A lot of people to credit

This is an emotional page to be writing, for it is my last as Chair of the Marden Fruit Show Society.

When I was elected 14 years ago, they took a big chance on me, the first chair who wasn’t an active farmer and I also was working for one of the headline sponsors. The show was in need of its next stage of evolution, and having visited trade shows on the continent I had big ideas for our wonderful and now 90-year-old society.

I have a lot of people to credit for our journey over the time I’ve been involved, such dedicated, talented people who had infinite amounts of patience to my bull-headed insistence that things had to change quickly and in a certain way.

Over the years some great initiatives have been developed, tested, and have grown or evolved. From a few of the committee heading into primary schools we now have a nationally recognised educational programme, staffed by the most engaging and enthusiastic team led by Samantha Smith. From the humble beginnings of sharing apples and talking about what else lives in an orchard, we now have land-based STEM ambassadors, delivering a national curriculum linked programme that speaks to all ages, from Early Years Foundation skills through to key stage four and a careers programme that incorporates real life experiences through the use of 3D film technology. Our partnership with LEAF continues to grow, as does our relationship with the careers service, as evidenced by our teachers forum this year.

Just think how much larger we now are, how the mix of trade stands has changed to reflect the needs of the fruit industry. The technology and new products that have been launched at the show are too numerous to name here, but the show is now securely the best event in the fruit growing calendar to network, learn about cutting edge benefits to business and to also engage with policymakers and our senior industry representatives.

We have benefitted from three outstanding President’s during my time in the chair, The Rt Hon Michael Jack taught me so much and was a fantastic champion for the show, Teresa Wickham brought her fabulous network and irrepressible energy and made an instant difference, and now Catherine Paice, we are so lucky to have her and her incredible network which will help us represent the industry to a wider audience.

Each year I write about the strength of the committee who make it possible to stage the event, dedicated and unwavering in their support of the show and the industry it serves. We have an outstanding trustee board, bringing sound advice, guidance as well as practical solutions to the development of the society. And of course, the delivery team – what a good day it was when Alison Baldwin took on the role of PR and marketing for us, she’s got so much to be able to promote due to the hard work of Rachel Heather who is thriving in the role of exhibition manager. Of course, a difficult year health wise for Norma, but her systems have stood us in good stead, the competition the shining jewel at the heart of the show, where it should be, over the years the numbers of entries have grown and shrunk, reflecting the status of the sector, the weather, and the pressures the growers are facing.

It was a good day when Sally Flannagan agreed to become our first CEO; a role that I had strived to create to enable the next evolution of the show, a commercially successful event that was able to generate a surplus to support the delivery of our charitable objectives.

I have loved my 14 years in the chair, an absolute honour in every way, it has been my privilege to lead this organisation and I will treasure every moment. I leave it in safe hands with a good structure and an excellent team, fit for a strong future doing what it has always done best – shouting about the very best of the British fruit industry.