Page 127 - Yearbook 2019

Meet Andrea – our new

Suffolk Youth Officer

ndrea Gardiner is a human dynamo. When the Society young people in these programmes enables me to engage with
introduced the National Youth Championships Andrea future adults who have become disengaged with school, or where Suffolk Youth
Acontacted the Society and asked how she could help! relationships have broken down. This gives me the opportunity
Her enthusiasm in general and commitment to helping young to connect with them and put in place appropriate programmes Stock Judging
people was a perfect combination and she played a central role to enable them to reengage in education and increase their
in making sure the Youth Championships have been a resounding confidence when applying for jobs.
success since their inception in 2017. Lambing Simulator
Towards the end of last year the Society asked Andrea if she Your greatest achievement?
would become the Society Youth Co-ordinator and thankfully she The greatest has to be two beautiful daughters, Jennifer Interactive Quiz National
agreed. Andrea agreed to answer some questions: and Bethany – I am also very proud of my Masters of Business
Administration degree which I successfully completed in November Westcarse Cup -
Tell us a something about yourself 2016.
My name is Andrea Gardner and I have a small Suffolk sheep Senior Class (17-26)
flock (at Bay Horse, Nr. Lancaster). I was elected as Chairman of And what about Suffolk Youth?
the North West Suffolk Breeders Club in November 2017. I have As a Society we need to not only support the young folk we have Tillydesk Cup -
two daughters, Jennifer (25) works for the NHS, and Bethany (22) coming through, but also to raise the awareness of Suffolk outside Championships
is currently studying Agriculture with Animal Science at Harper the families and friends of our current membership. I am talking Junior Class (up to 16)
Adams University. My full time role is Business Development and to more young men and women who are looking at Suffolks as the
Projects Manager at Myerscough College, near Preston. breed they want to become involved with, it is important that we
encourage this as much as possible.
How long have you been breeding Suffolk sheep? The Youth Championships is an excellent initiative but we need
I started keeping my own flock in 2007 when I purchased six to build on it. I want to see more young people being introduced Application
ewes from Perrinpit and Cairness flocks. Prior to this I managed the to Suffolks. It is only since I became involved in the Youth
Suffolk flock at Myerscough College. The flock was ‘in between’ Championships that I realised just how big the Society is, and the Forms ENTER
shepherds and I was asked to organise the following year’s opportunity to develop youth programmes throughout the UK, Available Online Saturday 26th October
breeding programme. I successfully applied for ‘flock improvement’ Ireland and into mainland Europe. I am really looking to getting to
funding and used this to finance the AI programme. The following know our youth from all regions of the Society. www.suffolksheep.org
year we won the most progressive flock award! or contact office on Shrewsbury Market, Bowmen Way,

Tell me about your flock management 028 2563 2342 Battlefield, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY4 3DR
I performance record my flock, currently choosing to concentrating
on improvements in muscle growth and eight week weights. I find
performance recording an excellent tool that works for me, however
I am also careful to ensure that the results of performance recording
don’t compromise the breed. I want my sheep to ‘look like’ a Suffolk
that displays good physical traits as well.

Tell me what you do for a day job?
In my job as Business Development and Projects Manager at
Myerscough. I work in Apprenticeships and Short Courses and
manage Traineeships and programmes for young people at risk Further details
of becoming NEETs (Not in Employment, Education or Training). will be posted on
I also manage European (Erasmus) programmes. Working with

126 Suffolk Sheep Society Yearbook 2019