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Norfolk Countrysiders Summer '17 Report

Norfolk Countrysiders welcome you with open arms into the Summer time! With 15 clubs around the County for 10-16 year olds what better time to come and see what Countrysiders is all about!

Since our last update the Countrysiders have been fantastically busy around the County taking part in competitions such as Laser Tag with their Seniors, as well at the Farm Event at Morley Farms in May; an event encompassing agricultural activities for both the Junior and Senior clubs as well as plenty of joint competitions and the first two Stockjudging groups: Beef & Dairy. Pre-Rally Competitions are held at Easton & Otley College in early June and gave the Countrysiders and Seniors a chance to try their hand at the second Stockjudging groups of Sheep and Pigs. The judges couldn’t praise the hard work, focus and effort of the Countrysiders taking part enough.

Back in April saw 60 Countrysiders from around the County come together for the Annual Dinner Dance held at the Jubilee Hall in East Tuddenham. Senior members attended in force to serve the 3 course meal and run the ‘Mocktail’ Bar.  The Junior members had a fantastic time and danced the night away with their Seniors to the epic sounds of Limelite Roadshow Disco.

Just before harvest the hugely popular Rally Competitions Day is held at the Norfolk Showground and hosts over 5oo members all madly taking part in a wide variety of competitions.  In the morning are the more serious competitions such as Cooking a Farmers Breakfast or Flower arranging.  There are many exhibits too with cakes galore, club scrap books and models of vegetables!  The stage competitions finish with Countrysiders dressing a Senior member as a famous character from a popular children’s film who then has to race to the sports arena!  This heralds the start of the sports competitions which are hotly contested for! The presentation of prizes takes place that afternoon for the Countrysiders amidst lots of cheers from the seniors and many smiling Countrysiders.

If you have any young people or know of anyone who may be interested in having a great time in a club environment, please contact the County Office or you can look for further information and programmes on the Norfolk YFC website – www.norfolkyfc.org We look forward to welcoming you!

Norfolk Countrysiders Summer '16 Report

Norfolk Countrysiders welcome you with open arms into the Summer time! With 15 clubs around the County for 10-16 year olds what better time to come and see what Countrysiders is all about!

Since our last update the Countrysiders have been fantastically busy around the County taking part in competitions such as Paintballing on the 8^th March as well at the Farm Event at Morley Farms on Sunday 3^rd May; an event encompassing agricultural activities for both the Junior and Senior clubs as well as plenty of joint competitions and of course the first two Stockjudging groups: lambs and commercial beef. Pre-Rally at Easton (& Otley) College on the 7^th June; joint with the Easton Campus open day gave the Countrysiders a chance to try their hand at the second Stockjudging groups of dairy and finished pigs. The judges couldn’t praise the hard work, focus and effort of the Countrysiders taking part enough.

Friday 10^th April saw 45 Countrysiders from around the County come together for the Annual Dinner Dance (formally Ball) held at the Jubillee Hall, East Tuddenham. Senior members attended in force to wait on the Junior members who had a fantastic time tucking into a three course meal, ordering ‘mocktails’ and dancing the night away courtesy of Limelite Roadshow.

It is with great pleasure that Norfolk Countrysiders would like to announce the opening of their newest club in Swaffham! As of the 6^th May Swaffham Countrysiders Club opened its doors at the Rugby Club, Swaffham. The club have been greatly received in the area with kind support and funding from Breckland District Council; and now boast 10 regular attendees in the space of just over a month! Meeting fortnightly on Wednesday nights at 7:00pm-8:30pm the club is thriving! And not to forget they’ve got their own Senior club too, also meeting fortnightly on Wednesday’s at the Rugby Club from 7:30pm. If you have any or know of anyone who may be interested in either club please contact the County Office, further information and programmes can be found on the Norfolk YFC website.

Having so many Countrysider members around the County also leads to great time away, and on the 22^nd - 24^th May Countrysider members attended the Conservation Campout at Albanwise Farms, Barton Bendish. “53 happy campers erected their tents in time to gather together for an informative talk on the management of the wild birds on the Estate, through the control of predatory animals. Afterwards, there were several games of rounder’s and the camp fire was stoked to ensure the jacket potatoes were ready for a bedtime supper.

Saturday started incredibly early for just about the entire camp!  To say they were extremely noisy at 4am would be an understatement!  After a bowl of cereal and a hot bacon & egg roll everyone was ready to crack on with the start of the Conservation tasks.  The gun trailer was loaded with Countrysiders, Leaders and tools and set off to the Kingfisher nest building and the Pond dipping area.  Two more vehicles were loaded and headed off to the Woodland rejuvenation armed with a variety of saws. In the workshop near the Hall, there were 2 groups close together: the owl box construction and the deer High Seat building.  The Natural habitat Nest boxes were made at the Camp site and involved a lot of careful chiselling of the interiors before being put back together and looking fabulous once the entrance hole was drilled out.

