2018 Golf AM/AM Tournament

Having had such an awful start to 2018 weather wise, the Association’s golf committee would never have dared dream that both the weather and golf course could have been so perfect for the Annual Golf Tournament on Thursday 10th May 2018.

As always this is event is open to both members and non-members of the Association and we would like to thank all those companies who entered teams as well as those companies who kindly sponsored this event.

Our sincere thanks to Brough Golf Club for once again agreeing to host our annual event, your hospitality and catering was once again first class and extremely efficient.  A huge thanks to the green keeping staff who must have worked tirelessly to get the course to such a high standard it was fantastically presented as always and finally, thank you to the Pro Shop for being so helpful sorting out all the prizes for us.

As always we take this opportunity to do some fundraising for charity.  The Association’s ethos has always been to offer continual support, where possible to its nominated charities.  For the eighth year now the Association has donated the funds from the golf raffle to a local children charity in Hull called, KIDS Yorkshire and Humber and we are thrilled to announce we have now donated over £5,000 to this charity over the years.  Full details about KIDS can be found on www.kids.org.uk/yorkshire-humber  it is a great charity that does some incredible work and the Association is delighted to offer financial support to such a worthy cause.

Mark Woodall is pictured presenting Claire Crosby, Senior Fundraiser for KIDS with a cheque for £750 and Claire kindly presented the prizes to the winning teams.

Well done to the overall winders of the 2018 tournament with a score of 86, Jim Wraith, Andrew Cooke, Hugh Bethell and Bob Kerr from James Mortimer Ltd.

Second place went to Mark Woodall, John Shaw, Joe Dewhirst and Dan Chamberlain from the first of two teams entered by Thames Valley Cambac Ltd with a score of 73.

With only one point in it, Phil Woodall, Rob Beckett, Mick Sloyan and Marcus Cheale from the second team from Thames Valley Cambac Ltd came third with a score of 72.  Also in hot pursuit with a score of 72 was the team from Yorkshire Feedstuffs – Gina Brown, Steve Gibbons, James Buckley and Richard Lister, they were beaten into fourth place with a count back score of 35 versus 31.

Additional prizes were awarded for the nearest the pin and longest drive. 

Nearest the Pin:

Hole   Name                Team

3        Tim Bradshaw     Thompsons of York Ltd

6        Dave Chadwick   I’Anson Bros Ltd

9        Dave Beecroft     E D & F Man Liquid Products  Ltd

13       Dave Beecroft     E D & F Man Liquid Products Ltd

17       Malcolm Walker  Custom Business Ltd

Longest Drive:

10        John Shaw         Thames Valley Cambac Ltd, A Team

85th President for the Association

Further to the Association’s Annual General Meeting & Executive Committee Meeting held on Thursday 24th January 2018.  The Association would like to announce that Tom Windscheffel from Cargill plc is the newly elected President of the Association.

He has succeeded Robert Brocklesby from Adams and Green Ltd who held the post for five years.  The Committee expressed huge thanks to Rob for his loyal service and for steering the Association so well over the years.

Rob said “It has been my pleasure to serve as President for the Association for the last five years, (six dinners) and I know that under Tom’s guise and leadership the Association will go from strength to strength. I will of course, continue to offer my support from the side lines of the Executive Committee!”

He also wanted to add “As the Association continues to commit to delivering two trade awareness courses a year to both new starters and established players within the industry; I would like to thank all those companies that make this possible.”

Global Agricultural Commodities Seminar

Around forty people attended the seminar, entitled "Helping You Grow in More Ways Than One". presented by Mark Feight Managing Director of International Agribusiness Group on Thursday 19th October 2017..

We hope those of you who attended the seminar found it to be extremely useful, thought provoking and interesting.  

Should you wish to have a copy of the presentation please contact the office as we do have a .pdf version we can send out.

Annual Dinner 2017

Well, it is fair to say that the Association’s Annual Dinner was a resounding success with 357 members, guests and distinguished top table guests all attending the event.  This is the third highest number of attendees at the Dinner since it became an annual event back in 2007.

The Executive Committee would like to extend a very big thank you to all the companies who bought tickets for the Dinner because without their support this event would not be the success it is and hope they can rely on your support again for the 2018 Annual Dinner.

