Melplash Agricultural Society has awarded students £34,000 in its scholarship scheme, aiming to encourage further education in agriculture and closely allied topics.
The students, aged 16 years and over, all live within a 12-mile radius of Melplash Village Church.
The scholarship offers financial assistance with their apprenticeship, diploma or degree course. The financial support will be extended throughout the successful student’s course provided they receive a satisfactory annual report from their college or university.
This year a total of £34,000 was awarded to 11 students:
n Harry Hughes studying land based technology at Hartbury University, Leo Rich studying agriculture and farm mechanics at Cannington College
n Bekah Hughes studying agriculture at Kingston Maurward College
n Erin Hayball studying agriculture at Hartbury University
n Adam Attwell studying agriculture at Harper Adams University
n William Banham studying agriculture at Bicton College
n Isabel Cooper studying agriculture at Kingston Maurward
n Jack Bartlett studying countryside and wildlife management at Kingston Maurward College
n Bobby Hutchings studying agriculture at Bicton College
n Anna Mears studying veterinary medicine and surgery at Nottingham University
A travel bursary was awarded to Matthew House, who is travelling to New Zealand and has a placement through Bleekkers Agricultural Services, south of Christchurch to go contracting.
The society continues to support the following students: Ceri Edwards, Darcy Shaw, Isobel Minshall, Cerne Iveson, Ellie Hughes, Harry Papworth and Kirron Wheeler.
Melplash Agricultural Society director George Rendall said: “The level of funding is variable; each application is assessed on its merits. In total since the scheme started in 2007 the society has awarded 86 scholarships to the value of £226,000. Many are now working in the community, helping to fill our food baskets, ensuring the excellent health of our farm animals, maintaining farm machinery and contributing to many of the diversification schemes that are operating on our larger farms and estates.”
n The application form is available to download from melplashshow.co.uk. For more information contact secretary, Lucy Hart on lucy@melplashshow.co.uk or ring 01308 423337.