plant cover crops. It’s suited us perfectly as be perfect, which was amazing to see.” it’s a conventional agricultural system, just on a smaller scale” The team worked closely with their agronomist, monitoring the The sprayer system was a self-contained unit, independent of the crop remotely, using samples of the crop picked up by a drone tractor and employing a conventional sprayer controller. Safety fitted with a robotic grabber. The agronomist predicted a yield features included laser scanners to monitor the front of the tractor of 4.5 tonnes and on the day this target was achieved. It was a and stop it in the case of obstructions in its path. fantastic end for the team and they plan to make a Hands Free Hectare beer with the spring barley that has been harvested. They A mission control centre was also set up as a platform to see also hope to bring the project back by repeating the exercise, this the field in real time and supplement feedback from the robots time with a winter crop. working in the field. Martin said, “We aimed to prove that there’s no technological Throughout the Hands Free Hectare project, attention from the reason why a field can’t be farmed without humans working media gathered apace. Hands Free Hectare made an appearance the land directly - and we’ve done that. We achieved this on an on BBC 1’s The One Show and BBC Midlands Today as well as impressively low budget compared to other similar projects. The global coverage, even before the crop had been harvested. Hands Free Hectare project cost less than £200k, funded by The combine used similar systems that had been established Precision Decisions and Innovate UK. We used machinery that was for the tractor. A breakthrough was made while working on the readily available for farmers to buy, open source technology and an combine which made it drive better than the tractor. autopilot from a drone for the navigation system.”
Martin commented, “Our major challenge leading up to harvest Jonathan added, “It’s phenomenal to know that I was part of this was getting the combine ready. We spent a lot of time practising, world-first project. We grew it, nursed it and now we’ve harvested getting our headland turns right and on the day they appeared to it, completely autonomously. What an achievement.”
READ MORE HARPER ADAMS NEWS AND CATCH UP WITH OUR BLOGS AT: harper-adams.ac.uk/news/ 3 HANDS FREE HECTARE MEET THE TEAM - www.handsfreehectare.com
Left to right: Kit Franklin, Jonathan Gill, Martin Abell.
Kit Franklin (MEng Ag Eng 2008-13) Jonathan Gill A research active Agricultural Engineering lecturer at Harper Jonathan is a qualified robotic engineer with ten years of Adams University, Kit is experienced in mechanical design and experience specialising in mechatronic systems. Jonathan testing of agricultural machinery. He is interested in all mechanised diversified into remotely operated vehicle operation for over six aspects of crop production especially tillage, crop protection years with the sole purpose of completing tasks remotely by and cereal harvesting. Kit has been involved in the development mechatronic actuation. of precision farming and future crop protection techniques, His work has focused on the operation, design, and programming integration of tractor and implement management, application of aerial drone systems and their associated control systems and of novel technology to solve agricultural problems and field scale role within agriculture. More recently he has been an agricultural automation in the Hands Free Hectare project. mechatronic engineer on two successful Innovate UK backed collaborative projects as part of the research team at HAU’s National Centre for Precision Farming. Martin Abell (MEng Agricultural Engineering 2011-2016) Martin graduated from Harper Adams University in 2016 and was employed by Precision Decisions specifically for the project as a mechatronics researcher. His previous projects have included research into the effects of tillage and traffic systems upon soil and the development of an autonomous sprayer demonstration vehicle for the university.
Typically found on the family farm when away from the lab, maintaining a hands-on link with agriculture, Martin is an advocate of precision farming and the benefits it can bring to both farmers and consumers throughout the world. Clive Blacker (HND Ag 1990-93) Clive is the precision agriculture specialist for Precision Decisions Ltd and has been involved with precision agriculture for over 16 years. He pioneered and championed the technology on his family farm before becoming CEO of Precision Decisions Ltd, a consultancy company working with the world’s largest agri- engineering companies and farmers across the world including Africa.
4 HARPER LIFE HARPER ADAMS TO RECEIVE THE QUEEN’S ANNIVERSARY PRIZE
Harper Adams is to receive the most in products that support this farming prestigious honour open to UK universities approach and the university’s UK and – the Queen’s Anniversary Prize – for its international work on CTF techniques has work leading innovation in agricultural enabled it research farming improvements engineering in Sub-Saharan Africa, where there is an urgent need to address food security The Queen’s Anniversary Prizes are part of issues. This work has also been replicated the honours system and are awarded every in trials in the USA, at the University of two years by The Queen on the Prime Illinois. Minister’s advice. They are granted to the whole institution, irrespective of the area T Q’ The university has supported the of work being recognised, rather than to an A P implementation of agricultural Unmanned individual or department. F H F E Aerial Systems (UAS), including the development of a code of conduct for Twenty-one UK universities and colleges agricultural drone use which has been of further education were announced as The range of work for which the University adopted by BASIS, the independent prize recipients, during an event hosted is being honoured includes research into standards organisation for the pesticide, on 30 November at St James’s Palace by and development of controlled traffic fertiliser and allied agricultural industries, The Royal Anniversary Trust, attended by farming (CTF) systems; support for the as the framework for its professional Harper Adams University Vice-Chancellor implementation of unmanned aerial courses in this area. The university has Dr David Llewellyn and Chairman Mike systems and a world-first trial that proved also undertaken novel work with the RAF Lewis. crops could be grown autonomously, from to determine how low flying aircraft and seed to harvest. The Prizes will be formally presented at agricultural drones can operate safely Buckingham Palace in February 2018 by Dr Llewellyn said: “It is a huge honour to be in the same airspace, for which the RAF a member of the Royal Family. The prize recognised with the Queen’s Anniversary lead, Squadron Leader Gary James, was consists of a silver-gilt medallion and a Prize for Higher and Further Education. It recently recognised with a prestigious Prize Certificate signed by HM The Queen. is a tremendous achievement by our staff flight safety award. and students and reflects the leading role This will be the second Queen’s And key in 2017 was the creation of proof we have taken in the development of agri- Anniversary Prize received by Harper of concept for autonomous farming technologies in recent years.” Adams, which was honoured in 2005 systems – with the Hands Free Hectare for its work developing women-owned Harper Adams University has project successfully completing a world- businesses to support the rural economy demonstrated that CTF can be applied first trial to grow a crop of barley on a (wireuk.org). The latest award recognises in the UK with potential benefits to hectare of land using agricultural robots the university’s pioneering work in crop production, soil health and water and drones, and generating world-wide developing agricultural technologies, and management. Work with Michelin on low interest and debate in how autonomous associated alternative farming methods, to pressure tyre systems, as part of a CTF systems could assist food production. deliver global food security. system, has led them to invest further The Queen’s Anniversary Prize assessment process is overseen by the Awards Council of the Royal Anniversary Trust. Sir Damon Buffini, Chairman of the Trust said: “The focus of the Prizes on innovation and practical benefit to people and society is a great incentive to our universities to think critically about the direction of their work and its application and relevance in today’s world.”
READ MORE HARPER ADAMS NEWS AND CATCH UP WITH OUR BLOGS AT: harper-adams.ac.uk/news/ 5 HARPER AT THE TOP! Harper Adams takes highest ever modern university spot in The Times and Sunday Times good university guide
Graduates with guest speaker, Adam Henson, who received an honorary degree at the 2017 Graduation ceremony for services to the public understanding of agriculture. The Duke of Buccleuch also received an award in recognition of services to the promotion of graduate employment opportunities in rural land management.
Harper Adams University has this year reached the highest “It has more than 4,500 students, but only just over half are on position ever achieved by a modern university in the Times and campus at any one time. The rest are on placement years or Sunday Times Good University Guide. accredited part-time programmes in industry. Degrees are offered in business, veterinary nursing and physiotherapy, land and property Climbing another three places to 33rd place in the guide, management, engineering and food studies, and agriculture. published in September, Harper Adams continues to out-perform all universities created since 1992, as well as rising above many “It is already a centre of excellence for entomology teaching and longer-established institutions. research in the UK and is attempting a world first on its Hands-Free Hectare… Its most prized feature is a 550-acre commercial farm, The University’s position has been boosted by outstanding results which is expanding its dairy, pig and poultry units. It has the fifth in a series of key sector performance measures, including those largest facilities spend per student in the UK, spending on average for graduate employment (98%) and student satisfaction (93%), £3,174 per student last year.” plus a Gold outcome in the Teaching Excellence Framework, published earlier this year. Vice-Chancellor, Dr David Llewellyn, welcomed the news, which broke as hundreds of students were graduating on 22 September. The editors commented: “Harper Adams retains its position as the highest-ranked modern university for the second successive “We are delighted to learn that Harper Adams has again risen in the year… The specialist agricultural institution was awarded gold in Times league table, after making a considerable leap last year. What the TEF and it also placed highly for teaching quality in our analysis better time to learn of this success than during our graduation of this summer’s National Student Survey results, achieving celebrations. We will be sharing the news with our staff, students, the fourth highest score in the country as well as the third best parents and supporters in attendance today, as well as expressing score in the UK for student satisfaction with their wider university our gratitude for their efforts over the last year which have led to experience. this success.
6 HARPER LIFE 2017 WINNER UNIVERSITY OF THE YEAR
“Since graduation 2016, the university has continued to A total of 295 universities, colleges and alternative providers have demonstrate its academic strengths. Last November, in been assessed based on metrics including their National Student conjunction with Dairy Crest, we won the title of the Best Survey results, graduate employment statistics and student University-Business Collaboration at the Times Higher Education continuation rates, in addition to evidence submitted by each Awards. institution.
