THE finalists of the 2024 NFYFC's YFC Achiever Awards have been revealed - and six are from the south west. 

There are 40 finalists nominated in a range of categories from Heart of YFC to Aspiring Rural Leader. 

In the south west, Wedmore YFC has been nominated in the Club of the Year category, sponsored by CFMOTO. Bay Bardwell from Somerset and Martin Atwell from Hampshire have been nominated in the YFC Supporter of the Year category, sponsored by Isuzu. 

Maddy Knowles from Trink Dairy in Cornwall is up for Entrepreneur of the Year (sponsored by KUHN), and Sophie Goodwin, also from Cornwall, is a finalist in the New Member of the Year category. 

Sian Grove from Hampshire is a finalist in the Young Farmer of the Year category, sponsored by The Farm Safety Foundation. 

Among the 25 judges who helped choose this year’s 40 finalists are YouTuber and Tiktoker Joe Seels @joeseels, farming influencer Ioan Humphreys @That_Welsh_farmer, co-founder of Agrespect and farming influencer Ben Andrews @bentheoandrews and best-selling children’s author Hannah Russell @HannahRussellOutdoors.

Kelvin and Liz Fletcher, stars of ITV programme Fletchers Family Farm, will support the presentation of awards at a ceremmony on November 2. 

The Fletchers helped judge the Young Farmer of the Year Award, which is sponsored by The Farm Safety Foundation.

They said: “We were thrilled to judge the Young Farmer of the Year Award this year and enjoyed meeting and chatting with the finalists. Their passion for the industry was truly inspiring. I look forward to seeing all the finalists at the awards ceremony later this November.”

Tickets are now on sale for the black-tie event at the National Conference Centre in Birmingham, where NFYFC President John Lee OBE DL will compère proceedings. 

John helped to judge the Heart of the YFC Award. Rhian Hughes from Carmarthenshire, Ceridwen Edwards from Clwyd, Jack Saunders from Oxfordshire, David Harvey from Northumberland and David Long from Norfolk will be vying for votes over the next few weeks. People can vote online for who they think should win the Heart of YFC.

“I feel immense pride to be involved in the YFC Achiever Awards 2024, especially after meeting some of the finalists and seeing the contribution they are making to our organisation and the skills they have gained by being part of it," John said.

"The awards are a wonderful way for NFYFC to celebrate the amount of time and energy people give to YFC to keep our clubs active and supported.

“Our finalists demonstrate the true spirit of YFC, and I am looking forward to celebrating their achievements with them at the ceremony in November. Congratulations to everyone and good luck!”

Tickets for the YFC Achiever Awards are on sale for £70 and can be purchased from August 19 2024.