Young farmers from across Wales have financially benefited from this year’s Gareth Raw Rees Memorial Travel Scholarship. A total of £3,550 has been awarded by the Management Committee to scholars wishing to broaden their knowledge of agriculture.

The scholarship, which is administered by NFU Cymru was set up in memory of the late Gareth Raw Rees who, for many years, was a delegate on the NFU Council and Chairman of the NFU Education Committee. Gareth believed fervently that travel was an important form of education for young people. The Scholarship is extremely grateful to the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust for their contribution to the Travel Scholarship Fund.

This year’s awards were presented by Simon Painter, Head of Regional Sales at NFU Mutual at the Royal Welsh Show.

This year’s main winner is Gwern Thomas who received £900 to help fund his travels to Australia.

25-year-old Gwern, from Felinfach, Lampeter, grew up helping on his uncle’s smallholding, working with sheep and cattle and was inspired by the industry. After gaining a qualification in plumbing he reassessed his career and created a business plan with Farming Connect and is now share-farming with his uncle. The award will help towards his expenses as he participates in the NFYFC exchange programme in Australia. Gwern said: “This trip is not just a journey but a pivotal learning experience. By engaging with Australian farmers and observing their strategies for animal husbandry and crop management, I aim to gain a fresh perspective that will enable me to address the challenges we face back at home more effectively. It will hopefully help me to continue learning in order to shape my character, expand my horizons and empower me to make a positive impact on the future of agriculture.”

Richard Downes, from Llangeitho, near Tregaron, received £500 towards a trip to New Zealand. The Coleg Sir Gar graduate was born and raised on an organic beef and sheep farm in West Wales.

Richard said: “I hope that by travelling to New Zealand I will gain new ideas to help with my own personal and business development back home.”

Elin Davies, from Llanybydder received £400 for her trip to Australia. Having finished her studies on Animal Production Science at Harper Adams, Elin plans to work on a dairy farm in Australia.

Elin said: “My aim while in Australia is to work on a dairy farm and hope to learn how Australian dairy farms reach their production levels from forage in order to take these lessons home.”

Caryl Haf Davies, from Pembrokeshire received £350 towards her trip to New Zealand. Caryl, who will graduate from Aberystwyth University in the summer with a BSc in Agriculture with Animal Science, was bought up on the family farm in north Pembrokeshire where they run a flock of improved Welsh sheep and Aberfield ewes.

Lowri Williams, an Aberystwyth University graduate from Caernarfon who grew up on a dairy farm will receive £250 towards a trip to Australia.