“In March, Harper Adams was revealed as the number 1 university Assessors said the award of gold also reflected the university’s in the Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey, in April “strategic and inclusive approach” in support of student learning; we were crowned Whatuni University of the Year for the second outstanding personalised provision; excellent teaching and year running and in June our Teaching Excellence Framework Gold assessment practice; sustained and strategic investment Award was announced, placing Harper Adams among the top set in resources and an embedded university-wide culture that of UK universities for teaching excellence.” facilitates, recognises and rewards excellent teaching.
The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), which has been Welcoming the outcome, Vice-Chancellor, Dr David Llewellyn said: overseen by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, “We are thrilled to have achieved this TEF outcome. It reflects aims to recognise excellent learning and teaching in universities well not only on our staff and students, but also on employers and and colleges delivering degree courses, and in turn to help other supporters of the University who have contributed to a very prospective students make informed choices about their higher positive result. We will continue to work hard to provide the best education. possible education for our students and to produce graduates who will make a real difference to the success of the important industry Harper Adams is one of only 59 Higher Education providers to have sectors with which we work.” achieved Gold, the highest TEF outcome. The TEF Panel judged that “Harper Adams University delivers consistently outstanding The TEF results and the evidence used in the assessment can be teaching, learning and outcomes for its students. It is of the found at www.hefce.ac.uk/lt/tef highest quality found in the UK”.
READ MORE HARPER ADAMS NEWS AND CATCH UP WITH OUR BLOGS AT: harper-adams.ac.uk/news/ 7 FINAL TEMPERTON FELLOWSHIP FOR POULTRY RESEARCH REPORT
The challenge of recruiting and retaining young, tech-savvy talent in the poultry industry was at the centre of the 25th and final Temperton Fellowship for Poultry Research report, presented in June 2017 by the Harper Adams University Vice-Chancellor Dr David Llewellyn.
He said: “It is inevitable that rapid advances in technology will impact on the poultry industry. The industry must be ready to adapt to this change, to continue to improve domestic business performance and to maintain its standing on the world stage. The Peel Holroyd, Chairman of the Harper Adams University industry will need to maintain outstanding levels of husbandry Temperton Fellowship for Poultry Research and Dr David and welfare, but it must also fill a gap that is likely to emerge in the Llewellyn. capacity of its leaders and managers to handle new technologies. safety, poultry informatics, poultry technologies, poultry process “The advent of ‘Industry 4.0’ heralds a series of unique design and poultry behaviour. opportunities and challenges. The way in which computers and automation will drive production processes, inform decision “While researching for this study, I looked back at the previous making and even take over some aspects of decision making Temperton Fellowship reports to see what they told us about through the use of artificial intelligence will have far reaching industry priorities over the last 25 years. Interviews with industry consequences for future labour and skills requirements. and academic representatives provided further viewpoints on how technology might impact upon the industry. Within the report “There has been a constant issue of getting young people to think I’ve pointed out the likelihood of an increasing labour shortage, about entering the poultry industry. Problems with the recruitment at least in the next five to eight years, which, when coupled with of students to poultry courses have been reported as far back as other issues facing the industry, should be a cause for concern and the mid-1970s. Many issues, and recommendations, identified action.” in the report hold striking resemblance to those seen in earlier research. We need a more co-ordinated response. For example, The report looked into a number of the new technologies including academia and industry need to work closer together to streamline the use of sensors, better management of housing environments the information provided to young people about industry careers. and ways to monitor and manage animal welfare. In addition, the report highlighted the development in the USA of meat produced “Chief among my recommendations was the need to secure the from animal cells. next generation of poultry scientists who will be able to guide the industry through a period of considerable change in areas such as Dr Llewellyn added: “While the public’s view of such products is poultry business management, food product development, food not yet known, and they remain extremely expensive, there is little doubt that the company will aim to reduce the price, making it imperative that poultry producers look to ways to use technology to make their production methods more efficient whilst also ensuring that they remain acceptable to consumers.”
The Temperton Fellowship was established to commemorate the contribution of Dr Harold Temperton, Director of the National Institute of Poultry Husbandry at Harper Adams University from 1951 -1974.
It is financed by the accrued annual interest from the Temperton Trust investments, which are derived from contributions and donations, as well as proceeds from sales of the book - The History of the National Institute of Poultry Husbandry by ME Telford, PH Holroyd and RG Wells, published by Harper Adams University, September 1986. Harper Adams alumni are among the 31 Temperton Fellowship awards which have been presented over the past Dr Llewellyn’s full report can be obtained by emailing Allison 25 years. Haycox [email protected]
8 HARPER LIFE HARPER ADAMS AND KEELE IN TALKS TO ESTABLISH JOINT VETERINARY SCHOOL
Harper Adams University announced in July that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Keele University, for exploratory talks to establish a new Veterinary School.
The new school would provide five-year degrees leading to a Bachelor of Veterinary Sciences (BVSc) qualification, and training would be delivered on a 50/50 basis on both university campuses, in partnership with local clinical providers and industry. Accreditation would be sought from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Veterinary Physiotherapy students in the anatomy laboratory at Harper Adams University. Vice-Chancellor, Dr David Llewellyn, added: “Our teaching and research specialisms in agriculture and animal sciences will Professor Jonathan Wastling, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive complement Keele’s established track-record in the fields of life Dean of Natural Sciences at Keele University, commented: “The sciences and medicine. We look forward to working closely with new Veterinary School will draw upon expertise in Life Sciences Keele on this initiative.” and our highly regarded Medical School as well as Harper Adams’ Carwyn Ellis, Head of the Animal Production, Welfare and long-established record in delivering programmes in the veterinary Veterinary Sciences at Harper Adams, added: “This is an exciting field, agriculture and animal sciences. State of the art laboratories development which will complement our current postgraduate available on the Keele campus will be complemented by world- veterinary medicine programmes, and our undergraduate class large and small animal facilities provided by Harper Adams, programmes in Bioveterinary Science, Clinical Animal Behaviour offering the perfect environment for veterinary students. Our and Welfare, Veterinary Nursing, Veterinary Physiotherapy intention is to produce highly-employable graduates able to deal and Agriculture, and contribute to enhanced animal health and with the challenging and rapidly changing landscape of the modern wellbeing.” veterinary profession.”
HOLO-COW! BOVINE HOLOLENS PROJECT BRINGS VIRTUAL CATTLE INTO CLASSROOMS Holographic, interactive cows are being brought into the Microsoft HoloLens is the first fully self-contained holographic classroom at Harper Adams thanks to a cutting-edge project computer running Windows 10. to boost teaching and learning by embracing the latest Mixed Alison Pyatt, Senior Lecturer in Animal Science, has been working Reality technology. with Anthony Chadwick from software company, The Webinar Vet, together with Microsoft to build the Bovine Hololens content which will assist with bovine anatomy teaching.
She explained: “I provided images and lecture notes from dissection practical lessons. We discussed how it would fit into sessions, so that the Microsoft team could put it all into context. We knew it could be done, but when we put the HoloLens on and really saw it, that was the wow moment, the proof that it worked!
“We chose to focus on the udder to start with because it is quite a simple structure. We’re not down to the finer details yet, but we Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural do have views of the intact cow, its skeleton, blood flow, and then Affairs, Michael Gove, visited Harper Adams University in the detail and dissection of the udder. This could be used before a October to learn about groundbreaking advances being dissection practical to show the students what to expect, instead made in agricultural technology including the new Bovine Hololens mixed reality technology that is set to bring of a dissection practical, or as revision. There is plenty of scope for holographic cows into the classroom. this to enhance learning experiences.”
READ MORE HARPER ADAMS NEWS AND CATCH UP WITH OUR BLOGS AT: harper-adams.ac.uk/news/ 9 HARPER ADAMS WINS SHARE OF £4.9 MILLION TO DEVELOP DEGREE APPRENTICESHIPS
“Industry input into the structure and content of the programmes will be vital.” Harper Adams University is set to launch a series of degree apprenticeship programmes, thanks to a share of £4.9 million announced in October 2017 by the Higher Education Funding Council England.
Designed by employers, higher education providers and professional bodies, degree apprenticeships bring together higher education study with paid work. They enable the development of high-level skills, by combining a degree and a career. Degree The Harper Adams programmes supported by the award will allow apprentices are employed for a minimum of 30 hours a week and apprentices to train in Engineering competence, Food and Drink earn a degree part time alongside their full time employment. Engineering, and Food Science and Technology.
Clare Keegan, who is overseeing the development of Degree Apprenticeship at Harper Adams, said: “We are already close to launching a Degree Apprenticeship programme for chartered surveyors, and look forward to also now being able to work with employers to develop the food science, food engineering and wider engineering programmes. Industry input into the structure and content of the programmes will be vital, so I would welcome discussions with business in the sectors relevant to these new degree apprenticeship streams.”
NEW TRAINING PARTNERSHIP TO SUPPORT AGRI-FOOD SECTOR Harper Adams University is one of six university partners Partnerships into a single entity. This rationalisation will provide involved in the new AgriFood Training Partnership (AFTP) an easily accessible one-stop shop for high level training launched in July 2017. provision within the agri-food sector.”
