Jamie’s Farm, the charity which welcomes young people from across the country to their farms near Lewes, Bath, Hereford and Monmouth,  has launched ‘Champions for Children’, a campaign to help vulnerable young people heal from Lockdown.

Jamie’s Farm is reaching out to the public to help raise £50,000, which will be doubled to £100,000 during The Big Give week (23-30th June). This will go toward supporting vulnerable children whose lives, mental well-being, and in some cases, safety, has been impacted. Jamie’s Farm’s 2020 ambition is to bring their programme of ‘Farming, Family, Therapy and Legacy’ to 1,400 vulnerable young people. 

Although the farms had to close their doors due to the coronavirus restrictions, the teams are now preparing for a phased reopening as soon as it is safe to do so, while continuing their vital online support.

Georgette Ayling, Head teacher from Bohunt School, Horsham, said: “I have nothing but praise for this wonderful organisation and the work they do with vulnerable young people across the country. Since lockdown, our own research supports the national studies that suggest many young people are struggling with feelings of isolation and anxiety.

“Jamie’s Farm representatives have been willing to go over and beyond to offer personalised support to our students who visited the farm near Lewes, back in January. Their support has brought joyful experiences and connections into a time that can otherwise feel very bleak. There are not many organisations which would be willing to arrange a Zoom call with a chicken to motivate a young person whose struggle with ASD has made transition to home learning especially tough. That is what Jamie’s Farm do, through a thoroughly embedded culture of positivity, hope and love.” 

To pledge your support for the ‘Champions for Children’ campaign, follow this link: www.jamiesfarm.org.uk/the-big-give-2020/
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The ‘Black Lives Matter’ campaign has lost any good will or sympathy it may or may not have had, as it has clearly been hijacked by well organised criminals who have attacked the police and members of the public. They have rioted, looted, defaced and urinated on War memorials, and dismantled historic statues. They have done more harm to our country where multiculturalism flourished, and set back race relations and harmony amongst people of all colour, than ever before.
 
The US may well be a basket case but the UK is regarded and respected as being fair, welcoming and tolerant. These past weeks we watched in disbelief as far-left anarchists’ disrupted and rampaged through our cities. It is clear to all that these people of all colours, race and religions, or none, have damaged and challenged the good will of the law abiding public.
 
The movement behind the lawless behaviour has been exposed. The group’s GoFundMe page explains that it intends to be ‘guided by a commitment to dismantle imperialism, capitalism, white supremacy, patriarchy and the state structure’. Clearly their intent is to bring down the democratically elected Government, but fortunately the majority of the public are fully aware and will stand up to these bullies, and so will the Conservative Government.
 
Talking about standing up against bullies; respect for RK Rowling, Esther Krakue and Laurence Fox for voicing their values and principles. They have each received vile abuse online, and criticism from the BBC and media. However, the support they are receiving from the fair minded intelligent majority, far outweighs the insults and censure.
 
I can add little to the wonderful tributes expressed as we say ‘Farewell’ to Dame Vera Lyn. This wonderful lady has now spread her wings and flown ‘Over the White Cliffs of Dover’, while singing: “We’ll meet again, don’t know where, don’t know when but I know we’ll meet again some sunny day. Keep smiling through, just like you always do, till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away.” God Bless.

​John Lindley, who has died aged 87, was well-known in the dairy industry as the owner of Lavenham Wallen 87, a Friesian cow which broke the World Lifetime Butterfat All Breeds Record in 1963 – a record she held for eight years.
 
Many will find this statement baffling as the butterfat content of milk is no longer valued. Indeed today cattle are genetically bred to produce less butterfat, not more.
 
Following on from my column a few weeks ago, it is worth noting that this exceptional Friesian cow, died just weeks before her 21st birthday. I wonder how many 20 year old cows can be found in today’s dairy herds.
 
John Lindley who farmed in Somerset, sold his dairy herd in 1990, turning his attention to building up his existing Simental beef herd. He served as chairman or president of numerous farming and cattle associations and councils.
 
