Nusrat Ghani, MP for Wealden, has nominated Peter Appleton, a Wealden farmer from Arlington, for the NFU’s Community Farming Hero Awards.
Alongside producing food, farmers often go above and beyond for their communities. Whether they are helping neighbours during extreme weather or fundraising for charities, farmers are an integral part of their local area.
The NFU has decided that it's time to give these heroes the recognition they deserve and launched this new award to recognise individual farmers who play an important role in their local communities. MPs have been asked to recognise the efforts of local farmers by nominating those who has gone above and beyond for their community for the Community Farming Hero Award.
Farmers were nominated for going above and beyond in their community. This included:
- organising or suppling a food bank
- inspiring school children about farming
- fundraising for a local charity
- volunteering in the local community or
- helping out in times of bad weather.
There will be 8 regional winners in total and they will be announced on this year's Back British Farming Day on Wednesday 2 November.
The list of constituency winner can be accessed here.
Nusrat Ghani said: "Peter Appleton is a third-generation dairy farmer whose family care for 450 milking cows on Primrose Farm near Hailsham. The farm also co-hosts a bluebell walk trail which attracts 23,000 visitors annually and has already raised in excess of £1m for local charities. Peter and his wife Jackie are passionate about teaching children about where their food comes from and host “Open Farm Days” for schools or families to enjoy. I am proud to have nominated him for the NFU’s Community Farming Hero Awards and I wish him best of luck for the regional round."
