Helen Watson Jones calls for unity
9 August 2000
Helen Watson Jones calls for unity
By FWi staff
THE widow of former National Farmers Union vice-president Richard Watson Jones has appealed for farmers to support the union.
In a letter to Farmers Weekly, Helen Watson Jones wrote: The NFU is always criticised for not doing enough for our farmers.
But over the past five months I know how hard the office holder team has worked and will continue to work on our behalf.
We need to give them our support as a united union.
Mrs Watson Jones thanked NFU members, staff and farmers for their letters of sympathy following her husbands death in July.
She said that more than 4000 has been donated to the Brain Tumour Foundation in memory of her late husband.
Mr Watson Jones died suddenly at the age of 37 while on holiday in Portugal, just five months after becoming the unions youngest ever vice-president.
In recent months the NFU has come under criticism from more militant producers who accuse its leadership of being out of touch with grassroots farmers.