All of the universities involved are internationally recognised Carol Wagstaff, Professor in Crop Quality for Health at the leaders in agri-food research and training. Collectively they’ll University of Reading and Director of the AFTP stated: “We are be offering over 150 courses and workshops in all areas delighted to be in the privileged position of receiving a further of agricultural production, environmental protection, food £1.5M from BBSRC to enable unification of the AFTP and manufacture, scientific research and development and expansion into new markets both at home and overseas.” associated business and transferable skills. David McAllister, Head of Skills and Careers at BBSRC The new AFTP builds on the heritage of the three previous commented: “A highly skilled and productive workforce is vital Advanced Training Partnerships (ATPs) in agrifood, food and for the UK agri-food sector for it to remain globally competitive pasture. These three partnerships were all funded by the and contribute effectively to UK productivity and the industrial Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council strategy. The AFTP, advised by industry practitioners, will help (BBSRC) with the primary aim of translating cutting-edge exchange cutting-edge knowledge and skills from the higher research into applied industry expertise within the agri-food education research base to industry. This opportunity to sector. Collectively since 2012, the ATPs have delivered short improve skills whilst remaining in work is invaluable.” course training and postgraduate qualifications to over 1500 People interested in finding out more about courses and individuals from more than 700 businesses. training opportunities are encouraged to search the new AFTP Andy Wilcox, Head of Crops & Environment Sciences at Harper website, where visitors will be able to search courses by location, Adams said: “The new AgriFood Training Partnership brings format and subject area and book directly online. together the activities of the three former Advanced Training www.aftp.co.uk/
10 HARPER LIFE ELIZABETH CREAK LABORATORIES OPENED
We were delighted to welcome trustees of the Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust to the opening of the University’s new laboratories on 7 June 2017, including Mr Paul May, Chairman of the Trust, who performed the opening ceremony.
The Trust made a substantial contribution to the £2.5 million extension to the 30-year-old Princess Margaret Laboratories, helping the University to realise its ambition to have larger, more modern teaching laboratories, a specialist microbiology room and a new anatomy teaching facility.
Vice-Chancellor, Dr David Llewellyn, explained: “The main aim in creating the Elizabeth Creak Building was to increase our facilities and capacity for teaching agricultural science and to enhance our current teaching facilities. The new laboratories have dividing internal walls to make the space very flexible for different group Trustees John Hulse and Paul May. sizes and have high quality audio visual equipment to improve the students’ experience. Repeater screens throughout the labs allow Mr May told guests: “Elizabeth left very few guidelines for the everyone in the room to see, at the same time, any specimen Trust, but top of her shortlist of places she wanted to ensure being discussed in a practical class. Now that we have been able we supported was Harper Adams, so we feel she would have to move teaching into the new building, we can make smaller thoroughly approved of our contribution to this impressive new laboratories available for dedicated student project work. facility. Many of you here will know better than I that we have some big challenges facing us and it is great to see Harper Adams providing a guiding light in these stormy seas with all your recent investment in infrastructure and expertise. Thomas Harper Adams would, I am sure, have been very proud of what Harper Adams has now become!”
The Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust was established by Elizabeth Creak, a former High Sheriff of Warwickshire, who previously ran a significant dairy farm and bequeathed her estate to “support and encourage new blood in farming and finance projects to help farmers survive and thrive in their challenging modern “We are extremely grateful to the trustees of the Elizabeth Creak environment”. Charitable Trust for what they have helped us to achieve. They have already provided student scholarships at both undergraduate The Elizabeth Creak Building is a bright, modern statement building, and postgraduate level, and sponsorship for senior academic featuring angled windows with views across the campus and positions. Their investment in our campus infrastructure will help university farm, and makes use of the latest living wall technologies, us ensure the visions of our founder, Thomas Harper Adams, and comprising plants which are monitored, fed and watered via a smart their benefactor, Elizabeth Creak, can be met.” system housed inside the building.
READ MORE HARPER ADAMS NEWS AND CATCH UP WITH OUR BLOGS AT: harper-adams.ac.uk/news/ 11 HARPER ADAMS CLUB SCHOLARS 2016-17
in order to put on successful events for the entire student body.”
After leaving university, Jessica hopes to set up her own business in the mobile events, catering and farm retail sector.
Harper Adams Club President’s Scholarship Awarded to: Hywel Phillips, BEng (Hons) Agricultural Engineering Thanking his sponsors, recipient of the CLAAS, McConnel and Harper Adams Club President’s scholarships, Hywel Phillips said, “These scholarships gave me better financial security which allowed me to focus fully on my studies.” Harper Adams Club Scholars 2016-17 with Club President Alex Law. He explains how he got to where he is Harper Adams Club Postgraduate Harper Adams Club Final Year today: “I had an interest in agriculture Scholarship Scholarship because I lived in a rural area and had Awarded to: Chris Freeman, MSc Awarded to: Hannah Rose, BSc (Hons) friends who lived on farms. Tractors were Ruminant Nutrition Agri-food Marketing with Business my first toys when I was little and this Chris said, “I am sincerely grateful to Studies really set me off! I realised I’d like to have receive the scholarship. I’ve worked Hannah, from Kidderminster, a career in the agricultural sector when I extremely hard to reach the level I’m Worcestershire said: “The receipt of this took on a relief milking job while studying at now and I feel humbled that my past scholarship will allow me to further my my A levels. I learnt about the agricultural has been recognised and my future is personal development through additional engineering course at a UCAS fair, and it appreciated. courses such as Microsoft Office Specialist really appealed to me. It provided the right and develop my economic understanding “Although I was not fortunate enough mix of engineering and agriculture that by joining professional bodies, such as to grow-up on a family farm, I spent my was ideal for me. I couldn’t wait to start and the agricultural economics society. After childhood reaping the benefits of the even used all five of my UCAS options to graduation, I intend to study a master’s countryside; indulging in weekend shoots apply to Harper! degree in agricultural economics, which is as an energetic beater, helping block road an area that I am particularly passionate “During my first year the McConnel junctions for bypassing sheep and building about after studying economics modules Scholarship provided the financial means hay bale tunnels in friends’ barns. I quickly at Harper.” to go to a number of agricultural and realised that agriculture was my calling. I machinery shows in the country, such was a farmer, just without the farm. Harper Adams Club Extended as Lamma and Grassland. After my first “In my first year on the agriculture course Foundation Degree Scholarship year, I worked on a harvest in Essex where I felt disadvantaged by the farmers’ sons Awarded to: Jessica Spencer, BSc (Hons) I learnt more about modern techniques and daughters who appeared to breeze Agri-Food Marketing with Business and how larger enterprises work, using their way through lectures, while I frantically Studies precision farming and forward-thinking took notes to establish an understanding Since coming to Harper Adams Jessica has arable methods. I strongly believe that this of what were the basics to farming. thrown herself into her studies and working experience gave me the credentials to gain Determination and hard work paid off and for the Students’ Union as the press and the work placement and scholarship with by the end of my placement I felt I was on a publicity officer and then as SU Chairman. CLAAS, which has also led to further doors level playing field with my peers. opening for me.” Jessica said: “As press & publicity officer for “Experiencing a range of opportunities has Harper Adams SU over the past academic allowed me to discover both my passion year, I have received a valuable insight for beef production, but also the realisation into how our student union is run and was that farm management was not what I had shocked at just how much voluntary work desired.” is required of our student union committee
12 HARPER LIFE COUNT BACK TO HARPER
Dear Harper Adams Club members, If you are a current student or have recently graduated we are asking for just £1. You can give via text to 70070 with the Thank you to the many alumni who supported our Count Back message CBTH16 £1 to Harper scholarship appeal over the past year. We had a record response and were consequently able to award scholarships to Or if you left in 2015 the code is CBTH16 £2 some excellent students who we are sure will go on to be fantastic Left in 2014 CBTH16 £3; left in 2013 CBTH16 £4, left in 2012 ambassadors for the University. CBTH16 £5 or left in 2007 CBTH16 £10 The Harper Adams Club’s Scholarship Programme, awards Donations may be in any multiples of these amounts or you may much needed scholarships to some of the most gifted and able prefer to donate: of students, the next leaders and innovators of the land based industry. The fund was established in 2001 and thanks to the • Online at harper-adams.ac.uk/donate generosity of alumni such as yourself, nearly £80,000 has now • By cheque payable to ‘HAU Development Trust’ sent to the been awarded to over 50 students. Alumni Office.
Many of you tell us that your time at Harper Adams set you up for If Harper Adams gave you something special, please give a little the future in so many ways – a career, friends for life and even a back! partner in marriage. Some of you have also received scholarships yourselves. Thank you!
Please help us to support the next generation, ensuring that Harper Adams continues to produce brilliant graduates, capable of Simon Jones making a difference to the world. Chairman of the Harper Adams Club Scholarship Panel What does Count Back to Harper mean for you? We are simply Harper Adams University Development Trust Trustee asking you to donate £1 for every year since you left Harper Adams. Count Back to Harper
Image from last year’s Countback to Harper Appeal postcard.
HARPER-ADAMS.AC.UK 13 HARPER ADAMS IN THE 1940s
Harper Adams Club committee member Ben Palmer interviewed Ian Howie (NDA 1946-48) about his experiences as a student at Harper Adams Agricultural College in the 1940s.
Ian is an agricultural journalist, Nuffield scholar and past Harper Adams Club President. He revisited Harper Adams at our Alumni Open Day in June 2017 along with contemporaries Leonard Chase, John Poulter and Robin Thompson.
How did you come to decide to enrol at Harper in 1946 and what was your background before that? There was no real alternative at the time as Cirencester wasn’t for me and the only option was to do an NDA. I applied for a place at Harper in the spring of 1945 (before the war in Europe ended). I was fortunate to get a place and was awarded a Warwickshire County scholarship. Despite having been accepted without having done a year’s practical due to my background, I decided to delay a year to get some wider experience.