It is good news that a new report from the All-Party Group for Animal Welfare, recommends the need for small abattoirs to receive financial assistance under any future agricultural support system, through amendments to the Agriculture Bill.
 
MP’s believe that most welfare problems associated with the farm-to-slaughterhouse supply chain occur during transport. However, the concern of farmers is also if our local small abattoirs close down, livestock would have to travel long distances.
 
The plight of small abattoirs has been brought into sharp focus over the past few years. As of April 2020, there are just 62 remaining, 13 fewer than there were in April 2016, down from 96 in 2007, with the most recent closure taking place just two weeks ago.
 
The problem is compounded by the uneven distribution of abattoirs across the country, with few in the north of England where most livestock are farmed, and places like the Isle of Wight, the Isle of Skye and the Scilly Isles which have no abattoirs. Thus resulting in additional travel and expense involved in getting the animals to slaughter.
 
Since the coronavirus pandemic began, small abattoirs have proved to be remarkably resilient and a vital resource, having been able to increase their output when larger facilities were slashing production due to social distancing rules in the cutting rooms. Small abattoirs tend to work like a butcher, so each man will have a table and will process the whole animal.
 
As well as being able to provide a full service, having a diverse set of small abattoirs reduces the risk of the meat sector being brought to its knees by outbreaks of the virus in slaughterhouses.
 
There is a growing demand for local produce as customers want to know exactly where their meat has been reared, which is why independent butchers and farm shops have become increasingly popular.
 
Hopefully part of this support package for small abattoirs will enable them to upgrade their premises to AVA Certified standards, enabling the export of beef to countries such as Singapore. Currently the closest to Sussex with appropriate certification is in Scotland. Not exactly around the corner!
 
It is clear that 99.9% of the public have been sickened by the behaviour of those who have hijacked what were originally peaceful gatherings, due to an event which happened nearly 5,000 miles away!
 
The scenes of thuggery, flag burning, criminal damage, looting, desecration of War memorials, and violence towards police officers and law abiding members of the public, are wholly unacceptable. So too is the sight of police officers and politicians ‘taking the knee’, which is interpreted by the thugs as supporting this anarchy and undemocratic behaviour.
 
It is time to take back control of our streets, lock up the criminals, protect law abiding citizens, and treat people according to their behaviour. It is not what you say but what you do which earns respect. 

There is a sense of autumn in the air. The temperature has dropped, the sun has disappeared, the wind is up, and the trees are shedding their leaves as they attempt to conserve water.
 
The cattle are doing another sweep of the grass fields much their relief. They were fed up with eating hay in the middle of the summer, and so were we were considering the still relatively empty hay barn. However they look remarkably well. Livestock tend to thrive during dry conditions, they are less likely to pick up parasites which play havoc with their immunity and development.
 
The winter barley is now rapidly turning. At this rate we will be harvesting the earliest I can remember. The downside is that the crop is under developed with short straw and small seed grains. I sincerely hope others will fare better than us with their arable crops this summer.
 
I am uneasy about the raft of petitions doing the rounds, some endorsed by ‘celebrities’ and national newspapers. Well intentioned as they are, they do not tell the true story regarding the Government’s trade negotiations with the USA. There have been many misleading and false claims in the media and from other organisations and political bodies, regarding the risk to animal welfare standards and import of cheap and poor quality food, which could threat the livelihoods of livestock farmers.
 
Amongst these voices are those of the NFU leadership. During the Referendum this same leadership religiously followed the project fear band wagon, and now, seeing an opportunity to kick Boris and his Government for daring to win the Brexit argument, and indeed the General Election, they are at it again.
 
The Prime Minister has repeatedly said that the UK Government will not compromise on British standards. As Liz Truss and George Eustice once again made very clear last week, the Government’s manifesto stated that in all their trade negotiations they would not compromise on high environmental protection, animal welfare, and food standards. It has been made clear that the EU Withdrawal Act transfers all existing food safety provisions, including existing import requirements, onto the UK statute book.
 
These import standards include a ban on using artificial hormones in domestic and imported products, and sets out that no products, other than potable water, are approved to decontaminate poultry carcases. Any changes to existing food safety legislation would require new legislation to be brought before this Parliament.
 
