‘Old friend’ offers words of hope for industry facing challenging times

Prince Charles, no stranger to the show given his long-standing relationship with the event, was making his first visit since 2006.

During his visit, he brought good news in the shape of nearly £200,000 of new grants from the Prince’s Countryside Fund to help to boost British farmers and rural communities.

As reported in the Yorkshire Post earlier in the week, the grants will support a diverse range of projects, from empowering young people in isolated areas of north and west Devon, to providing business support to rural women.

The Prince also used his visit to meet those who have fallen victim to the vagaries of farming, passing on words of encouragement and solidarity,

Among those he met during his visit was Doncaster farmer Ken Jackson, who waged a long and successful battle against the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to prove his prize-winning bull was not infected with Bovine TB. He spoke to Mr Jackson while inspecting cattle in the main ring.

He also met with Janet Oldroyd, after learning of her battle to save her rhubarb crop following an incredibly dry growing period.

Mrs Oldroyd, of Wakefield, was featured in yesterday’s Yorkshire Post revealing the struggle to deal with the lack of rainfall at her farm at Rothwell, near Leeds.

The Royal couple were warmly received throughout the showground.

They toured the exhibitions and enjoyed sampling some of the food on offer in the Food Hall.

Prince Charles, who is patron of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society which organises the event, and his wife chatted with the public and were applauded on several occasions during a whistle-stop tour.

As the Prince toured the food hall, he made a beeline for a piece of Wensleydale cheese as he enjoyed a gastronomic tour at the show.

Jayne Hickinbotham, the chief steward at the cheese and dairy section, said Prince Charles was particularly knowledgeable on his products.

Asked if he liked the Wensleydale, she added: “He said it was very delicious. The Wensleydale is the home cheese here and he made a beeline for it. Both asked to sample it.”

Prince Charles also sampled a piece of game pie and seemed to take an interest in a stall selling exotic spices. Meanwhile, the Duchess of Cornwall seemed not to know what to make of some classic Yorkshire sloe gin, as she sampled the distinctive drink.

Among those who will be aided by the grants announced this week are Hampshire Fare and White Quarry Farm.

Hampshire Fare is a county food group established to promote the benefits of buying local produce. The grant will help to support the group’s efforts to preserve the symbol of the county, the Hampshire Hog.

White Quarry Farm in North Yorkshire is an arable and grassland farm covering 400 acres run by Tango Fawcett. The Fawcetts have been undertaking school visits for more than 14 years and a grant of £1,600 will help to buy new equipment for the new teaching room.

The Prince of Wales said the farming community faced “very challenging times” but he was confident the Countryside Fund could help the next generation and “most importantly for those yet to come”.

He described the countryside and rural communities as a “national asset of incalculable value” which once lost could never be recreated.