Reports - Weekends 2023

Spring Weekend 2024

Hosted by Shropshire Country Link at The Holiday Inn, Telford, Shropshire.

On Friday 10th May 2024, Shropshire Country Link welcomed other Country Link members from across England and Scotland to the Holiday Inn, Telford.

On arrival members were given their welcome packs. Along with a 'Red Tractor Bag' containing a note book, pens, an NFU pen and note book, there were some snacks. Many thanks to our sponsors for these goodies.

After meeting in the bar on Friday evening we enjoyed a buffet supper and a disco. There was also fancy dress and the theme for this was "cowgirls" and "cowboys". Members of staff from the hotel judged the competition. The winners were Janet Wright from Cheshire for the ladies, Rodney Robbins from Oxfordshire for the men, and the couples' winners were Nick Bereznyckyj and Ania Gebicka from Nottinghamshire.

After breakfast on Saturday morning, there was a choice of three trips, or you could do your own thing. Trip one went to the British Ironworks near Oswestry. This was a fascinating trip looking around the animal sculpture park. Each animal sculpture is made out of scrap metal which are all very unique and very imaginative. In the afternoon we left the British Ironworks to call into Shrewsbury, where we boarded the 'Sabrina' boat for a very leisurely trip down the River Severn.

Trip two went to Shropshire Petals, owned by the Bubb family where we looked around the farm via a tractor and trailer. The farm produces potatoes for McCains along with other arable crops. Another business which has grown over the years is the growing of flowers for confetti. The group were shown around the drying area and the process of making flowers into confetti. After lunch at a local pub the group then went to Wrekin Spirit and were welcomed by owners Sam Moseley and his mum Isabel. After a talk and tour of the process of making 'gin' everyone had the opportunity to taste different flavoured gins.

Trip three was to RAF Cosford. There was a lot to see in the three large hangers including WW1 and WW2 planes, as well as the Cold War exhibition. After lunch, this group moved on to Boscobel House and The Royal Oak, a descendant of the Oak tree where King Charles II took refuge in 1651 while fleeing for his life from Cromwell's soldiers, in the grounds of Boscobel House. All the trips arrived back at the hotel late afternoon where members could make use of the hotel swimming pool and gym or just relax before the evening formal dinner and dance. A raffle was held during Saturday evening which raised £473 for the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund.

On Sunday, after breakfast, you could choose to either take a stroll in Ironbridge or to visit a dairy farm near Shrewsbury by kind permission of the Oakley family. They milk 1600 plus cows on a rotary parlour three times a day. Michael and his son Miles talked and showed us around the farm with members asking questions long the way. Those members who had visited the farm back in 2015 couldn't believe the changes that have been made during the past nine years.

At 4.00 pm the AGM was held in the Pritchard Suite at the hotel. Retiring Chairman, Peter Hunt, thanked everyone and handed over to the new Chairman Dick Stephens. Both Lesley and Liz remain as national treasurer and national secretary. Nigel Swain was voted in as the new Vice-Chairman. The weekend baton was handed over by Caroline from Shropshire to Maria from Derbyshire who will be hosting the next weekend in Wales.

Following our evening meal on Sunday, we did a 'bottle tombola' which raised £110 for the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund, bringing the total raised over the weekend to £583. Sunday evening finished with a quiz and dingbats.

Monday morning, after our last breakfast, we said a sad farewell to everyone and we hope that everyone who attended the Shropshire Weekend enjoyed themselves. Till the next weekend.

We would just like to say a big thank you to the hotel, the food was excellent and the staff were brilliant.

Lastly, Robyn and I would like to thank everyone who has messaged us thanking us for the weekend, it's very much appreciated.

View the photographs from the weekend in the gallery