Despite Lockdown3.0, Staffordshire County Federation of Young Farmers Clubs (SCFYFC) are still organising fun evenings to bring together their current members and stay in touch. To help the leaders of each club, the federation has joined forces, with each club taking a turn to host a “takeover” evening for everyone. Following the success of Chase YFC who took members around an IceCream Farm and Cheadle YFC who kept everyone fit with an online workout, it was the turn of Uttoxeter Young Farmers to host last week. The Club hosted a “Would I Lie to You” evening and saw over thirty members attending. It was held in keeping with format of the popular TV Show and hosted by Toby Hall, Club Chairman of Uttoxeter Young Farmers, who was sporting his favourite outrageous shirt which put a smile on everyone’s face. Toby’s fellow Club Officers, Kate Mollatt and Eddie Phillips both confessed to embarrassing truths from their past. The determined Kate took five attempts to pass her driving test and Eddie revealed that he once sank his teeth into another child in a ball pool – thankfully he was much younger and did say that it was by accident!
The next club to host an evening is Ashley Young Farmers Club who have a “Quick Fire Mash Up” night planned to bring current members of all ages together online. Ashley YFC have been very active throughout the pandemic with supporting their local community with shopping and prescription deliveries. They also raised over £1300 for Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) and themselves as a registered charity, back in December with their “Covid-19 Day’s of Christmas” campaign which included a raffle, duck race and quiz.
Staffordshire YFC has members aged 10 – 26 years across ten clubs in Staffordshire. Club meeting nights usually run on a weekly basis, with a wide range of activities available for members of all ages including sports, public speaking, cinema and bowling trips, quizzes and farm walks. Although not all members are from an agricultural background, the clubs in Staffordshire are based in rural communities and provide the much needed social life, new skills and learning opportunities, for any young people, with an interest in rural life and activities. The Covid 19 situation has meant that Staffordshire YFC has had to adapt the youthwork service it provides to its members and clubs and so many are now embracing the new normal with zoom nights until restrictions ease.
As Staffordshire YFC looks to the future, the federation hopes to be able to plan events for later in the year, including competitions, the Annual Rally and also be involved in the Staffordshire County Show.
