Farm award nominees
Trainees up for honours
Two local trainees have been shortlisted for a top agricultural award.
Hanna Rennie, a 27-year-old countryside management trainee from Stirling and Lawrence Martin, an agriculture trainee from Tillicoultry who works in Stirling, have been short-listed for Lantra Scotland’s ALBAS (Awards for Land-based and Aquaculture Skills).
Hanna has been doing an HNC in Countryside Management with SRUC, Scotland’s Rural College.
She said: “I’m passionate about sustainable tourism, where the wild and natural areas in Scotland are protected and enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.
“My intention is to make countryside management my career and protect the amazing natural heritage that Scotland has become internationally renowned for.”
Lawrence has been doing a Modern Apprenticeship in Agriculture with Carbeth home farm at Balfron through SRUC.
“Farming is something that I have wanted to do since I was small,” he said, “and is a lifestyle that fits perfectly with the kind of person that I am. I’m not from a farming background but I quickly found out the amazing community that is created in and around farms and between farming families.”
Lantra Scotland is the sector skills council for land-based, aquaculture and environmental conservation industries, and the awards play a vital role in promoting
careers within the rural sector, celebrating the achievements of learners and highlighting the importance to employers of investing in skills.
There are categories for the agriculture, aquaculture, equine, horticulture, game and wildlife, trees and timber, land-based engineering and environmental conservation industries, as well as Higher Education, Rural Schools, Modern Apprentice of the Year, CARAS (Council for Awards of Agricultural Societies) and a new Partnership Working Award.
The finalists for the 2020 ALBAS were chosen by an independent judging panel made up of influential figures from across the land-based and aquaculture sector and chaired by agriculture and rural affairs journalist Erika Hay.
She said: “I know I speak on behalf of all the ALBAS judges when I say we continue to be extremely impressed with the high quality of the nominees. We always find it really rewarding meeting them and finding out more about their inspirational stories. It’s gratifying to see the breadth of talent and enthusiasm coming through across Scotland, as it can only be good news for the future of our rural sector.”
The awards ceremony takes place at the Doubletree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro Hotel on March 5.
More details at www. scotland.lantra.co.uk/getyour-tickets-now.