The Farmers Mart Dec-Jan 2018 - Issue 54 | Page 45

FAIRCHILDS LODGE 45
• DEC/JAN 2018
Awards’ in 2008 and 2010. Farm
Business award the ‘Beautiful
Farm’ awards to those within the
farming industry who can run a
successful business and care for
the environment around them.
Andrew has also won the ‘Syn-
genta Award’ for Biodiversity pro-
jects in 2011 as well as the RSPCA
‘Nature of Farming’ award in 2012,
along with various other awards.
Andrew is also actively involved
with the education initiative,
‘Growing Schools’ which is run by
the Department of Education and
Skills.
“I want to get the message
across to everyone that farmers
are essential to keeping the coun-
tryside looking the way it does.
I also want to get more children
interested in planting.”
He believes there is a big dis-
connect between people and the
food we eat. Which is why An-
drew is a big advocate of bringing
the subject of farming and food
production to the younger gener-
ation. Fairchilds tailor visits to the
farm for schools and organisa-
tions, catering for small groups of
adults right up to a coach load of
school children.
Over the years Andrew and
the farm has faced plenty of
challenges that have included
localised flooding, not receiving
single farm payments on time
through to the fluctuating global
wheat prices. Yet none of this has
deterred him from his passion for
farming.
Outside of farming Andrew
likes to keep himself busy, along
with being outside his comfort
zone. An accomplished public
speaker, he delivered speeches in
several prestigious locations such
as Oxford Union, St.James Palace,
Windsor Castle and the Houses of
Parliament. He talks about his life
as a farmer, work with the Nation-
al Farmers Union (NFU) and the
year he spent as the High Sherriff
of Rutland.
More recently he started per-
forming stand up comedy, taking
part in the ‘Stand up Challenge
Leicester 2017’. Six members of
the Leicester and Leicestershire
business community took to the
stage to perform a 5-minute rou-
tine each. All proceeds from the
evening went to a local charity.
Andrew was the overall winner
of the night and since this debut
performance has gone on to per-
form further gigs in London.
Going forward Andrew intends
to continue performing the stand-
up comedy, even though he
‘ I want to get the
message across
to everyone that
farmers are
essential to keeping
the countryside
looking the
way it does.
’
finds stepping out in front of an
audience a terrifying experience,
but he does like to be outside his
comfort zone. Moreover, Andrew
has also started a law degree at
DE Montfort University and was
recently elected as a student
Union Rep.
Andrew is definitely someone
who doesn’t like to stay still for
long, leading a very busy work
and social life, a gentleman who
is passionate about farming and
conservation. Someone who’s
proud to say he’s a farmer.