The Lewdown Young Farmers Club presented cheques totalling over £6,000 to its chosen charities at the most recent group meeting last week.

The club chooses to support and fundraise for at least two different charities every year and clocked up a total of £6,780.69 throughout 2022 for the Stroke Association, Brain Tumour Research (West of England and Wales) and Hospiscare.

Last year’s chair Amy Lethbridge and secretary Becky Dennis set the goal of raising £6,000 to be split between charities last year in honour of the club’s 60th anniversary celebrations.

Club secretary Jordan Martin said: ‘We normally choose to support charities that have a connection with young farmers, past or present. Some of our former members who are now older have been involved with these three charities. We ask all of our members for suggestions about which causes we could support and then decide for the year at meetings. For 2023, we will be supporting the North Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team and the Farming Community Network’.

The three cheques were presented to representatives of the different charities who attended the club’s most recent meeting, where each gave presentations detailing how the funds raised would help those they care for.

The club smashed its target by fundraising by running a range of initiatives and events throughout the year, including a cider and pasty quiz, poultry bingo, selling Christmas wreaths, a Christmas tree collection, a tractor run, a traffic light disco, Easter bingo and through a raffle held at its special 60th anniversary dinner and dance and a special 60th anniversary cream tea.

Jordan said: ‘Fundraising has always been in young farmers’ blood. Every young farmers club in the wider area strives to support at least two charities every year, that way any money raised can be split and given to help more than just one cause. Lewdown Young Farmers has always supported a range of causes and were when I first joined.’

The club has already began to pool ideas and schedule events which will help this year’s fundraising efforts. These include a bingo event on Tuesday, April 4 at Lewdown Victory Memorial Hall which begins at 7.30pm and another tractor run, which is provisionally scheduled to take place in April too, with the date to be confirmed in the near future.

The Lewdown Young Farmers Club is a part of the Devon Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs and the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs and always welcome new members. Those in West Devon who are interested in joining can message the club through its page on Facebook which can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/lewdown.youngfarmers