A scorching, successful Trade Awareness Course was hosted in North Yorkshire and Dales region on the 13th & 14th September 2016.
The Association ran a similar course back in 2008 and the Executive Committee felt that another visit was long overdue and this course certainly lived up to the previous one. From initially advertising the course it was fully booked within two weeks with a waiting list as well.
The six host companies were all very accommodating and took time out of their busy schedules to give the delegates an insight into their business. This mainly took the format of a presentation before the delegates had the opportunity to look around their sites. In some cases the hosts kindly fed and watered the group which was very much appreciated.
Fourteen delegates and two chaperones met on a beautiful, sunny Tuesday morning at the Kings Head Pub, Masham to start the course. They then had a short mini bus ride to Melmerby for their first visit which was to Primary Diets. The delegates then returned to Masham for a working lunch before getting a guided tour around the I’Anson Bros site. With the temperature rising to 30+ degrees, the delegates all returned to the hotel for a quick wash and brush up before heading to T & R Theakstons for a guided tour around the Brewery.
It is fair to say the brewery tour was a definite highlight, watching the Association’s President Rob Brocklesby learn how to pull a pint was great fun and once he had got himself behind the bar it was difficult to get him back. The rest of the group tried their hand at making beer barrels which became quite competitive and was definitely not as easy as it was made to look, did Anthony McGuinness really cheat?
Everyone returned to the hotel about 7.30pm for a most enjoyable evening meal and more opportunities to catch up and make new acquaintances.
Day two started off with a guided tour around Peter Robinson’s Home Farm in Northallerton. Peter grows organic vegetables and also runs an Anaerobic Digester unit, this is the first time the Association has visited such an establishment and it was definitely an excellent talking point. The group then moved onto Topcliffe, Thirsk for the last two visits which were to Cargill Premix & Nutrition and last but by no means least IPN, formerly known as Wagg Foods.
On the bus journey back to Masham, delegates were asked to complete the customary course questionnaire. “Great chance to meet people within the industry and gain knowledge about other working practises, also great fun” and “Thank you – thoroughly enjoyed it and have learnt a lot about the different areas of the ag industry”, were just two of the responses.
The weather was absolutely fantastic, although possibly a little bit too hot at times, 34 degrees in Yorkshire in the middle of September is definitely not the norm. Overall, it was a great course with a really good group of delegates, excellent chaperones and superb host companies.