1,100 years of farming loyalty honoured at Royal Norfolk Show

The Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association (RNAA) presented Long Service Awards to 27 people, including loyal farm workers, tractor drivers, lorry drivers, farm secretaries and stockmen

All had racked up more than 40 years of service, with the longest career being the 52 years of Grenville Lawes, a farm worker at Butcher Farms in Dereham.

And, fittingly in the Platinum Jubilee year, there were five awards for staff on the Queen's estate at Sandringham.

The full list of awards, totalling more than 1,100 years of experience, is as follows:

Alan Melton, 40 years, Sandringham Estate; Darren Gallacher, 40 years, Sandringham Estate; Alan Goodship, 42 years, Sandringham Estate; Keith Banham, 43 years, Sandringham Estate; Anthony Hardingham, 44 years, Sandringham Estate; Peter Cottrell, 43 years, Raynham Farm Company; Michael Cotton, 43 years, Raynham Farm Company; Christine Minns, 45 years, Browick Farm Ltd; David Long, 45 years, Browick Farm Ltd; Michael Friend, 40 years, Wrights of Brettenham; Gordon McNab, 42 years, Wrights of Brettenham; Martin Thomas, 43 years, Wrights of Brettenham; Graham Chase, 45 years, Wrights of Brettenham;
Paul Woodrow, 46 years, Wrights of Brettenham; Malcolm Harrold, 42 years, B.J & P.M Gooderham; Gerrald Foster, 49 years, B.J & P.M. Gooderham; Perry Rayner, 40 years, DJ Raker Ltd; Sandra C,urtis, 42 years, R.W Kidner (Farms) Ltd; Stephen Minns, 44 years, Proctor Brothers (Long Sutton) Ltd; Neil Beckett, 45 years, Poplar Farm, Sisland; Stephen Summons, 46 years, Wroxham Home Farms; Michael Greenwood, 47 years, CE Carey, Rookery Farm, Etling Green; John Mears, 47 years, E F Harrold Ltd; Paul Osborne, 50 years, George Thompson (Farms) Ltd; Peter Everett, 51 years, Blacksmith Farm House, Ashmanhaugh; Stephen Whiteley, 51 years, PG & JP Alexander, Hardwick Hall; Grenville Lawes, 52 years, Butcher Farms, Dereham.

Outstanding contributions

The RNAA also made three awards for its annual Timothy Colman Prize, which recognises outstanding contributions to the development and promotion of food, farming and the countryside.

As well as this year's award, there were also presentations for the two previous prizes, postponed due to the show's Covid cancellations in 2020 and 2021.

Royal Norfolk Show award winners, from left, Dr Belinda Clarke, Jamie Hipperson, Chris Hill, and Jake Fiennes (Image: Archant 2022)

The 2020 prize was awarded to Jake Fiennes, director of conservation at the Holkham Estate, described as "a pioneer of practical environmental strategy, who has influenced others to think about the way land is managed" - including through the publication of his new book, Land Healer.

The 2021 prize was awarded to Dr Belinda Clarke, managing director of Agri-TechE, a business-focused cluster organisation seeking to "improve the international competitiveness and sustainability of agriculture", by bringing together farmers with scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs.

And the 2022 prize was awarded to EDP agriculture editor Chris Hill, an "award-winning journalist who has championed the farming sector, raised the profile of important issues and become very much a trusted friend to the sector".

The final award, The Bishop of Norwich's Sustainable Environment Young Employee of the Year, went to 18-year-old farm worker Jamie Hipperson of Bentley Farming Ltd in Kerdiston, near Reepham.