Steve Wilkins: Time Out!

Monday 14th July

Well the seven week Global Focus Program is finished.

Its been an incredible journey, from Australia and through Philippines, Hong Kong, China, Louisiana, Washington DC, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Ireland and now I'm in the UK for three weeks to have some time out with Heather and spend some time recharging the batteries !

It seems quite odd to not have to be somewhere, be it a meeting, an airport or just focusing on the day ahead.

Heather's brief to me before she left home was "I don't know, you just plan what you think"

Ookaay, I've been caught with this one before !

When Heather arrived at Heathrow, I had underestimated how long the tube takes to get from the Embankment out to the airport. This left heather at the airport for around 30 minutes before I got there to find her on her second beer - at 6.45 am !

Great start Scholar !

So after a day in London its on a plane back to Ireland (not Ryanair!) and pick up a rental car in Dublin. The car was to have Sat Nav, but apparently they've run out ! The attendant tries to make good by telling me how easy it is to navigate around Ireland and proceeds to give verbal directions and even throws in some hand and arm gestures as well.

I have to interrupt him and tell him I've just spent a week here and Ireland is actually a s..t of a place to find your way around for a lad from the south of the South Island NZ . even with Sat Nav.

In all honesty, I think it was easier without !

We are headed to Donegal for a few days to catch up with some relations who live on the farm my Grandfather grew up on. He and his mate emigrated to New Zealand at the age of 19 because there was no work. Mmmm still happens from time to time...

Before he left Ballyshannon, he and his mate had spent much of their time building stone fences and really didn't see a future in it so they headed south.

There was a couple of spots where it appeared he hadn't finished so we thought it only fitting that I should 'finish it off' !

The house where my grandfather grew up

Before you know it we are heading to Suffolk for the weekend to catch up with the
team from the Worshipful Company of Farmers Business Management Course back in January.

The weekend organised by Matt Hawthorne and held at Euston Estate near Thetford where Matt is the Farm Manager. It was a great weekend and Matt had some things lined up for us with the dinner on Friday night at the Angel in Bury St Edmonds where we got to catch up and got to meet spouses.

Below is and exert ( actually its the whole thing!) from Chris Padfield's 'WCF13' newsletter

What a great first reunion of the 62nd WCF. Matthew pulled out all the stops and set the bar very high (to mix organ and high jump metaphors) for future events!

Some nineteen people attended the evening meal at The Cadogan , Ingham, well done to Tom and Emily, and Chris J for last minute changes of plan which enabled them to attend. Gordon gains a special mention for spending 7 1/2 hours in a queue 'up north', completely missing the meal. Matthew continued his obsession with Christine Tacon with a speech on the planned events (which didn't include barges, old cars or cement mixers) ably assisted by the best looking easel I have seen used in a presentation. Hugh arrived late but no attention was drawn to this or the absolute stuffing the Aussies had just received at Lords. The British Lions tour may have been referred to at intervals.

Saturday started with a presentation from Andrew Blenkiron at the Euston Estate office covering the vision, workings of the estate and planned AD and solar park. This was followed by a trip around the bird rearing pens, crops, lime pits, maize and reservoir. Jeff found his profession by having a large horn to attract the attention of the game keepers (Lee and Matthew).

All the forest animals remember where they were when Bambi's mother got shot, all those on the reservoir embankment will remember where they were when Matt B repeatedly trod on a leveret causing repeated screams. I forget how many litres the reservoir holds but think of a big number then add noughts (sorry that was the conversation about banker's bonuses).

Kate and Matthew's Mum laid on a splendid lunch with a vote of thanks following using the Giles Hanglin technique (ask Chris Lenny to do it!). A tour of the grounds followed with some really interesting developments planned including the lake and pleasure gardens. Many of us were impressed that that front lawn was so big they were round baling the grass. Special mention must go to the estate's archivist, Edward (Mr Memory) who supplied all relevant details regarding the estate including the history of the church, temple, commissioned gates, school and the 11 warships named 'Grafton'. I can't remember where my family left its boat.

A visit to Abery Farms followed, who work alongside Matthew to produce onions and potatoes though they grow a range of crops. They had some particularly big sheds, some recently erected (yes I was tempted to rearrange that sentence) with particular care taken to store onions for long periods. At the end of the tour it was particularly interesting to compare the 'natural' landscape of the army firing range (think of 'Out of Africa') with the highly irrigated potato and onion beds.

Matt thoughtfully concluded the trip with a visit to Shadwell Stud which was highly impressive. For most, it was the first time to see a 'covering yard' with, quite literally, a humping mound in the middle for those stallion lacking in 'reach'. Apparently covering can last up to 120 seconds which is a bigger number than I normally can count up to. The yards and fields were immaculately kept.

Thanks must go to Matt for organising the whole event, not least the minibus which enabled us to travel and drink together, even as Matt stayed sober all weekend. Future reunions may struggle to provide private churches, temples, mansions and official historians. Reference must also be made to Gordon for 'obtaining' the official WCF photo taken outside the RAC and displayed at the evening meal at the Guildhall. He lugged this photo all around London after the event and then back to Preston. The photo has now been handed over to Jeff and Karen who have kindly offered to host the next reunion probably about a month earlier in late June 2014.

Steve and Heather Wilkins

Michael and Karen Mclaren

Matthew and Kate Hawthorne

Chris and Kathy Lenny

Dan Matthews

Matt Bell

Jeff and Karen Wilson

Hugh, Abby, and Ruby Bailey

Tom and Emily Bradshaw

Gordon Whitford

Chris Jinks

Chris Padfield