The evening started off with a lovely champagne reception, (kindly sponsored by the Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel, Willerby) and the menu was carefully themed around Hull in recognition of Hull’s status of City of Culture for 2017. Every October Hull hosts one of Europe’s largest travelling funfairs which dates back to 1278.  The starter and dessert were based on two of the traditional foods found at the fair. 

The “Hull Pattie” is made using potatoes, sage and onion covered in batter and deep fried and served with chips and mushy peas.  There is no fish in a traditional “Hull pattie”.  The same Company has been selling this supper from the same stall since the start of the 19th century.

It is often said by locals that you haven’t been to the fair unless you buy a bag of brandy snap and as with the Hull pattie, there is one company synonymous with this product.  The reason it is called brandy snap is unclear as it contains no brandy, but one of the theories is that the name comes from “brandy schnap” which means being burnt and was probably created by accident!

It was with great sadness that the evening was dedicated to Mrs Anne Stephenson the Association’s first lady secretary who sadly passed away in May and Mr Dave Norris from “Norris blog” a keen  supporter of the Association and regular attendee at the Dinner who passed away in March. Anne and Dave where both larger than life characters who enjoyed life to the full and will be sadly missed by all that knew them.

 The Prize Draw on the evening raised a staggering £2,971.50 and Robert Brocklesby; the Association’s President presented Mrs Sally Conner with a cheque for £2000 for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (R.A.B.I.).  The Association’s ethos is to offer, when possible, consistent and continual support to its chosen charities and are proud to be able once again to offer this financial support to such a worthy and closely linked charity.

The Association prides itself on being a friendly, formal Dinner and guests heard a jovial speech by Robert Brocklesby about the Association’s activities for the year before being entertained by a professional award winning comedian, Gary Marshall.

Should you like a copy of any of the photographs on the website, please do not hesitate in contacting the office to arrange a copy.

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Pig & Poultry Production Process Trade Awareness Course

The Association held it's Pig & Poultry Trade Awareness Course on Tuesday 5th & Wednesday 6th September 2017.  If you ever want to know how to look "cool" in overalls, please contact Philip Woodall. 

Our sincere thanks to all our host companies for allowing us the opportunity to visit their premises and giving up their valuable time to show us around.

Hull's UK City of Culture 2017 Trade Awareness Course

Hull’s UK City of Culture Trade Awareness Course, 16th & 17th May 2017

With Hull being UK’s City of Culture 2017, the timing couldn’t be better for the Association to run a trade awareness course in and around the City.

The eleven delegates who attended the course were given a first-hand experience of the many different and diverse industries in the area.  Where better to start than with a tour of Associated British Ports in Hull, including a visit to IBL Bulk Liquids, one of the numerous companies based at the Port before heading off to their storage plant along a tributary of the Humber.  After an enjoyable working lunch everyone headed off to Vivergo Fuels, situated further along the Humber.  The day ended with a visit to the Great Newsome Brewery for a guided tour, as well as a well-earned sample or two!

Once back at the hotel, the delegates had the opportunity to take a guided walking tour of Hull’s Old Town.  The tour included walking through the High Street where many of the Corn Merchants and Traders originally had their offices as well as passing The Pacific which was purpose built for the Hull Corn Trade Association Ltd in 1910. The Old Town has become quite famous over recent years and has been used as a set location for several films recently.  Luckily it was a lovely evening and everyone enjoyed the opportunity to stretch their legs and have some fresh air after a hectic day. 

Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t on our side for day two as it rained on and off most of the day.  Not to be perturbed, the delegates braved the elements for a look at New Holland Bulk Services.  Despite the weather, they continued on to Adams & Green Ltd in North Cave where they bravely walked around the newly opened anaerobic digester plant.  Again, the delegates enjoyed a lovely working lunch before moving onto the final visit of the day: the Oil Seed Rape Crushing plant owned by Cargill plc.  Luckily here, the delegates had the luxury of being undercover for the majority of the time.

As always, the Association is very grateful to all the host companies for allowing us the opportunity to visit their premises and we recognise and appreciate the large amount of background work that was undertaken prior to our visit.

Having carefully reviewed the course questionnaires, we were delighted once again with the responses.  One of the main responses when asked what was most enjoyable during the course, was the opportunity to visit a variety of different places and broadening perspectives of the industry as well as the opportunity to meet like minded people from within the trade.  We recognise there is still a large demand for these types of courses and are always looking for ways to improve them. We assuredly continue our efforts to provide this vital service to our members.

