Couple’s sterling service recognised
MANORBIER Newton couple, Roger and Elizabeth Minchin, have been announced as the winners of the Idris Davies Memorial Award during a ceremony held at the Pembrokeshire County Show on Wednesday, August 17.
Roger and Elizabeth have a long history of sterling service to their local agricultural community in several different roles. Roger is a former Chairman and President of the Pembroke Farmers’ Club, former Chairman of the Welsh Turkey Association, and is a past President of South Pembs Young Farmers’ Club.
Roger has also served as local branch Chairman of the NFU and Chairman of the South Pembs Ploughing Society and as President of Cleddau Grassland Society. He is also much renowned and admired for his plashing and hedging skills and has won numerous competitions all around Wales.
Roger has provided an invaluable contribution to the Pembroke Farmers’ Club and the Pembroke Town and Country Show for over 40 years, serving as the main photographer for the show for many years. He has played a huge role in documenting and recording the history of the club which was instrumental in the publishing of a book which tells the 200plus years history of Pembroke Farmers’ Club.
Elizabeth organised and hosted the inaugural meeting of the local branch of the Women’s Food and Farming Union in the early 1980’s and she was a member of the ladies committee when Pembrokeshire was the feature county for the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society in 1991. Elizabeth also assumed the role of Joint Secretary when the All-wales Ploughing match was hosted by South Pembs Ploughing Society at Sampson Farm in 1997.
Elizabeth has made a significant contribution to local agriculture, primarily through her involvement with Pembroke Farmers’ Club and the Pembroke Town and Country Show. She served as Section Steward in the Horticultural Marquee for a 20-year period between 1979 and 1999 before taking up the role of Show Secretary for a further 19 years.
As Secretary of Pembroke Town and Country Show she carried out her duties and responsibilities with great enthusiasm, skill and effective leadership and she was responsible for organising all aspects of the Show.
The Pembroke Town and Country Show is a hugely important event for the South Pembrokeshire farming community, and the show has grown from strength to strength over the years, thanks in no small part to the dedication, skill, and personality of Elizabeth. She has been a driving force to keep the success of the show going right up until her retirement as Show Secretary in 2018.
Jeff Evans, chairman of the Idris Davies Memorial Award management committee, said: “Roger and Elizabeth Minchin have made an outstanding contribution to the agricultural community in Pembrokeshire, and they are extremely worthy recipients of the Award this year.”