I had been brought up on a Vale of Evesham horticultural small holding, but towards the end of my schooling, I was one of three school boys who virtually ran Douglas Bomford’s farming operation at Pitchill (near Evesham) at weekends and school holidays. He was Ian Howie. an agricultural engineer with a great enthusiasm for mechanising agriculture and we were always having to try bits of experimental/ Money was tight; food, clothing and petrol were rationed and coal developmental machinery. Incidentally he was one of the in short supply, so heating was intermittent. We often attended instigators of the Oxford Conference in 1936, which initially was lectures dressed in top coats. So we knew about austerity. They solely about the mechanisation of farming. discovered a few of us could hand milk so we used to get roused That experience proved valuable at my machinery viva at Leeds early when there was no power to milk the Ayrshire herd where we had to go for the NDA exams. MAFF mechanisation In my first year, like many others I shared a room in what was known supremo Claude Culpin was the machinery examiner who would as the New Hostel which thankfully no longer exists. It was a very show people a collection of photographs of machinery and ask spartan brick built block on three floors designed by an architect at them to describe them. He showed me several, then came to 4.30 on a Friday afternoon. It was very akin to what used to be seen a particular one. To his amazement I said “that’s my tractor.” I across soviet countries. suspect I was the only one there who would have known what was hooked up behind the Allis Chalmers Model U. [Note: this hostel was later known as Boughey or old Boughey and was located in the area near the Aspire Centre behind It was an experimental one-way plough, (pre-hydraulics) Main Building.] developed by Mr A J Hosier which I had used at Pitchill as part of its developmental programme. My interview then became more about my experiences at Pitchill than my exam papers! Mr Hosier was a very progressive farmer who invented the milking bail in 1922.
What was it like attending so soon after the war? The 1946 Harper intake was quite small compared to 1945 with fewer than 30 of us, including a few mainly female poultry students. I was one of only two non-ex-servicemen that year as they were being given priority. A few of the girls had been in the Land Army. Some of the ex-service people found settling down to studying difficult. But it was great for me to be able to mix with people who had seen, experienced and lived another life. Main building with the principal’s car.
14 HARPER LIFE How did you meet your wife at Harper? I met Bridget on my first day back in 1947. I knew Enid Archer the dairy lecturer had left so I went to the dairy to see who was there and found Bridget. She did her pre-college year at Harper before going to Studley College to do the NDD course.
Was there much of a social life at the College? There was no bar and the Lamb was our year’s local haunt.
There were no buildings on the other side of the road, where with a lot of hard graft we turned part of the field into sports pitches.
Someone had a crazy idea one day. They wanted an aerial shot of a cricket match. So some of us went out onto the roof valley behind the front of the main building through a skylight of what then was the library [later the Committee Room and now the Haydock Room]. The first person then lay up the roof and the second person crawled up over them and planted his feet on the shoulder Lecture room ca. 1930s/40s – now the Temperton Room. of the one below, the third likewise and eventually the leader of the group almost reached the crest. Bridget’s job was to crawl up those There were two individual ex-Harper people who helped me already in place with a camera and take the picture. But horrors of a lot. John Harrison was a part of the team at Manchester horrors when it was developed the picture was of the sky! University Economics department responsible for collecting information for the MAFF Farm survey and he did a lot of Have your Harper contacts helped you during your career? analytical work on the farm accounts for me when farm For several years back in the 1960s the Harper Adams Club, manager in Derbyshire in the fifties. During this time my boss Sir encouraged by both Mr and Mrs Price, arranged family weekends Edward Thompson introduced me to cash analysis accounting at the college. We were able to listen to top speakers and discuss decades before management accounting was heard of in issues amongst ourselves. Incidentally it was during one of those farming. weekends that the Fat-stock Marketing Corporation was launched When we moved to a farm management job in Herefordshire, by ex-Harper student, local farmer and NFU President, G T Williams. Stuart Wragg, my Harper lecturer in economics suggested The insight created by those weekends certainly stimulated my fellow alumnus Dick Broughton could help us. I was grateful for thinking and encouraged us into pigs and poultry of our own. We the help those two ex-Harper colleagues gave me as I believe it were founder members of the Harper Adams pig recording scheme is essential to get someone from outside to cast a critical eye on which eventually become PIDA. That was my first introduction to what you are doing, especially when you are trying to develop. record keeping which stuck for ever.
Harper Adams library before its 1950s refurbishment (shown here) thanks to donations by Harper Adams Club members in memory of those who died in the Second World War.
HARPER-ADAMS.AC.UK 15 HARPER ADAMS IN THE 1940s
1940s alumni John Poulter, Robin Thompson and Leonard Chase at the 2017 Alumni Open Day lunch.
Are you in touch with any of your cohort? Next day a notice went up saying Mr Price wanted to see those Yes. The Poulter brothers and former SU secretary Leonard Chase, responsible for the antics of the previous evening in his office. who I took with me to the recent open day and also Tom Ralls. Virtually the whole student body turned up, so the meeting was Bridget keeps in touch with poultry girls Sheila Foster and Mary moved to the large lecture room. Griffith and the widow of ‘DL’ Jones who was in my year. Mr Price was facing a dilemma and having realised what some of the ex-servicemen had been through said that in future the only Do you recognise the existence of the ‘Harper Spirit’ then or rule is no two people on a motor bike, there will be no lights out now? rule, and the gates between the hostels will no longer be locked – We were very loyal to Harper and being such a small very tight but added that he hoped people would show respect and by doing group, we were one entity. The comradery was tremendous. I would so he gained a lot of respect himself. not know about the spirit now, but with current numbers 10 times more than in my day what we did as a year would not be feasible. What are the most striking contrasts with Harper in the 40s and now? Have you an abiding memory of you time at Harper you would That’s a chalk to cheese question. Just look at what has happened like to share? to the agricultural industry since I was at Harper and it has been It happened in my first year on November 5th. Some of the ex- at the forefront of progress. As far as its physical presence, the service boys felt deprived of excitement and thought Guy Fawkes college was a fairly compact group of buildings, now it’s a township. ought to be celebrated. They thought there should be some big My days at college were before the second green revolution. But bangs. But how? although it was at the time of the advent of the little grey Fergie, Many of them had acquired all sorts of special skills in the services. a pair of Suffolk Punch horses were purchased, which cost about To some locked doors were not so much an obstacle as a the same as a Ferguson T20. Our spell at college coincided with hindrance. After a clandestine visit to the chemmy lab, the bangs the switch from the war-time era to the 1947 Agricultural Act. We were going to happen. But as well as making big bangs, some knew it word for word because we were sure it would feature in the students got into the lounge at the Ancellor, which at the time was NDA finals. But not a single question on it. Now we are faced with the women’s hostel. The result - some of the furniture ended up in the unknowns of Brexit and undoubtedly Harper will be prepared. the trees and it was all rather jolly and good natured. The senior girl put in an appearance to remonstrate, but was politely ignored. Do you feel there is/was a prestige to being a Harper graduate in the industry then or now? But when we returned to the main block, a very irate Mr Bill Price, who was in his first term as the new Principal, was waiting for us I am sure Harper graduates were considered to be among the outside the New Hostel in his pyjamas and dressing gown. Some- elite in my days and were much sought after by expanding post- how while at the Ancellor Alan Clark had acquired the dairy lecturer war commercial companies such as Ferguson and BOCM, but Enid Archer’s dog. With great aplomb he walked straight up to Mr nowadays Harper graduates are regarded as being very prestigious Price, put the lead into the principal’s hand and said “Miss Archer’s and Harper Adams is held in very high esteem world-wide. dog sir” and walked away.
16 HARPER LIFE ALUMNI NEWS
Peter Ward (NDA 1955-57) It’s a family affair for new DT Trustee Peter Ward.
The Harper Adams Development Trust is delighted to welcome Peter Ward (NDA 1955-57) to the Board of Trustees. One of three generations of his family to attend Harper Adams, Peter farmed 400 acres in Shropshire for over 30 years. His father, Roland (1922-24), and his son Rob (HND AMBA 1988-91) studied here. Peter’s grandfather, Thomas Charles ‘TC’ Ward was Chairman of Governors from 1950 to 1957, with Ward Hall named in his honour.
Peter supplied quality packed produce to supermarkets, predominantly M&S. He then established a farm shop and garden centre. A Liveryman with the Worshipful Company of Farmers, Peter holds the Freedom of the City of London. He is a former Chairman of Shropshire NFU and also a former holder of the Fruit Grower of the Year title.
Cheers! Tim James (1982-85) with Andrew & Robert Hewitt .
Peter Ward attended our 2017 Alumni Open Day along with other 1950s alumni: Gerard Poulter (1954-56), Keith Stevens (1954-56), Roger Barrett (1957-59), Paul Hanlon (1957-59), John R McGhee Also attending were A M (1957-59) and Robert Hewitt (1958-60) with his son Tabassum and Neil Davies Andrew Hewitt representing the 1982 cohort. (both 1959-61) .
ALUMNI OPEN DAY 2017 Allan Jefferies shares some memories of that time: 1967 – 50 years on
Having been accepted to enter Harper after an interview with Chappie (John Luscombe) and Morty (Ray Mortimer) I was instructed to arrive at the college during the summer of 1967. The instruction was to meet on the road outside the Main Building. There were about 30 of us who were greeted by Colonel Nixon, the college bursar, who asked us to follow him to Childs Ercall which would effectively be our dormitory for the first year. After what seemed a somewhat contorted journey we arrived at The Hall, Childs Ercall to be welcomed by Mrs Parker who was to be our A group of 1967 alumni met up back on campus at our Open Day in June 2017 to landlady for the next year. mark 50 years since their first arrival at Harper Adams. John Clark, Michael Crombie, The next day was spent at Harper, returning Clive Fidler, Phil Fisher, Bob Jenkinson, Bill Jones, Richard Lewis, Roger Mossop, to academia after a year bouncing up and Peter Pearson, Robert Pinches, John Price, Walter Schafer, Richard Smith attended down on a tractor, followed by Freshers’ with their guests. Night, which was somewhat intimidating.
