The Farmers Mart Oct/Nov 2016 - Issue 48 | Page 44

Sheep

ADDINGTON FUND LAUNCHES NEW
SCHEME FOR SHEEP FARMERS IN NEED
Sheep farming has always been a tough call and during the past 15 years,
this hard-working sector has had more than its fair share of hardship.
»»SINCE 2001, THE ADDINGTON FUND
has supported many sheep farmers through
some awful times including Foot and
Mouth, flooding, wet winters, the terrible
last snows in the middle of lambing time
and serious flooding.
Now the Fund has launched a new
scheme, Tup 1 Ewe, to help raise vital funds
for farmers in need, which will see sheep
farmers donate live animals through auction
markets around England and Wales.
This innovative scheme enables sheep
farmers to nominate the sale proceeds of
ewes or lambs to the charity when arriving
at participating livestock markets around
England and Wales
“Farmers can donate a ewe and lamb or
lambs or they can give the progeny of the
ewe as a store or finished lamb,” explains
Ian Bell, Chief Executive, Addington Fund.

“The proceeds will then be sent to us direct
from the auctioneer and the funds raised
will support farming families in the region of
the mark et.”
This offers a lifeline to farmers in
desperate need of housing or emergency
funds, and The Fund has worked closely
with the Livestock Auctioneers Association
Council (Strutt & Parker LLP, Shearwell
Data and JG Animal Health are all
supporting the scheme) to formulate the
initiative and ensure it is convenient and
workable on busy sale days.
“We want to make donations easy and
practical for the farming community,” Ian
adds. “Livestock farmers have always been
incredibly supportive of our charity and this
offers a new and unique method of giving
money to a worthy and much needed
cause.

“The Livestock Auctioneers
Association Council is backing this
new campaign and we hope to add
more markets to our list of participating
partners in the coming months. Farmers
should look out for details at their local
market or ask their auctioneer,” he
explains.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Sheep farmers across England and
Wales are being asked to tup one ewe
for Addington and sell it with lamb(s) at
foot, or as a store or finished lamb later
in the year. Auctioneers at many markets
are supporting the scheme and the Fund
is planning to have some dedicated days
when it will have a run of ewes being
sold for Addington. Or you can take
along your individual ewe and simply
book it in Addington’s name.

SADDLEWORTH SHEPHERD SET TO
INVEST, THANKS TO NSA GIVEAWAY
»»AFTER SIGNING UP TO
become an NSA member just a
few months ago at NSA Sheep
2016, sheep farmer Darren
Hough is certainly seeing a
quick return on his investment.
He has been announced as a
winner in NSA’s penultimate
prize draw this year, taking
home a £200 voucher for
FecpakG2.
NSA has teamed up
with FecpakG2, Cox Agri/
Richey and JG Animal Health
to give away three £200
vouchers during a free prize
draw giveaways every other
month this year. New NSA
members are automatically
entered into the draw, as well
as existing members who
have recommend a friend or
neighbour to sign up to the

sheep farming association.
Darren is one of three winners
in the fifth of six draws for
2016.
Darren says: “I’m delighted
to have won this competition
and excited to put my £200
voucher to use, be it through
purchasing my own FecpakG2
kit or working with a vet. I
think it will be the latter, as a

44 Oct/Nov 2016 www.farmers-mart.co.uk

starting point, but whatever I
decide will certainly benefit my
flock.”
Based on the outskirts
of Saddleworth Moor near
Grasscroft, Greater Manchester,
Darren has had an involvement
in sheep all his life and runs a
commercial flock of 800 ewes
alongside a pedigree Texel
flock. He explains the two: “The

main of our commercial ewes
are put to the Texel, while some
of the smaller ewes are put to
the Suffolk to add weight for the
prime lamb trade. We also use
the Charollais on shearlings to
encourage easy lambing, which
takes place inside starting
mid-March. I established the
pedigree Texel flock in 1994
and subsequently decided to
start breeding my own rams
after finding it a challenge to
keep those I’d purchased alive
at 1,200 feet where I farm. I sell
surplus stock to other hill men,
my sell being that my rams will
live and thrive anywhere.
Full terms and conditions,
plus NSA membership
application forms, at www.
nationalsheep.org.uk/draw