TWO agricultural workers from the south west are among the first people to be awarded a Cultivate a Generation grant. 

Kramp, a supplier of of parts and accessories for the agricultural sector, is providing grants to various groups. 

The fund provides £30,000 annually for essential workshop equipment from the Kramp range. 

As part of the launch of the grant, six students at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) secured funding. These were presented by Kaleb Cooper at the RAU.  The students have been set up with a Kramp account with a local Kramp Dealer, Carpenter Goodwin, and given £500 credit to spend at Kramp.com.

South West Farmer: Claire Gammin.

One of the first people to be awarded the grant is Claire Gammin. Claire and her husband are beef and sheep farmers from South Devon, and she won the family support grant - which aims to help farming families at busy times. The pair also have two sons, aged five and three. 

“Thank you so much to Kramp; it was a wonderful surprise," said Claire.

"The grant will help with paying for breakfast and after school clubs for our boys during busy periods on the farm. 

“What a great start to lambing time and half term!”

The first winner of the agricultural engineer grant was Cameron Merryfield. He has worked for the John Deere dealership Mason Kings, which covers the South West, since 2012.

Cameron began on the John Deere AgTech apprenticeship, and since graduating from this, he has established his career as an agricultural engineer.

"Acquiring tools is a slow burner," Cameron added. 

"It is something you have to keep ticking away at every month when you can spare the money; it’s what you have to do to get started. 

“You might go out on a job early on (in your career) and have to get by with a socket set, a spanner and a hammer.

“I was about five years in before I could say I had everything I needed to keep me going, and by then, you are talking of £15,000 worth of equipment.”

Cameron plans to spend his grant on axle stands to help with safer working when he is out at a breakdown. 

Applications for the grants are still open and anyone who fits into the categories can apply through the Kramp UK website.