Kingfishers already inhabit a waterway in an area of the farm called the Channels. New nest sites were created along the steep bank of one of the channels and were made to exact specifications to suit these amazing birds.  Some of the soil that was dug out from the bank was sieved to be put into the metre length of pipe that leads to the nest chamber.  The chamber was dug out, lined and roofed before being covered back over to be unrecognisable from the surface.  Pond dipping was another activity in this area as there are a number of natural ponds that are relatively untouched.  Shauna, the leader of this activity was thrilled to see a burrowing Mayfly nymph that she had never seen before!

Woodland rejuvenation was a grand title for clearing ‘out of control’ laurel in woodland.  To say that the Countrysiders got stuck in was the absolute truth.  The quantity and size of some of the trunks that they cut through was incredible.  Huge stems, several metres long were dragged onto a massive pile that was then put through a very impressive chipping machine.  The relatively small piles of chippings did not relate to the vast areas cleared by these hardworking youngsters!

Back at the workshop the High Seats were being measured, sawn and bolted into 2 portable seats.  They are constructed to ‘scissor’ close for transporting. The Maternity Bat boxes and the Owl box were carefully measured and sawn and looked wonderful once completed. Bridge building has to be the most popular task that we ever undertake and this year was no exception! Two beautiful bridges were constructed and moved into place once completed with safety handrails. There were some very tired youngsters by the end of the day’s work but once fed and rested they gathered their camp chairs and all headed off to a nearby field to watch an amazing Gun Dog Training display.  Having been thoroughly impressed by the abilities of the gun dogs (& their owners), we dropped off the chairs by the camp site and walked the short distance to the local village hall.  We were then treated to an amazing slideshow of wildlife photos, almost all taken on the farm.

On Sunday before going off to complete the last of the tasks the Countrysiders held their Annual Meeting.  They then had a Farm Talk by the Farm Manager and were shown crops in their various stages as well as the opportunity to climb onto the brand new combine and other impressive kit!

The senior members were incredible with the Countrysiders – especially during the games of Rounders Saturday evening.  As always, none of this weekend would be possible without the generosity of our hosts, the army of volunteer leaders and a throng of wonderful children who worked so hard, making it a most incredible weekend.”

Moira Harrison - Countrysider Development Officer.

Needless to say the Countrysiders are always looking for a spot to come and take part in conservation based activates for their Campout; if you’re able to host a Campout please get in touch!

It’s been a busy few months for Norfolk Countrysiders, and with the next most important days of the year coming up; the Royal Norfolk Show and The Rally, they’ll be kept on their toes until the Summer!

For more information on Norfolk Countrysiders (& Young Farmers) please contact the County Office on: 01603 731307 or email: norfolk.yfc@eastonotley.ac.uk alternatively please visit our website at: www.norfolkyfc.org

Norfolk Young Farmers Countrysiders

Countrysiders are the junior section of the Norfolk Young Farmers and are aged from 10 to 16 years.  There are 14 clubs spread around the County each with their own team of dedicated volunteers.  Clubs meet on a fortnightly basis from 7pm to 8.30 with a programme of activities the backbone of which being agriculturally related but with a fair amount of fun and capers thrown in for good measure.  You name it - Countrysiders will give it a go.  Competitions are also a firm favourite, especially when they compete with their senior clubs at the Farm Event and the Rally at the Norfolk Showground.

 Most recently the Countrysiders have just finished competing with the Senior YFC members in what is known as Block 1; the first set of competitions run from September to Christmas. The first competition on the Countrysiders calendar was Bidwells Quest on the 23rd October. Four members from each club came forward to take part in a range of events that encourage teamwork and lateral thinking, and a quiz too! The overall winners for 2014 were Aylsham Countrysiders.

 The next big day of competitions for the Countrysiders is Winter Competitions Day, held at Easton College. Members take part in a variety of competitions on the day including Public Speaking, Dodgeball and making exhibits such as Christmas Biscuits and Bunting. Like the Senior’s there is also a Countrysider Member of the Year; 2014’s winner was Charlotte J from Loddon Countrysiders with Emily H from Attleborough in second, Lucie H from Dereham third and Morgan R fourth. The members are required to attend a short interview on the day and bring along a folder of achievement, so well done to this year’s winner and those placed!

 Winter Competitions is a great way to involve the Countrysiders with their Seniors as well as giving them the opportunities to practise important skills that can be used in the future, such as Public Speaking. A skill that also features in the Seniors ‘Block 1’ programme. Next up for the Countrysiders will be Paintballing on the 8th March.

 If you are or know someone interested in joining a Countrysiders Club near you have a look at www.norfolkyfc.org to find out more!