READ MORE HARPER ADAMS NEWS AND CATCH UP WITH OUR BLOGS AT: harper-adams.ac.uk/news/ 17 ALUMNI NEWS
However the night concluded at the Red House with all drinks paid for by second 1968 ENTRY - GOLDEN REUNION 16 JUNE 2018 year students. Rag Week followed but was Lawrence Fowler (NDP 1968-70) terminated prematurely due to a publicity My wife Lynn and I got married two weeks before the start of the 1968 NIPH term, stunt in Stoke which went wrong. Students and moved into our first home, a flat in Edgmond. Of course, this detached me at Ercall did their bit with a charity tractor pull somewhat from college life - no Saturday evenings at Radbrook for a start. I did start to Birmingham. out in the poultry business with Imperial Foods/Ross before moving across into IT, The term continued, including Saturday with British United Turkeys, and right at the end of my working life I spent three years morning lectures, until just before the back at Harper as a manager within the IT group. We have both been retired for some Christmas vac, when we were informed that years and we are still trying to find when the problem of being bored will start. Hope due to the proximity of the foot and mouth to be back at Harper in June 2018. outbreak in Oswestry, it would be necessary Edward Wood (NDP/AMBA 1968-71) to leave immediately. To delay evacuation could have led to the spread of F&M to all After graduating with a NDP and Dip AMBA, I ran the original family fruit, fish and corners of the UK. florists shop in Craven Arms for four years. After travelling to New Zealand and across Asia I returned to the UK where I sold commercial vehicles before joining my brother We returned to Harper in the New Year in the fledgling Wood Brewery in 1980. After 37 years, I am still here running it! My and were squeezed into Old Boughey [in cousin Patrick Wood also attended Harper at the same time. I employed ex-Harper the grassed area now in front of the Aspire student Paul Benson for 10 years as Head Brewer. I married Jane in 1992 and we have Centre], to reduce the possible F&M spread one son, Jonathan. I am hoping to attend the Alumni Open Day on 16 June. due to our transit to and from Childs Ercall. Eventually we returned to Ercall for the Patrick Wood (ND Poultry 1968-70) remainder of the academic year which was After leaving Harper Adams I joined J P Wood and Sons (Poultry) Ltd (Chukie mainly uneventful apart from the night Chicken) in the marketing department to set up the merchandising department, someone left the chip pan on whilst we were which entailed supplying demonstrators to supermarkets. The company was then at a SU meeting at college, resulting in a owned by Unilever. I worked there for eight years then left to set up my own company, seriously damaged kitchen. The time was Interprint, which was involved in producing screen-printed T Shirts and textiles. I punctuated with visits to the Four Crosses retired a few years ago and my son still carries on part of the business in Bristol. I was and Four Alls. married to Susan in 1978, my best man being Edward Wood who was also at Harper In the second year I was one of the first at the same time. We have two boys James and Edward, both in their 30’s. batch of students to be accommodated in Hope to see some old friends back at Harper Adams on 16 June. the new Boughey hall of residence. After completing the NDA and AMBA courses I started a career in the food industry ALUMNI OPEN DAY 2017: 1977 REUNION GROUP which included potato and grain trading, frozen food distribution, fish processing, langoustine marketing, swede processing culminating in vegetable processing, packing, storage and distribution. I retired in June 2012.
1979 reunion 2019 With the 40th (how did that happen?!) anniversary of the 1979 intake (HND Agriculture) looming on the horizon, I am thinking (very tentatively!) about organising a reunion in 2019. We were always a pretty rubbish group for organising things but maybe it’s time ... Please get in touch with the Alumni Office if you would like to join us! Liz L-R: Robert Burton, Allan Goddard, George Harris, David Fern, Charlie Mason, Ashwell (née Sidney) Denise Wright, David Wright.
18 HARPER LIFE ALUMNI OPEN DAY 2017: 1982 REUNION GROUP Guests included: Mark Conod, Mark Culloden, Gareth Davies, William Davies, James Dunn, Andrew Hewitt, Tim James, Alan Oliver, Dave Whitehead, Dave Williams and Andrew Willoughby.
Hefin Richards (BSc Ag 1988-92) and Neil Wagstaff (BSc Ag 1987-1991) attended graduation in September 2017 to present awards in our prize giving ceremony on behalf of the Harper Cymry alumni association and NFU, respectively.
ALUMNI OPEN DAY 2017: 1992 REUNION GROUP
Alumni guests included: David Alder, Kathy Beedles, Helen Bill, Charlotte Butler, Elizabeth Clarke, Ed Cooper, David Crane, Louise Downes, Tom Entwistle, Hayley Evans, Joanne Frith, Jonathan Hewitt, Lindsey Hidderley, Niall Hogg, James Hollands, Edward Jamison, Ross Lyon, Bernadette McKeogh, Ian Michell, Sarah Milroy, Rachel Newton, Ian Philp, Lorna Rackstraw, Bill Randles, Stephen Ridsdale, Christopher Seabridge, Joanne Sharpe, Lynne Throup, Jason Turner, Ben Tyreman, Stephen & Caroline Vickers & family, Charlie Wright & family, Sarah Everett, Alan Radbourne.
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1993 – 25 YEAR REUNION 16 JUNE 2018 – SAVE THE DATE! Paul Galligan [Giggs] (BSc Agric 1993-97)
Left Harper and took up a role with Capital Bank, working in a call centre offering finance to agricultural businesses. Varied career since then, into mainstream lending and insurance. Spent the last six years as Managing Director at Comparethemarket.com ... who knew a BSc Ag would translate to meerkats!
Married to Bec for 16 years with three children. I have just returned to farming having bought a farm in Woodford, Alastair Boot. Cheshire and rapidly trying to reignite what I learned about grassland I hope to join you for the reunion at Harper my connection with food drew me management! Adams in June. to the food division of John Lewis. I ran Waitrose shops in Reading and Wishing all the best to my fellow alumni Alastair Boot (BSc Agriculture (1993-97) Beaconsfield, latterly concentrating and would love to hear from them, For someone whose first attempt at higher on leading customer experience in the especially top floor Bradford from ‘93. education ended after one year at Reading, southern region. Leaving the congestion Mark McCall (BEng Ag Eng 1993-97) it seems ironic that I should now be a behind, the kids seem to have adjusted university lecturer. In a funny way, I hope Whilst at Harper we decided to sell the well to the county of their birth. Sarah that this experience as well as 20 years in dairy herd on our family farm however and I are behaving like excited tourists, industry will help me be a great teacher. I was still involved in the dairy industry enjoying afresh everything that for ten years after leaving Harper Armed with my Harper degree I moved Shropshire has to offer. Adams, working with the Lely Astronaut from the family farm in 2001 to become I’ve joined the Food Science Department robotic milking system. Since then a retailer with the John Lewis Partnership where I’m teaching on marketing, I’ve been working back on the family and studied part-time for an MBA. I retail and supply chain modules. I’ve farm with my partner Jo, but we’ve worked my way up in the John Lewis also started a post-grad certificate in diversified away from farming with a Cheadle department store where, education which will help me turn my wedding venue, business centre, bed & barely out of my overalls and still wearing commercial experience into even more breakfast, glamping and just recently a Wrekin Farmers ‘fashion’, I managed a value for the students. I love learning and wakeboard park and equestrian centre menswear department first. I was General helping others be the best they can be so (woottonpark.co.uk & spotonwake.co.uk) Manager in Liverpool and Watford before Harper feels like a great place to be.
GROW YOUR OWN BUSINESS Hannah Moule (BSc Rural Enterprise and includes a number of Harper Adams alumni Warner Edwards Distillery and Sarah Land Management 1999-2003) on the team including: Lewis (FdSc Agri-Food Marketing with Business Studies 2007-2012), who runs Hannah attended the Harper Adams Sally Moore (PgD Rural Estate and Land Lily’s Secret Vintage Tearoom and other Club’s ‘Grow your own Business’ evening Management 2013-16) enterprises in Shropshire. for current students last year to talk about how she established her own company in Melanie Holt (PgD Rural Environment, If you run your own business and would 2010. Moule & Co is a small but dynamic Amenity and Land Management) be prepared to join our Grow your own firm of Rural Chartered Surveyors, Farm Angela Cantrill (BSc Rural Enterprise and Business evening as a guest speaker next Business and Planning Consultants. Since Land Management 2000-04) November, we would love to hear from you. formation, the company has developed Please contact the Alumni Office into one of the leading rural practices in Other alumni guest speakers were Tom 01952 815297 or email Worcestershire providing a wide range of Warner (BSc Agri-Food Marketing with [email protected] professional and consultancy services and Business Studies 1997-2001) from
20 HARPER LIFE Jude Capper (BSc Ag Animal Science 1996-2000)
Women in Dairy: Dr Jude Capper wins first ever Industry Woman of the Year Award.
