Pembrokeshire farmer winner of the Brynle Williams Memorial Award 

Young farmer, Bryn Perry, from Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire has been awarded the Brynle Williams Memorial Award for 2021.

The Brynle Williams Memorial Award, celebrates the huge contribution made by the late Brynle Williams to Welsh agriculture, both as an Assembly Member and as a farmer. The Award was established in 2011 and this year the Award celebrates the achievements of young farmers who have excelled in the Welsh Government’s Mentro/Venture programme which supports new entrants to establish Share Farming agreements with landowners.

The Award went to a first-generation farmer, Bryn Perry, who is in his early 30s. He is currently a tenant on a Pembrokeshire Council Farm running a small sheep dairy enterprise. With a degree in business management and having worked in various industries and roles in the past, it has always been an ambition of Bryn’s to work in agriculture on his own farm.

Along with his partner Becca and young daughter, the family keep a flock of around 120 East Friesian ewes – a breed renowned for the quality of their milk.

Bryn has utilised the Farming Connect Venture programme to establish a successful partnership with local dairy sheep farmers. He has also participated in the Farming Connect personal development programmes including the Agri Academy and Business Bootcamp as well as took advantage of subsidised training relevant to food processing.

Bryn Perry said,

“None of my achievements would have been possible without all these services available to me. They boosted my confidence and introduced me to a network of new rural contacts and skills that I needed to set up my own rural business.”

Bryn was announced winner at last night’s (Thursday 24 February) Gwobrau Lantra Cymru Awards, where the talents of Wales’s top environmental and land-based individuals and businesses were recognised and celebrated.

Commenting on the awards Kevin Thomas, Director of Lantra Cymru Wales, said,

“The Lantra Cymru Awards highlights the outstanding contributions and achievements of all our winners and runner-ups who work within Wales’ environmental and land-based industries as well as the many rewarding careers available in the industry. I know the judges were very impressed again with the quality of nominations and I would like to congratulate all winners and finalists.

“We are of course very grateful to have the support of a range of people and organisations who make holding an event like this possible, including our media partner, Telesgop. We are pleased to have worked alongside the Food Skills Cymru, Future Farmers of Wales, Tyfu Cymru, and the Brynle Williams Memorial Awards, all giving a platform to recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements within the agriculture, horticulture and food and drink manufacturing sectors.

“We are also grateful to the continued support of Farming Connect in helping us with these Awards.”

Now in their 27^th year, the awards were judged by leading Welsh agricultural Mr Peter Rees, chair of Lantra Wales, presided over this year’s selection panel which included agricultural Health & Safety expert Brian Rees; Dr Nerys Llewelyn Jones, founder and managing partner of Agri Advisor solicitors and Kevin Thomas, Director of Lantra Wales.

The full list of the Gwobrau Lantra Cymru Awards 2021 winners and runners-up is as follows:

College Young Learner of the Year Award – 20 years and under

Winner: Elin Protheroe (Beulah, Llanwrtyd Wells)

Runner-up: Hefin Owen (Llanrwst)

Runner-up: Morgan Jones (Glan Conwy)

Highly Commended: Caitlin Mann (Llangollen)

College Lifelong Learner of the Year Award – over 21 years

Winner: Emma Roberts (Llangollen)

Runner-up: Cai Roberts (Penrhyndeudraeth)

Farming Connect Young Learner of the Year

Winner: Tomas Richards (Hay-on-Wye)

Runner-up: Sarah Evans (Pentyrch, Cardiff)

Runner-up: Rebecca Williams (Llandrindod Wells)

Farming Connect Lifelong Learner of the Year

Winner: Tracey Price (Llanidloes)

Runner-up: Linda Evans (Penmaen, Swansea)

Farming Connect Progressive New Entrant

Winner: Thomas Phillips (Goodwick, Pembrokeshire)

Farming Connect Public Engagement Award

Winner: Cheryl Reeves (Bangor on Dee)

Farming Connect Animal Health and Welfare

Winner: Kim Brickell (Kilgetty)

Runner-up: Rhys Roberts (Wrexham)

Farm Innovator

Winner: Patrick Elliott (Kilgetty)

Runner-up: Ceredig Evans (Holyhead)

Tyfu Cymru Award

Winner: Derwen Garden Centre (Welshpool)

Runner-up: Vale Pick Your Own (Vale of Glamorgan)

Food Skills Cymru Large Business Category

Winner: Glanbia Cheese Ltd (Llangefni)

Runner-up: Randall Parker Foods (Llanidloes)

Highly Commended: Burton’s Biscuits (Llantarnum, Cwmbran)

Food Skills Cymru SME Business Category

Winner: Radnor Hills Mineral Water Ltd (Heartsease, Knighton)

Runner-up: South Caernarfon Creameries (Pwllheli)

Highly Commended: Glamorgan Brewing (Pontyclun)

Food Skills Cymru Micro Business Category

Winner: In The Welsh Wind Distillery (Tanygroes, Ceredigion)

Runner-up: Bluestone Brewing (Cilgwyn, Newport)

Highly Commended: Castell Gwyn Ltd (Rhuddlan, Denbighshire)

Future Farmers of Wales

Winner: Morgan Tudor (Llanerfyl, Powys)

Brynle Williams Memorial Award

Winner: Bryn Perry (Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Winner: Dai Jones Llanilar

Farming Connect was the main sponsor and leading multimedia production company Telesgop, was the awards’ media partner.

Over the past quarter of a century Lantra Cymru Wales has provided vital expert training and qualifications for the environment and land-based industries.

Award winners and runners up will be enlisted into the new Lantra Cymru Wales Ambassadors programme to champion skills development within the food and drink supply chain in Wales. A combination of resources and informal awareness raising will be made available to all ambassadors during the year.

To learn more about the Gwobrau Lantra Cymru Awards, visit https://www.wales.lantra.co.uk/news/lantra-cymru-awards-2021-call-entries