The UK’s food standards, for both domestic and imported products, are overseen by the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland. Both are independent agencies and provide advice to the UK and Scottish governments. They will continue to do so to ensure that all food imports comply with the UK’s high safety standards.
 
The presumption is that the Prime Minister and his ministers are selling British farmers short, and reneging on promises made during the Brexit Referendum. Why would they? As Theresa Villiers reminded us in her article in the Mail on Sunday, the UK market for food and groceries is the third largest in the world. It is a massive prize for any country to be allowed greater access to trade with us. The Government should not and will not put at risk food safety and high standards.
 
If the US wish to sell beef and chickens into the UK market that is fine as long as their welfare and food production standards match ours. Taking into account that each year 50 million Americans become ill from their food, they need to start doing some serious catching up.
 
The public want good quality safe food, preferably made by British producers. As this is also exactly what Boris and his Government are aiming for, I do not see what all the fuss is about. 

Following the Vicar’s prayers on Rogation Sunday, and those kind people who committed to the ‘Rain Dance’, we hope to be rewarded with rain this week.

We never make hay in May, but as the grass had stopped growing we decided go ahead. We got half the bales we needed. If, we get some useful rain,  we should get a second, and possibly a third cut if the weather is kind in September.

Anyone thinking of buying a puppy should wait. Soon there will be hundreds of young dogs needing new homes as families realise a puppy which was fun during lockdown, is no longer practical. I gather there have already been many cases of abandoned dogs across Sussex.

There is looming a nasty source of disease which will cause health problems. As the public flock to nature reserves, national parks, farms, and the seaside, where all public loos, restaurants and hotels are closed, they are depositing their ‘waste’ wherever they decide to squat.

They may be taking poop scoops for their dogs but they are certainly not scooping up their own poop. Until ‘facilities’ re-open, I would suggest that if you can’t hold it in, you shouldn’t venture out!

Jesus said, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” The hypocrisy emitted from some politicians, the press and media, and tiresome individuals on social media, who have been throwing proverbial stones and insults at the Prime Minister and Dominic Cummings, has been breath taking. 

I quite understand the genuine concern of those who have been working day and night caring for patients struck down by the virus. But, watching the bigotry presented as facts by sections of the press and media, with false indignation and bogus accusations, is neither helpful nor pretty to watch.

Most members of the public have done exactly as requested by the Prime Minister. They stayed home, kept safe and alert. Some of us have, like Mr Cummings, made decisions at the onset of lockdown, to protect our families and loved ones which we considered to be appropriate at the time.

I drove 600 miles on March 22 along deserted roads and motorways to collect my daughter from Botton Village, deep in North Yorkshire. She has learning difficulties and I made the judgement that she would best cope with the Corvid 19 lockdown, with me at home.  

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and perhaps taking advice or getting a ‘pass’ from the chief medical officer, in Dominic Cummings’s case, to travel to Durham to ensure his 4 year old son was safe, would have prevented all this hoo-ha.

Fortunately Boris Johnson is a strong and focused Prime Minister, which is why the public elected him into office with a huge majority last December. He is getting Brexit done, and he is leading the country from the front, through this unprecedented pandemic, for which there was no Instruction Book.

Far from being weak as Sir Keir Starmer wishes us to believe, Boris is not intimidated by the bullying, and reckless unprincipled behaviour of Remainers, including the politicised, unprofessional British press and media. He and his team, including Dominic Cummings, are concentrating on the job in hand and refuse to be distracted, which is what the fair minded British public expect.

Chief Constable of Sussex Giles York retires from office on Thursday, having taken on the roll in 2014. He was previously Deputy since 2008.

In 2015 Giles was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for: ‘Showing gallantry and distinguished service, acts of exceptional courage and skill, and conspicuous devotion to duty’.

Giles has been an exceptional Chief Constable, and has provided strong leadership during difficult times. He has been approachable and willing to listen to the public and his fellow officers. He also has an exceptionally big heart. He will be missed.