An ecstatic South Lakeland Young Farmers Club has received one of the most prestigious community awards available in Cumbria for its heroic deeds during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Grayrigg Young Farmers Club were honoured with the annual High Sheriff Community Award, which is open Cumbria-wide, at the Cumbria Young Farmers Annual General Meeting in Penrith.
The award was made even more special to Grayrigg Young Farmers as it was presented by the High Sheriff of Cumbria himself, David Beeby.
Past president and advisor of Grayrigg Young Farmers, Pat Bell, spoke of her pride in the club receiving the award:
"This award was the High Sheriff's own choice. Nobody else's.
He meets all the representatives from all of the clubs. This year Grayrigg were special in their support of doctor's surgeries, and were also praised by the police and the local press.
"Club members were covering a wide area across south Cumbria by helping move furniture, marshalling car parking, meeting and greeting patients, assisting generally over many weekends usually on cold wet windy days, and members continue to assist whenever they are asked or needed."
High Sheriff of Cumbria David Beeby said: "Grayrigg Young Farmers win the award this year having played a vital part in supporting as many people as they could over the pandemic, in particular, but not only, supporting vaccination clinics at a doctors practice serving a wide area of South Cumbria. "
The National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs began in 1921, and currently boasting around 19,000 members and 580 clubs, making it one of the largest rural youth organizations in the UK.
WHAT IS A HIGH SHERIFF?
The office of High Sheriff has existed for well over 1,000 years, and the role has evolved since Norman times.
They are personally appointed by the Sovereign for one year, and is their representative for their respective counties in all judicial matters.
The High Sheriff of Cumbria is also the Returning Officer for all parliamentary elections county-wide, but they also take an active part in supporting charities and voluntary organisations such as the Cumbria Young Farmers Clubs.
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