Engineer bears out YF recruiting slogan
Engineer bears out YF recruiting slogan
THE old YFC recruiting slogan that "you dont have to be one to be one" is endorsed by the election of the new national chairman: Andrew Woodward is not a farmer but an engineer manager.
Andrew who is already well known in the movement through his busy years as vice-chairman, joined Stamford YFC, Lincs, in 1987 at the age of 19. Within months he became club chairman and five years later county chairman. He went on to chair the East Midlands Area and the NFYFCs International Steering Group.
Andrew has enjoyed the opportunities for travel and personal development that YFC affords and has ensured others do too. He has visited Sri Lanka on the development exchange programme and led a cultural tour to Egypt and a team to the European Rally.
He values YFCs training opportunities and has developed club training techniques and leadership development courses.
His wife Caroline is a former Young Farmers Club member.
Rachel Axon (neé Nation) has been elected for a further term of office as vice-chairman of council. Rachel, who has been a member of Wrington YFC, Somerset, since 1982 has held club and group posts in the south-west area and chairs the National Activities Steering group. She is keen to ensure that the YFC competitions programme holds the interest of todays young farmers and helps clubs plan lively and enjoyable programmes.
Rachel, who takes care of sales and marketing for her familys park homes business, is married to Wayne, a former Dorset YFC chairman.
Mark Spencer has also been elected vice-chairman. Mark joined Papplewick YFC, Notts, in 1982 at the age of 12. Papplewick is the current club of the year and Mark was in the team that represented the club in 1993, the year it was runner-up for the title.
He has served as an officer at club, county, area and national level and has proved a lively chairman of the National Rural Affairs Steering group. His aim is to "lift the profile of young people in the countryside".
Mark is a dairy farmer. He met his wife Claire in YFC and they have a five-month-old daughter Jessica.
Peter Brown from Midland Agriculture has taken on the role of honorary treasurer for the NFYFC and will serve for two years. He has worked as an agriculture banking manager for South Yorkshire since May 1997 and before that worked with the bank in Cumbria.
The new chairman of the board of management is Sue Hall from Derbyshire. Sue was the first female NFYFC national chairman.
Andrew Woodard is NFYFCs new chairman of council and Rachel Axon has been elected to serve a further term as vice chairman.
Vice chairman Mark Spencer aims to life the profile of young people.