New team at the top to lead Women in Agriculture Scotland

Heather Wildman and Carole Brunton have been appointed as Chair and Vice Chair respectively of Women in Agriculture Scotland (WiAS) and will lead the organisation’s work to create a more progressive, successful, and inclusive industry.

Appointed at the recent Annual General Meeting, both Heather and Carole said they want their combined experience to help shape the focus of WiAS through the delivery of various regional events and workshops.

Based in Dumfries and Galloway, Heather has over 26 years’ experience of working with both farmers and agricultural stakeholders across the UK to meet industry challenges and changes head on. She became a RHASS Director in 2019 and in 2012 completed a Nuffield Farming scholarship on the topic: ‘Communication – influencing and motivating change’.

“I feel honoured to be elected Chair of Women in Ag Scotland, especially during a time when our agricultural industry has undergone an unprecedented upheaval in recent years and there are tough challenges ahead.

“For us to truly rise to these challenges, I believe the work of groups, such as WiAS, will become more important. During 2023, our focus will be to continue to build on the fantastic work the committee has done so far to increase the confidence of our members to achieve their aspirations and create a more progressive, successful, and inclusive industry. “

WiAS’s new Vice Chair Carole Brunton, based in East Neuk of Fife, is a Project Coordinator with the Royal Highland Education Trust alongside working on the family farm.

“This year we’ve really listened to our membership and have delivered four very successful events which included farm tours, workshops and networking. We’ve already started planning our events for next year, and I would strongly encourage anyone – male or female – to become a member and be the first to know when tickets go on sale.”

In addition to the new leadership team, WiAS – which has over 750 registered members – elected three members to join the Committee to serve a threeyear term.

Ailsa Smith, Doreen Anderson and Iona Smith bring a wide range of skills and experience in social media, governance, marketing, and facilitation to complement the existing committee.

Over sixty people attended the combined AGM and autumn event and enjoyed a full programme of events. The morning session kicked off with Claire and Nikki from Ardross Farm who shared their story about how the farm is run, how the shop started and how the business has evolved. Claire discussed the farm and the ups and downs she’d had along the way. Nikki shared the story of the farm shop and commercial kitchen and the importance of the family and wider team who all play an important role within the business.

Committee Member Lucy Mitchell who is the current chairperson for The Scottish Association of Young Farmers (SAYFC) and Events Manager at The James Hutton Institute shared her story about growing up on the family beef farm in Fife and the important role Young Farmers has played in her journey.

Claire, Nikki & Lucy shared their moving experiences of a family tragedy and the impact it had on them. They all talked about the importance they now place on family and of making the most out of life.

The final speaker of the morning was Mary-Jane Lawrie from SAC Consulting who leads the Farm Advisory Service (FAS) Women in Agriculture Events. Mary-Jane and her colleagues have set up a network of regional groups across Scotland to educate women working in, and connected to, agriculture on a range of agriculture-related topics - more info below.

After lunch, participants were split into three groups to attend three different workshops.

• Workshop 1 was delivered by Kirsty and Morna from the Be Your Best Self (BYBS) Course who ran a workshop on resilience.

• Workshop 2 was delivered by Anna Davies from Scene & Herd who also contributes to the BYBS course. Anna’s session looked at Social Media and how to have positive conversations and share your story.

• Workshop 3 was a speed networking session which allowed participants to meet with new contacts and build their networks within agriculture - an important role of Women in Agriculture Scotland.

WiAS’s events for 2023 are included below and members and non-members alike are encouraged to attend:

• Regional Event 10 March 2023: Sinclair Agricultural and Recycling Services, Aberdeenshire

• Royal Highland Show Breakfast, 22 June 2023

• Regional Event 6 September 2023: The Coo Shed, Ayr

• AGM and Autumn Event, 8 November 2023

For more information, please ensure you are registered to receive the WiAS newsletter and following the social media accounts.