Golf AM/AM Tournament 2017

This year’s Annual Golf Tournament was held on Thursday 11th May 2017, and once again, we were very fortunate the weather.  In fact, over the past ten years of holding the shotgun event, it has remarkably only rained twice.  Our tournament is open to members of the Association and non-members alike and being a shotgun event, everyone returns to the clubhouse at roughly the same time, making it an excellent opportunity to network and mingle.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Brough Golf Club for hosting our Annual Shotgun Golf Tournament.  We would especially like to thank the green keeping staff as the course was fantastically presented for the day and proved to be a real challenge.  We received numerous positive comments about the course during, as well as after, the event.  Credit must also go to the bar and catering staff that provided a lovely meal with excellent service.  Last but no means least, we must send our gratitude to the Pro Shop for their assistance in sorting out all of the prizes.

Congratulations to the overall winners of the tournament; Yorkshire Shipping Ltd with a score of 87.  As Association members, they were also the winners of the Hull Corn and Feed Trade Association Ltd trophy.  The team was captained by Carlo Urbanowicz who was joined by his team: Jon Hinks, Richard Lister and Ian Jeffrey. 

A close second place went to IBL Bulk Liquids, who also had a score of 87 but missed out on the top spot due to Yorkshire Shipping’s better back nine.  IBL’s team consisted of Ian Desmonde, Darren Robinson, Martin Ward and David Lines. 

Third place went to Jim Wraith, Hugh Bethell, Andrew Cooke and Sam Middleton from James Mortimer Ltd with a score of 81,

To add another dimension of competition to the event,  the Association has in the past offered a prize for a hole in one. However, this year it was agreed to bring in some changes and have nearest the pin on various holes instead.  Below are the winners of the nearest the pin and longest drive competition:-

Hole 3                   Richard Bradley from Thames Valley Cambac Ltd

Hole 6                   Paul Sullivan from Appollo Ltd

Hole 9                   Eric Lusby from Appollo Ltd

Hole 13                 Andy Dickins from AB Agri

Hole 17                 Robert Mackay from Thomas Mawer Ltd

Hole 10                 Sam Middleton from James Mortimer Ltd (longest drive)

As is customary, the Association held a raffle to raise funds in support of a local charity.  For the past seven years we have supported the charity called KIDS Yorkshire and the Humber who have been working with disabled children and their families in Hull since 1988.  This year we were delighted to present them with a cheque for £750 thanks to the proceeds of the raffle.  Further details about this charity can be found on their websitewww.kids.org.uk/yorkshire-humber.

And finally, we would like to thank the Companies who regularly support this event.  We appreciate times are tough both economically and time wise and we are grateful that you choose to support this event and hope to see you all again next year on Thursday 10th May 2018.

Mrs Anne Stephenson

It is with great sadness that we report Mrs Anne Stephenson, the Association’s first lady secretary has died after battling with long-term illness.

She leaves behind her daughter, Debbie and husband of over 40 years Alf.  Anne retired as Company Secretary on the 1st June 2007 having worked for the Association for the last 19 years.  She continued to attend the Annual Dinner as a guest of Thomas Mawer Ltd until a few years ago when her health started to deteriorate.

Records show that Anne started working as an Administrative Assistant for the then Company Secretary, Mr Ron Lang in 1988. 

Mr Lang retired in 1993 having served as Company Secretary for some 27 years.  He was succeeded by a Mr Alan Spiers who only served in the post for two years.

The Association’s minute book from the 10th May 1995 makes reference to Alan Spiers resignation and records that “The Chairman informed the Committee that when Ron Lang retired two years ago the offer was made to Mrs Anne Stephenson to take over the secretary-ship and considered it appropriate that she should be approached again.  It was proposed by Robert Spriggs that subject to her final acceptance, Anne Stephenson be appointed as Company Secretary for the Hull Corn Trade Association.”

The rest as they say is history, Anne flourished in the role and turned many of the gentlemen’s heads at the biannual Dinners held at the Guildhall, but that was just Anne she had a truly charismatic personality and would light up a room whenever she walked in with her smile.

Despite Anne retiring 10 years ago, she has kept in regular contact with the Association and was always interested to know what was happening.  She was a lovely lady who will be sorely missed by all who knew her, may she can rest in peace.   Our thoughts are with Alf and Debbie at this very sad time.