Reports - 40 Years of Country Link

40 Years of Country Link

(Speech given by Martin Clark at the 40th anniversary Gala Dinner, Kegworth, Leicestershire)

Hello,

I am Martin Clark. As a member of Country Link, now belonging to the Worcestershire group, I have been asked to say a few words about 40 years of Country Link. As an ordinary member it is, for the most part, from a personal perspective.

Country Link started with a letter from Will Bond, published in the Farmers Weekly back in 1985, and pointing out that there was nothing to follow on from Young Farmers if you were single and wanted a social life. There was such a response that Farmers Weekly took up the baton and helped to set up and promote Country Link. Their support continued over the next couple of years. Gilly Towers is the person we have to thank.

For myself, I had not long moved to Surrey when I saw the advert in the Farmers Weekly for the first Country Link meeting on 28th November 1985, at Merrist Wood Agricultural College. Eighteen people turned up. We were lucky to have an enthusiastic Rowan Hill, the Farmers Weekly Farm Secretary, as the group organiser.

I would just like to mention that Peter Hurt, our president, has beaten me to an earlier first meeting held in Nottinghamshire on 18th November 1985 (and is therefore our longest continuous member). It is not an understatement to say that Country Link changed my life - meeting new friends, going to different parts of the country, and meeting someone special, just as some of you have. Living in Surrey with good road access meant that it was very easy to join in with events in other counties - Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, and Wiltshire, and later on, Oxfordshire.

Besides walks and pub evenings, there were theatre visits and trips to London, we had days out such as a booze cruise to Calais, a weekend visit to the agricultural show in Paris, a week near Aviemore with lots of outdoor activities, a canal boat holiday, skiing, and two weeks on a Greek island. Also, some of us went on a memorable day trip in April 1998 to see the wartime V2 rocket launching sites in northern France (organised by Paul from the Essex & Suffolk group).

As well as all this enjoyment there was, and still is, support from Country Link friends. Shortly after our Greek holiday I had a car accident and for two months I was in the Royal Surrey hospital. A rota was arranged to visit me - almost never a dull moment as for some I became their agony uncle - I was a captive audience!

The first weekend I went to was at Buxton in November 1987, memorable - a foggy farm visit where we could see nothing but the farmyard.

Looking back, for some reason, I was unsure about going to the first weekends. However, I made it to Buxton and have not looked back since.

Country Link weekends have taken me, and many of you, to the four points of the compass within England, Scotland, and Wales. From Hadrian's Wall, southwest to Falmouth, south over the sea to the Isle of Wight, and east to Ipswich, with a good many weekends between these points. Then we have managed to cross Offa's Dyke with weekends in Cardiff and, very recently, Llangollen.

We cannot forget our trips over the border to Scotland with weekends in Irvine (three times), Edinburgh, Dumfries, and Cumbernauld. I still remember visiting the paper mill on the first visit to Irvine. It is good to see that Jessie has been able to join us here in Kegworth.

As we are celebrating forty years, there have been at least seventy weekends. In fact, this is the 75th weekend. Thanks must go to all the organisers and helpers that make these such a success. Please remember any group can volunteer to run a weekend and help is always on hand. I think many feel that weekends are an integral part of Country Link and they are important for maintaining the organisation into the future.

With changes in my job, I moved from Surrey to Berkshire and then up to Worcester in the late 1990's when I joined the Worcestershire group - some I knew already from attending weekends. This is an advantage of belonging to a national organisation, being able to join in and attend events elsewhere in the country. In the past a national newsletter and then The Country Linker publication helped to keep members informed, now taken over in the digital age by the website.

We should not forget lost members through accidents and illnesses - friends, relations, and colleagues. Several weekends have not taken place in the last couple of decades due to foot and mouth in the early 2000's and then latterly because of Covid restrictions. Behind the scenes activity by the organisers meant that we could resume normal service as soon as restrictions were lifted. It highlights the work that goes on from group level to the National Committee to make things work. Everybody is a volunteer so please make it easy for those willing to put themselves forward to do the work. It is easy to criticise when you have no responsibility.

Our thanks must go to Maria, Phil, and Liz for this weekend to celebrate forty years of Country Link. Over the years they have often done a weekend to maintain this continuity which has been much appreciated. Nigel Swain and his team have also stepped in to help on several occasions. Our thanks must also go to all those others that help at weekends.

Lastly, I should just mention my humble role as bag carrier for our National Treasurer. Having served a long and testing apprenticeship, there seems to be no retirement on the horizon.

To finish with, I wish you all well and hope to see you at the next weekend.