Community Spirit finalist: Spilsby YFC, Lincolnshire
With a club filled with mostly senior members, Spilsby YFC’s Club Chair George Hobson was determined to do something to encourage the next generation of young farmers to join.
Alongside Club Secretary Louis Bray, the pair hatched a plan that would increase membership by working more closely with their local community.
“We have always been involved with the community helping out but this year we thought let’s really go for it,” said George.
Creative ideas helped to transform ordinary fundraisers into whole community events and have sparked renewed interest in the club.
After years of knocking on doors in the area to perform carol singing, the club decided to create more of an event.
“Not everyone was keen on doorstep carol singing, so instead we got in touch with the local church to organise a Christmas Carol concert,” said Louis who invited the local carol singing group and a secondary school choir to perform.
Parents and members baked cakes to sell on the night and more than 100 prizes were donated from local businesses for a raffle. They also organised a toy appeal and collected over 100 toys to donate to the Salvation Army in Boston, as well as collating items for the local food bank.
“We had over 300 people come to the event in the church – the vicar was blown away by it all,” said George. “We raised nearly £2,000 for the Butterfly Hospice to help them build a new ward for grieving families supporting those with end-of-life care.
“The event was a great success so we’re going to do it again this year bigger and better.”
As well as the money and the festive cheer that were raised on the night, the club also attracted new members.
“We had school members from the choir coming up to us and asking about joining,” said Louis. “It’s one of the reasons we were keen to involve schools in the event so we could promote YFC to more people and show them the kind of good work that we are involved in.”
In a continued effort to raise the club’s profile, they submitted a float entry to the Lincolnshire Show. This year’s theme was celebrating local towns and the club came up with the innovative idea to create a trailer advertising all the local businesses in Spilsby. They decorated their float in advertising and then dressed their members in the uniforms from the local businesses.
Their creative approach won the competition and they later took the trailer with them to the Spilsby Show, where they also helped on the gate at the event.
“Having a stand at Spilsby Show has done us massive favours,” said George. “We had photos and banners showing what we get up to and we had no end of parents come up to us to ask what it’s about. It’s opened up to the public what we do, and they can see in the photos all the events and charity work we do.”
Alongside the shows, they have also held their own ploughing match, which engages the local community too. The promotions have paid off as the club has increased junior membership from two to 13 members this year.
It has certainly been a year to remember for the club – not least because they won the Rally for the first time in the club’s more than 80-year history.
“Putting the effort in as a team has paid off massively,” said Louis. “To see the pride and effort everyone has put in is my proudest moment ever. It has really pulled us together as a group.”
With plans for another – bigger and better – Christmas Carol concert this year, talk of a tractor run and more initiatives being discussed, Spilsby is continuing to secure its spot at the heart of the community.
“I’m not from a farming background and my parents can’t believe how much is involved with Young Farmers and how much time we give up for these causes raising money,” said Louis.
