Encouraging the next generation

The Guild does many fantastic things over the course of a year, but none is more important than the training scheme held in association with John Deere.
This year's course is at John Deere's UK headquarters at Langar, near Nottingham, on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday next week.
There are 11 students taking part. They will be given a thorough insight into the news industry by tutor David Mascord, a professional journalism training consultant.
On the agenda is news and feature writing, as well as interviewing. Course members will also have presentations in public relations from Amy Jackson, of the Milk Development Council; and of journalism from Charles Abel, the technical editor at Farmers Weekly, and freelance gardening journalist Martyn Cox.
Once they complete the classroom based work it is then out into the field for the 11. They have work placements at a variety of publications, including The Scottish Farmer, Farmers Weekly, Farmers Guardian, Farm Business and Farm Life, Amateur Gardening, Pitchcare, Horticulture Week and The Garden. PR consultants Mistral Group are also taking one of the students.
To all those involved in this initiative, the Guild has to give its sincere thanks -- Steve Mitchell, the Guild member who organises the whole event annually; David Mascord for giving his time; to the various people who turn out to help what we hope will be the next generation of agricultural journalists into the industry; and to all the publications and PR firms who help out in giving would-be hacks work experience. Most of all though, the Guild is particularly indebted to the very generous support of John Deere, without which this course would not be possible.
I attended last year for part of a day in my capacity as vice-chairman. I was struck by the enthusiasm of the students involved, and of the very detailed training they are given.
I'm heading back to Nottingham next week, and I will be with them for all of Monday. Sadly, I've to be in London on Tuesday for another event.
Course members this year are:

Frances Bradley (21) is from a farming family near Grantham, Lincolnshire, and is in stage 2 of an Agri-Business Management degree at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. No practical experience of journalism.

Nick Francis (24) is currently studying for an MSc in International Rural Development at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, having previously gained a BSc (Hons) in Marketing Management from Oxford Brookes University; he would like to work in marketing and public relations, and has already had some work experience in this area.

Philippa Griffiths (20) is from a farming family near Shrewsbury, Shropshire, and is studying for a BSc in Rural Enterprise & Land Management at Harper Adams University College. No practical experience of journalism.

Charlotte Johnston (20) is on a placement year from her Rural Enterprise & Land Management course at Harper Adams University College, working as a trainee assistant land agent for Warwickshire County Council. No practical experience of journalism.

Victoria Lawder (22) is in the final year of a BSc (Hons) Agriculture with Land & Farm Management degree at Harper Adams University College. Spent a day shadowing the Farmers Weekly machinery team at the LAMMA 2007 machinery show in January, and is writing her dissertation on the media portrayal of agriculture, otherwise no practical experience of journalism.

Gilda Thompson (21) is in her second year at the University of Reading, studying Rural Resource Management. No practical experience of journalism.

Jodie Wallace-Hill (26) is working as a part time office manager while she studies for a National Certificate in Horticulture at Askham Bryan College in York, having already gained City & Guilds qualifications in gardening and garden design, and an RHS General Certificate. She set up, ran and wrote her secondary school newspaper, other than which she has no practical experience of journalism.

Joanna Webb (18) whose home farm is near Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, is an apprentice groundsperson at the College of West Anglia in Wisbech, with experience of working in both agriculture and horticulture, but none in journalism.

Vicky Whaley (24) is a second year Horticulture Diploma student at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, having gained a Bachelor of Science degree (specialising in botany) from the University of New Brunswick in Canada. No practical experience of journalism.

Joan Wilson (39) is in the second year of an HND in Garden Design at the Scottish Agricultural College in Ayr, following six years in a wholesale plant nursery, having previously studied Hotel, Catering and Institutional Management and worked in the family hotel business. Has recently had a short article on spring garden tips printed in her local ‘free sheet’ newspaper, otherwise no practical experience of journalism.

William Wilson (20) whose family farms near Ipswich, is studying Food Marketing & Business Economics at the University of Reading. Has done work experience with a marketing company in London, and is a regular online contributor to Farmers Weekly Forums, otherwise has no practical experience of journalism.

I'll update you on how my day went with them next week.