The announcement of the first ever Dairy Industry Woman of the Year Award winner brought delegates flocking to this year’s Women in Dairy Conference in September, making it the most successful yet. Even though all finalists were worthy it was Dr Jude Capper who was named the winner on the day beating Cornish dairy farmer and NFU group chair, Bridget Whell, and 2016 Devon county woman farmer of the year, Nicky Lockyer, to the crown. Andy Hipwell, HSBC, presenting Dr Jude Capper with the Industry Woman of the Year Award. Women in Dairy patron Di Wastenage said: “The three finalists had incredibly varied Will Evans (HND Ag 1999-2002) farming he is allowing people to talk about backgrounds and reasons for nomination a wealth of topical issues happening in the Our congratulations to Will Evans, winner but were all equally inspiring. In the end we industry right now.” of the 2017 British Farming Awards Digital had to strip the decision back to the original Innovator of the Year award for his Rock and Frustrated at how farmers are often Women in Dairy values of connect, share Roll Farming podcasts. portrayed in the media, Will began his Rock and inspire to choose the winner. The way and Roll Farming podcast with the idea Jude incorporates these into all aspects of The judges said: “Will demonstrated passion of interviewing some of the characters her work is exceptional as is her continual and innovation for Rock and Roll Farming, a involved in agriculture, and dispelling some outstanding contribution to the industry.” podcast service and blog designed to give of the misconceptions about the industry. British farmers and those working within Dr Capper said winning the award was His aim is to celebrate the diversity in food the industry a voice. By championing British totally unexpected and completely and farming from scientists and sales overwhelming: “There are so many people people to agronomists, and to understand out there doing wonderful things for the the pride and passion in their work. His industry I don’t know how just one can be subjects are mostly from UK and Ireland chosen. This is for all of us out there and all plus a few ‘rogue internationals’. the work we do. Here’s to keeping working Will floated the idea on Facebook and together to do brilliant things for our Twitter (@willpenrievans), where he has industry” 6,000 followers. Purchasing a logo and the The award was sponsored by HSBC, also introductory music to his show, he also principal sponsor of the day. Themed as invested in software, a microphone and ‘Through change comes opportunity’ headset. The show averages 1,000 weekly the conference hosted speakers from downloads, and has featured in the ‘new the whole supply chain who presented and noteworthy’ section on iTunes. on their own experiences and knowledge through a series of inspiring seminars and On winning the award, Will said: workshops. Key messages focused on “Farmers and those working in our the opportunities of a changing industry, industry can often be judged but the bigger picture of financial planning, the podcast is a way of humanising economic changes affecting shopping our industry and telling the story. I trends, the importance of communication didn’t think for one second I would and succession and how to plan a work life win this award and it means a balance. hell of it to have done so. I’m just a Welsh farmer doing what I do and I’m Article and photo courtesy of RABDF Will Evans. just hugely grateful.” 02476 639317, [email protected]
READ MORE HARPER ADAMS NEWS AND CATCH UP WITH OUR BLOGS AT: harper-adams.ac.uk/news/ 21 ALUMNI NEWS
HARPER ADAMS RISING STARS Seven Harper Adams alumni were among the winners of the Farmers Weekly Rising Stars competition in July 2017, which aimed to recognise and promote talent within the agricultural industry and the next generation of farmers. The judges praised Harper alumni for their passion, innovation and dedication to inspiring young people into the industry, while also shaping the future of farming. Among them were:
Kit Franklin (MEng Ag 2008-13) Richard Bower (Access/BSc Agri-Food Looking forward, Joe and Ed are keen Marketing with Business Studies to enhance the farm’s reputation for For his work with the ground-breaking 2003-08) traceability, high welfare and innovation, Hands Free Hectare project (pages 4-6) which will hopefully lead to increased sales Farmer and chairman of NFU’s Next and brand awareness. Generation Policy Forum. Ed Towers was also Royal Association of Chris Manley (BSc Ag 2005-09) British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) De Lacy Chris was heavily involved in the launch Dairy Student of the Year in 2015, and is of Tesco’s Future Farmer Foundation – a a member of the RABDF Young Board, development programme for young people announced in October 2017 and made up in agriculture. He is also a former Harper exclusively of Harper alumni. Adams SU President and NFYFC chairman The Young Board has been created to offer in 2016. the opportunity for further progression and Joe Towers (BSc Agri-food Marketing board-level training unique to the industry. with Business Studies 2009-13) and Ed Other board members are: Towers (BSc Agriculture with Animal Harriet Wilson (BSc Agri-food Marketing Science 2011-15) Andrew Harrison (BSc Agriculture with with Business Studies 2010-14) Animal Science 2012-16), I’Anson Bros. Joe and Ed were the winners in the British Farming Awards Dairy Innovator Of The Andrew Harrison receiving the Worshipful Year category. Company of Farmers Prize Award from Thomas Wheatley-Hubbard in 2016. He Working with a London-based barista, Joe also won the British Society of Animal discovered a new market for the right type Science Academic Association Award and of milk to compliment speciality coffee. the RABDF Dairy Student of the Year. He introduced a new herd of Jersey cows to the family farm in Lancashire, which is Lindsey Carnell (BSc Animal Science run by his brother, Ed, and the result was a 2011-15) milk with more protein and fat that worked St Katherines Farm perfectly for baristas. The Towers now sell more than 20,000 litres a week to coffee Rachel Beasley (BSc Agriculture with shops across London under the brand Animal Science 2012-16) Brades Farm Barista Milk. The family is also Farm Services Consultant at Alltech working with researchers to see how the Harriet is Senior Agricultural Manager for diets of their Jersey cows affect the taste Richard Beattie (BSc Agriculture the Co-Op and Chair of the NFYFC AGRI and quality of their new milk. 2013-17) Steering Group. She was awarded the R & A Beattie Farms Harper Adams Club Final Year Scholarship RABDF managing director Matthew Knight in 2013, which is funded by our alumni says, “I am confident the candidates will annual fund appeal, and returned to the be key figures in the industry over the University recently as a speaker at Harper upcoming years.” Forum and represented the Co-Operative at our careers and placement fair in Key topics such as labour, AMR and Brexit November. will be at the forefront of discussions and will then be applied to a project for each of Ed Dale (BSc Agriculture 2010-14) the Young Board members throughout the Farm manager, Velcourt. coming 12 months.
22 HARPER LIFE MEET THE PRESIDENT - CHARLOTTE GARBUTT Charlotte Garbutt (BSc Agri-Business and that’s why the Students’ Union is so 2013-17) important.’’
is the current Student’s Union President. ‘’I’m looking to work on fundraising She hopes to give something back to activities for the university and putting a place where she had such a great on more events to get alumni involved experience. particularly for the Count Back to Harper annual fund appeal. I have benefited from Charlotte says, ‘’I wanted to become SU three scholarships that have supported President to ensure students have as me through my time at Harper, now being much fun and the amazing experience I able to give back and contribute to the had at Harper. Graduating from Harper Count Back to Harper feels great. I know you have a degree that is reputable in first-hand the worthy cause I would be the industry, so now to be a member supporting.’’ of the Harper alumni association feels prestigious.” “I want to encourage recent graduates to get involved with the Harper Adams Club Charlotte was a member of the shooting Charlotte Garbutt. and to support the campaign.’’ club and represented the university in the BUCS league. In the role of SU President She says, ‘’I think it’s important to provide Please see page 13 to find out more she will look after the welfare of students, a well-rounded experience for students, about Count Back to Harper. academic support as well as Clubs and particularly as university and living costs Societies and social events. increase. Students need more support
HARPER SPIRIT AWARD 2017 The winner of the Harper Adams Club’s keep Guy’s memory alive while raising 2017 Harper Spirit Award is Holly money for a very worthy cause.” Bishop (BSc Rural Enterprise and Land In addition to SU events such as Guy’s Management 2013-17) Night, Guy’s Clay Shoot and a virtual Candidates for this award, are nominated ‘Run for Guy’ Holly herself ran eight and voted for by final years, which is marathons in twelve months starting presented to the final year student who in October 2016 in Bournemouth, has exhibited the most inspiring Harper then Manchester, London, Spirit during their time at the University, Gloucester, Richmond, Nottingham, Chester and finally Lisbon, Portugal. Holly won overwhelming support for the award as a result of her campaign to raise Her marathon efforts included funds for the CLIC Sargent fund in memory becoming a World Record Holder for of her brother Guy, who was also a Harper the fastest marathon in a five-man Adams student, and died in 2014 from a costume, the Scooby Doo Mystery rare form of brain cancer. Machine at the London Marathon.
