APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR WLT AND SSS AWARDS

  The Farmers Club Charitable Trust were joined by representatives from the Windsor Leadership Trust on the 13th September to interview and select bursary recipients. The bursaries are awarded to senior leaders involved in agriculture to enhance and develop their leadership; the aims of the different level programmes are to ‘Equip senior leaders to meet uncertainty with courage, resilience and insight.’

The selection panel comprised of Nick Green (Chair), Vic Croxson (Trustee) and representing the Windsor Leadership Trust were Marion Joys (Client Relationship Manager) and Claire Maloney (Marketing & Business Development Director).

The idea is to take those involved in agriculture away from their everyday lives into an environment completely divorced from farming and food production and be exposed to others’ leadership practices from the military, clergy, charities, business and civil service amongst others. Windsor Leadership has been delivering leadership development for over 25 years. The foundations for Windsor Leadership were laid in 1981 when the ‘Windsor Meetings’ were set up with an aim to tackle the big issues in society. The Patron at Windsor Leadership is Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. 

The residential programmes are run from Windsor Castle and Cumberland Lodge, Windsor Great Park and involves a Part One programme ranging from two to five days, followed by a Part Two up to six months later, designed to review and reflect on the continued learnings from Part One. 

Once the participants have completed their awards they will be invited to continue and support their development with peer-to-peer networking through the FCCT Professional Forums.

Bursaries for 2023 were awarded to:-

Philippa Wiltshire – Red Tractor, Head of Operations (Technical Function)

Chris Guest - LS Plant Breeding (Managing Director)

Sharon Hockley – NFU (Head of Communications)

Tess Howe – The Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture (TIAH) 

(Head of Partnerships and Membership)

Nick Green, Chair of the Farmers Club Charitable Trust, and chairing the selection panel said, “Such positivity and enthusiasm around leadership in the industry is wonderful to see. The awardees come from a wide range of backgrounds and all four candidates are in a position to benefit greatly from the programmes on offer and will ultimately ensure the sector has leaders who have the potential to shape the future of their own organisations and the industry as a whole.”

Nick also said “The Perry Foundation and the Frank Parkinson Trust have been very generous in their support of the project; the increased funding allocation has maximised the number of agricultural leaders able to take up places on the programmes via the FCCT."  

Lisa Turner, the Awards Ambassador for the Farmers Club Charitable Trust said “Following the Bursary recipients’ journey from application, through the various programmes and beyond will be so gratifying to see, I look forward to reporting on progress through the Trust’s website and social media. Lisa explains that, “For those considering this leadership pathway in the future the bursaries are awarded annually in September with applications accepted until the end of July.” 

Further information is available from