Holly recalls, “He touched the heart of Completing her eighth and final so many with his huge smile, great sense marathon, Holly posted on Facebook: of humour and gentlemanly manner. He “Finally, I’m so over the moon to finish had a passion for all things technical and my challenge 73% to my £50,000 spent many hours in the SU organising target at a whopping £36,637.95 for lighting and sound for the student nights CLIC Sargent. Thank you so much!” and balls. Guy would make it his task to put on the best show for everyone to enjoy. I will always be so proud to call Guy my big brother and I have made it my mission to
READ MORE HARPER ADAMS NEWS AND CATCH UP WITH OUR BLOGS AT: harper-adams.ac.uk/news/ 23 IN MEMORIAM
Paul joined the NDA two-year developments in technology Paul’s career as an agronomist course at the then Harper and the economic pressures. spanned 37 years: work was Adams Agricultural College He forged successful working his primary commitment but in 1970, aged 20. He lodged partnerships with forward- he found time for family and with the local vet but enjoyed looking farmers many of whom friends and many interests all aspects of college life. On became lifelong friends. including classic motorbikes, successful completion of his Bugatti rallies, a lifelong love When the company was bought NDA, he enrolled on the AMBA of cycling, and literature and by Technicrop Paul remained course, (Agricultural Marketing politics. He had a continual at the forefront of new and Business Administration), curiosity and love of life. developments, returning to then delivered at Stoke Harper regularly to take BASIS Paul respected the industry and Polytechnic. He found the qualifications. He combined enjoyed his work and always material fascinating, winning new technology with his strove to do the very best job the annual course prize and practical knowledge of farming he could. He would be pleased The Paul Wilson Scholarship often returning to the ideas as to achieve the best outcomes to know that the high esteem in Christopher Paul Wilson 1950- the years passed. possible for his farmers. which he is held by his farmers, 2017 Newly married in 1973, Paul colleagues and the wider John Ford, the owner of A new scholarship has been took a job as a tractor driver industry has inspired them Technicrop at that time, said: established at Harper Adams on a South Oxfordshire farm along with his family and friends ‘Paul was held in high regard University in memory Harper with a large herd of pedigree to donate such generous funds and extremely well respected. Adams alumnus, Paul Wilson Guernseys. Full of boundless towards this scholarship. When he joined Technicrop he (NDA, AMBA 1970-73). energy and practical skills, Paul brought with him a depth of With many thanks to the renovated farm machinery, Paul was from a non-farming knowledge and maturity to our following for their donations took on the relief milking, background but chose to business. He would quietly train to the Paul Wilson Scholarship: trialled new technology with leave Loughborough Sixth and lead by example the new Paul’s family, friends, the purchase of a new large Form aged 17 and seek paid entrants over the years’. colleagues and farmers, Adama round baler as well as setting up work experience on farms of Agricultural Solutions, Agrii, a huge vegetable garden and Paul was instrumental in testing contrasting size in Oxfordshire, Bayer Crop Science, Belchim renovating the farm cottage. the first dedicated software Devon and Leicestershire. Paul Crop Protection Ltd, Frontier for the agronomy industry, had already committed to the He was quickly promoted Agriculture Ltd, Muddy Boots the CropWalker programme hours of training necessary for to working Farm Manager Software Ltd, Syngenta UK Ltd developed by Muddy Boots competitive cycling and tasted which required the new software, which is still used by Alumni Sponsors success winning the National skills of business and man many agronomists today. We are grateful to everyone Cycling Schoolboy Time Trial management. During the who continues to donate championship in 1966. This was next five years Paul learnt a Paul embraced change to Harper Adams Club good training for farm work. great deal about the rigours positively. When Technicrop Scholarships through the The farms all had in common of farming life. Now with two was bought by Frontier in 2003 annual fund campaign and large dairy herds which children he sought a change Paul continued to work closely would like to thank the following meant long hours and a daily of direction into the new and with his colleagues, delighting in alumni who have recently commitment. rapidly developing world of crop the exchange of knowledge and pledged new scholarships, protection and he took a job as ideas, and the opportunity to Paul loved the active outdoor launching in 2017/18. the main agronomist in a small mentor new young talent. life and approached each task Oxfordshire company. Ros Barsley with enthusiasm and energy. Following his initial cancer He learnt quickly from his much Paul’s practical start enabled diagnosis Paul took on the role Paul Singleton of ‘Hotline adviser’ for Frontier older work colleagues to ‘mix a him to understand the Brian Lewis (The Brian & agronomists. His patient input bit of time with it’ and commit challenges facing farmers Georgina Lewis Scholarship) to doing each job well, however with the drive to increase providing technical and moral tedious. yields, the corresponding rapid support in equal measure was greatly valued. 24 HARPER LIFE David Scales Fareham Rotary Club serving as Cattle Breeders, Bridgets EHF, Mutual Local Assessor for 27 1947-1949 President in 1998-99. He and I Royal College of Veterinary Years, and served 25 years as 16 November 2016, aged and David Johnstone and Harry surgeons and many other a Parish Councillor. His other 89 years. David and his late Hemus were friends at college, organisations. He introduced interests were campanology wife, Mary (née Dixon) met as and together with our wives a lowland sheep flock to the and bowling, and he was also students at Harper Adams and had a reunion every five years estate in 1973. This, he felt a member of the church choir. had lifelong friends from their at various venues around the gave the right balance beween He was always very proud of his happy years at the College. country, but now I am the sole corn and horn. The estate association with Harper Adams survivor although I was one of won many awards through and kept in touch with his Geoffrey Stobart the older ones, having served the 1970s and 80s and he friends over the years. Peter is (NDA 1949-1951) in the RAF first. At college John thrived on the annual farms dearly missed by all his family. 30 January 2017. was always the joker and a great competitions that Hampshire Malcolm Tate Dennis Charles Wade friend. Maurice Knight. was well known for. He served (ND Poultry 1955-57) (NDA 1949-1951) on the Secretary of State’s Chris Hayes (NDA 1951-53) 11th January 2017. 3 January 2016. advisory panel, in the days 11 July 2017. David Talbot Bill Ward (NDA 1949-51) when government listened to James (Jim) Moore (NDA 1956-58) W V Ward – always ‘Bill’ at farmers. Neil spent 40 years at (NDP 1951-53) 5 July 2017, aged 80 years. Harper Adams – died in March West Tisted, but in retirement 6 August 2016. 2016, aged 85. After College moved to Stockbridge. While Brian Raven he worked at Field Hall near Neil Fairey his health allowed he enjoyed (1957-59) Uttoxeter, and then ran a farm (NDA 1952-54) his shooting and horse racing. 8 February 2017, aged 81 at Bishops Castle in Shropshire. 17 July 2016, aged 83 years. During his working life he always years. Brian was born on 25 During this time he married My father, Neil Fairey, was from encouraged young people April 1935, the eldest son of Judy Beach, whose brother, a non-farming background, involved with the industry and an Oxfordshire poultry farmer. John was at Harper 1954-56. but he got the bug during Manor Farms and Stud was a He was a pupil at Monkton Following this, Bill took Manor school holidays, and after a placement farm for Harper Coombe School, then did work Farm at Ipstones near Leek year on a local farm he went to sandwich students for over 25 experience on a farm, followed and then moved to Styche Rodbaston. This got him onto years. He always remembered by two years National Service Farm, Market Drayton where he the NDA at Harper Adams that someone gave him a in the REME. Harper followed, stayed until retiring in the early after which he took a position chance. where he excelled at sports, as 1990s. Retirement took him to on the Kingham Hill estate in John Fairey (Pre-ent and HND a regular member of the first a smallholding near Chagford, Oxfordshire where he met Ag 1979-83), XV and its captain in his second Devon, where he kept some my mother, Jean. They were Maurice Bassett year, and a member of the sheep and was very pleased to married in March 1957, just (NDA 1954-56) tennis team. be President of Chagford Show, prior to his appointment as 25 June 2017, aged 84 years. On leaving College he worked a considerable honour for assistant manager to Peter Ted Mercer on turkey farms in the East someone who had not spent all Watson-Jones, so it was back (NDA 1954-56) and South of England. In 1962 his life in the district. He leaves to Edgmond, not for long 15 June 2017. Ted had very he married Caroline, a dairy a wife, Judy, two daughters and though, because in 1959 he strong affection for Harper farmer’s daughter. He was now two grandsons. Cedric Hill. was appointed farm manager Adams all his life and was buried working for a poultry equipment of Manor Farms and Stud, West John Gauntlett wearing his Harper tie. supplier and they moved to Tisted, in Hampshire. He quickly (NDA 1950-52) Rachel Mercer (daughter) Weston, Northamptonshire set about modernising a very 12 October 2015, aged where as a sideline they started diverse estate, installing one of Peter Pheysey 84. John died peacefully at to produce turkeys for the the first herringbone parlours (NDA 1954-56) home with his family around Christmas trade. A couple in the country. Investment in 14 April 2016, aged 79 years. him. Much loved husband, of years later, and now with grain drying facilities, machinery His great passion was farming father, grandfather and great two daughters and a son they and a particular interest in and he took over the family grandfather. After leaving acquired several acres in the genetic improvement of the farm at Red Hall in March Harper he farmed in Hampshire next village, Lois Weedon. Here pig and dairy herds led him to 1960. Peter was an NFU and was a member of the they built more turkey sheds involvement with Hampshire
HARPER-ADAMS.AC.UK 25 and eventually Brian and his loud and I yearned quietness. day by our rivals, ‘Arsonists Harper, John (‘Humpy’) worked son, Christopher, decided to The volume was turned up and from the Royal Agricultural for a year on a farm in Australia specialise in pigs. Now the farm down incessantly. Tolerance College’. John’s persuasion and before returning to the family has several large pig buildings was the order of the day (by management skills meant that farm, taking a particularly keen incorporating the latest me anyway). Despite both of us we built another, even bigger. interest in conservation. technology and sells direct to a being cantankerous we chose John’s future was to be in John was a keen amateur leading supermarket, delivering to share for the second year. farming, farm management historian. He carried out over 100 pigs every week. He was a ‘character’. He had and Lawes Fertilizer Company, extensive research into the an extraordinary brain and was Brian was a great supporter of for which Harper, together with men from his village who died in generous to a fault. village life. He was chairman his intelligence, spirit, skills and WW1, producing a book which of the Parish Council and a The College remembers his natural ability had equipped him he dedicated to the village. councillor for many years. He 1926 Vintage Bean car which so soundly. Latterly, John was an active and was a church warden but also was his pride and joy - many well respected member of his All his life was dominated by never missed his Sunday pint great trips. There was however local NFU branch and was their his love of horses. From his at the local pub! He was a Vice a rule. ‘Deer stalker hat on Chairman at the time of his home at South Gates to the President of Northampton wing mirror meant John and death. He was also Chairman of present day he lived, ate and Rugby Club and attended all girlfriend were NOT TO BE the Icenian Society (the society slept, horses, harnesses and home matches. He was also DISTURBED’.I was always of former students of Langley carriages giving countless a member of Northampton jealous of his skills at gathering in Norfolk, his old school). very pleased clients wonderful Cricket Club. attractive ladies. memories and often regaling John thoroughly enjoyed his Above all Brian was extremely John having already been them with non PC stories on his time at Harper Adams and proud of his old college, never elected by all the students to trips through Windsor. His work remained in touch with many missing any of the 1957-59 be Rag Secretary pursued the there enabled many youngsters of his year group. Our brother, reunions. He requested that task with skill, vigour, his usual to develop their equine Tom also attended Harper he should be buried wearing charm and maybe a modicum skills and more importantly Adams. his Harper tie and many Harper of coercion. The financial gave them the ability to ride Caroline Hope (sister) friends were in attendance success in supporting cancer competently and put many of Stuart Conrad Grant at his funeral including Dave research put all previous rag them through the John Seear (HND Agri-Food Marketing Kendon, John Hartley, Tommy events in the shade. ‘University of Life’. He was and Business Studies Haslett, John Twigger, Richard Master of the delicate art of A star turn regularly recalled 1995-98) Hill and Sam Baskerville (all Jumping Course Building and in the archives of HAC history wearing their Harper ties!), Carriage Driving. It is Windsor 14 May 2016, aged 40 years. was Ferdinand the Bull. The plus Barbara Knightley (née Great Park, The Long Walk At the time of his death, Daily Mirror had realized the Sadler) and Ruth Morris (née and Newbury where the whole Stuart had a very successful Ferdinand was ‘for the chop’ Nunneley). Caroline Raven. world will remember him. commercial fishing and logistics because it did not conform to Bill Turney business, on Lake Cahorra John Seear the perceived standards of the Bassa, Mozambique. We are (NDA/ Dip Ag HAC 1958-60) Ayrshire Cattle Society. The Bob Wright very proud of his achievements, John died in hospital on 14 Daily Mirror spiked newspaper (NDA 1961-63) especially, since we lost all our May 2016 on the evening we sales by supporting the saving 5 May 2016, aged 74 years. family farms to the land grab were invited by his daughters of Ferdinand, housed at Peter Guy in Zimbabwe and Stuart had to celebrate his 77th birthday. I Reading University. The Rag (HND Ag 1982-85) to suddenly leave farming to visited him in hospital to share Team went into action; two 13 August 2016, aged 53 years. start up a new life in some other some of the last few hours Harper students were dressed direction. He always spoke and used the opportunity as Ministry Vets and dispatched John Goucher highly of his time at Harper, to thank him and salute him to inspect the bull (and to case (HND AMBA 1992-96) and his education there, which for the many great things he the joint). The following night Died on 10 August 2017, I believe, laid the foundation achieved at Harper and since. Ferdinand went ‘missing’ to a aged 46, as the result of a for his success as the business A vast crowd, including Francis series of farms in Shropshire, tragic accident at his family man he was. Cartman and Peel Holroyd of closely evading Police tip-offs. farm in Norfolk. Loving and Kevin Grant (father) our vintage, attended The Royal Ferdinand was duly paraded dearly-loved son of Gerald Chapel at Windsor Great Park down Newport High Street on and Diana, brother of Caroline Liz Collins (BSc Rural for his funeral. Rag Day to enormous acclaim. and Thomas (also ex-Harper), Enterprise and Land On the same occasion John’s uncle of William, Victoria and Management 1996-2000) My first week of sharing a room team had built the biggest ever Charlotte. Loving master of 3 August 2017, aged 39 years. with John at Harper Adams was bonfire, lit before the allotted Jack and Shandy. After leaving stressful! He wanted the music
26 HARPER LIFE 200 YEARS ON: THOMAS HARPER ADAMS, A MAN OF MYSTERY
On 8 June 2017, the University flag flew outside Main Building in recognition of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Thomas Harper Adams, the Shropshire gentleman farmer, through whose bequest Harper Adams Agricultural College was regards family, only his wife founded. We know very little about On 2 April 1871 he was 54 the man himself, not even survived him, and at 81 years of On 3 April 1881 he was 64 By all accounts he was a rather his exact birth date as this age she may have been rather eccentric character and well preceded the introduction of On 5 April 1891 he was 74 vague about his actual age by known to be very careful with official registration of births, • His age on the date of the then. his money. He and his wife had marriages and deaths in 1836. 1841 census was stated as Alternatively he may have been no children. Having inherited However, the baptism register 24 years. This first census so close to his 76th birthday money and land from many of St Peter’s Church, Edgmond took place on 6 June. at the time of his death (i.e. branches of the family over the records: in the next couple of days) years Mr Adams was extremely So his birthday was either that someone decided to wealthy, and on his death in [Sunday] 8 June 1817 before 2 April or after 6 June. round it up for the purposes 1892 he bequeathed his entire [Name] Thos Harper son of; To leave a baptism for over of registration; or the age estate (approximately £63,000 Mr John & Mrs Sarah Adams; two months in those days was entered on the certificate was at the time) ‘for the purpose [Address] Ansellers; [Father’s unusual; with such high infant calculated on the date the of teaching practical and occupation] Farmer; [Baptised mortality parents wanted their death was actually registered, theoretical agriculture’. by] J D Piggott children baptised as soon as possible. which may have been some Thomas was the fourth and When was he born? days later. last surviving son of John • His marriage certificate However, the death register That would put his birthday and Sarah Adams of Ancellor (1841) states ‘of full age’, and will registration state his after 7 June 1817. If he was House (variously spelt Ansellor/ which was 21 at that time. age as 76 on the date of death not born before 2 April then Anseller(s), Anceller), now 7 June 1892 which does not • Census information – my conclusion is that he was the residence of the Vice agree with the census returns. probably completed by baptised on the same day that Chancellor. In my opinion, the census himself. returns are more likely to be he was born - Sunday 8 June accurate as they would have 1817, which may well have been completed by the head happened if he was a sickly of the household, probably Mr baby and not expected to Adams himself. survive
The death was reported by I would be interested to hear his nurse, Ann Davey, and the any other theories by family will registration was by his history enthusiasts. executors, who probably also Julie Brook, Alumni Officer & did not know him very well. As Archivist.
You can find out more about the life of Thomas Harper Adams in chapter 1 of our centenary history book, The Lure of the Land, by our former archivist, Dr Heather Williams. The book is available in the University library and from the Alumni Office.
HARPER-ADAMS.AC.UK 27 FIELD TO FORK FESTIVAL 27/28 April 2018
Festival entrepreneur Beth Heath The festival will be a celebration of all aspects of the food supply chain and one of the biggest (BSc Agriculture 1997-2001) took events Harper has ever put on. It was on placement with Green Fields Farm, time out of her busy schedule to give Shropshire, that Beth launched the county’s first us an exclusive insight to the Field to ever farmers’ market. Since graduating in 2001, Beth’s involvement with food festivals, farmers’ Fork Festival taking place next spring markets and business consultancy have grown to a substantial portfolio including; Shropshire at Harper Adams. Winter Festival, Shropshire Kids Fest, Ludlow Food Festival and Oktober Fest. Beth is now working with the community of Harper Adams University to bring the Field to Fork Festival to the campus.
The two day festival aims celebrate the journey of food throughout the supply chain, from how or where it is grown, to the processes and jobs that get it to your kitchen table at home. What’s on Day 1, Friday 27 April: will be an invitation only event for some 2000 local school children with the event focused on five educational zones that bring to life the journey of our food from field to fork.
Day 2, Saturday 28 April: will see Harper open its doors to the public – entry will be free and the target is to welcome 8000 visitors to Harper to eat, drink and be merry.
Beth said: “What better venue to hold the Field to Fork Festival than at the UK’s leading university in the agri-food and land-based sector? The food supply chain is essential and interesting, that’s why I think it’s important to get people to Harper to understand this. There are many misconceptions and stereotypes which the Field to Fork Festival aims to break.” Harper has previously hosted small scale farmers’ markets, however the Field to Fork Festival aims to be bigger and better with the farmers’ market comprising just one element to the festival.
28 HARPER LIFE Beth said: “On the Saturday you can expect to see a live music Beth, who has two young children herself, explained that the stage, beer tent, street food, farmers’ market, educational zones educational element of the festival is just as important as the fun and lots of activities for kids, including a Harper Street specifically to be had. for alumni to promote their businesses which link to the food “Getting kids to understand the journey from field to fork is supply chain. something I’m really passionate about. The festival will be a great “The festival will have something for everyone and plenty of Harper opportunity, to meet the animals, visit educational zones, and have spirit.” tractor rides as well as zorbing and inflatables in a dedicated area for kids,” says Beth. Beth’s vast experience of hosting festivals and creative attitude have provided her with a recipe to making them a success. If you have a product to sell or business to promote please contact Julie Brook in the Alumni Office [email protected] for For alumni, the festival will be an opportunity to return to the further information on how to get involved and secure your place University with their families, meet up with friends, as well as on our Harper Street. business networking opportunities. And whether you are a Like Beth, many Harper alumni run their own businesses which recent graduate or haven’t links to the food supply chain or agricultural industry. returned to Harper for many “Harper Street will give alumni an audience of up to 8000 to sell and years, please join us at the promote their products to. If you have a business which relates to Field to Fork Festival, either the food supply chain at any stage such as artisan sausages, gins, with your business or for a HARPER ADAMS ALUMNI burger vans, taxidermy or agriculture we would love you to get convivial day out. NEEDNEED involved. www.fieldtofork.world YOUR HELP Or if you’ve simply still got a place in your heart that loves Harper then bring your friends and family for a great day out, or to inspire
Harper Adams Alumni we need your help with the biggest live event that Harper has ever put on – the Field to Fork the next generation.” says Beth. Festival on, 27/28 April 2018 Organised by Harper Adams alumna, Beth Heath and brought to you by our community of students, staff and TO CO alumni, Field to Fork is a two day festival at Harper Adams FIELD FORK. .UK University celebrating the journey of our food all the The festival will also be supported by Harper students and way from where and how it is grown, to our plates. CONTACT US To showcase your business and for more information on how to get involved please contact Julie Brook in the Harper Adams Alumni Office [email protected] academics with activities and informative talks in five learning 01952 815297 zones which represent courses at Harper.
HARPER-ADAMS.AC.UK 29 HARPERHARPER ADAMS ALUMNI NEEDNEED YOUR HELP APRIL 28TH 2018
Harper Adams Alumni we need your help with the biggest live event that Harper has ever put on – the Field to Fork Festival on 28th April 2018 Organised by Harper Adams alumna, Beth Heath, on our Edgmond campus, the Field to Fork Festival will celebrate FIELDTOFORK.WORLD the journey of our food all the way from where and how it is grown, to our plates. CONTACT US To showcase your business and for more information on how to get involved please contact Julie Brook in the Harper Adams Alumni Office [email protected] 30 HARPER LIFE 01952 815297