20
Jun
Yorkshire Agricultural Society appoints new chair
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Yorkshire Agricultural Society, the organisation behind the Great Yorkshire Show, has today announced its new chair.
Paul Russell, chief executive of Russell's in Malton, will succeed the former chair, Rob Copley.
Mr Copley, who is also the owner of Farmer Copley’s farm shop and café in Pontrefract, has stepped down from the position after five years in post.
Mr Russell will lead Yorkshire Agricultural Society and support its chief executive, Alistair Nixon.
Alongside hosting the Great Yorkshire Show, which will return from July 8 to 11 this year, Yorkshire Agricultural Society also works to support and promote agriculture across the north of England.
Mr Russell has been involved in the society for more than 20 years and is a longstanding member of the charity's council - its governing body.
Having initially been a member of the Great Yorkshire Show trade stand committee, Mr Russell has also served on the society's audit and investment committee and chaired the renumeration committee.
Mr Russell followed in his father’s footsteps, who was also part of the trade committee and a Yorkshire Agricultural Society trustee.
The father-of-two, who lives in York but is originally from Pickering, has described his appointment as a “huge honour”.
As chair of trustees, Mr Russell will now lead the team that oversees the society and the organisation of the county’s biggest agricultural show.
He said today:
It’s a huge honour, first and foremost, but also, equally, a big responsibility. I am a passionate supporter of all that the society does and I’m keen that we keep maintaining a great show and also talk about all the things we do aside from the show all-year round to support and promote farming. The diversity of what the society offers, since I started 20-odd years ago, has developed enormously.
The new chair, who has a degree in engineering with business studies, spent a decade working at ING Finance, where he took up roles in underwriting and operations before progressing to director of national accounts.
He became the fifth generation of his family to run Russell's in 2001.
The farm machinery and ground equipment company dates back to 1849 and has exhibited at the Great Yorkshire Show nearly every year since the show launched.
It has 12 outlets across Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
Russell's also supplies equipment and staff to support Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s educational events on farming, food and the countryside.
Mr Russell added:
One of my passions is to get more young people into agriculture and I’m excited by what impact the society can have by engaging with young people across the region.
My job as chair is to pull together the wealth of experience and knowledge across various industries that our council members and trustees have to ensure the best use all of the resources we have in support of agriculture across Yorkshire and the north of England.
Former chair Mr Copley, who will continue to be a member of Yorkshire Agricultural Society's council and work as a food hall steward at the Great Yorkshire Show, today said:
It has been a great privilege to chair the society for the last five years. During that time, the society led the way nationally in holding the Great Yorkshire Show under COVID restrictions.
We have also welcomed a new CEO and a new show director, putting the society in a fantastic position to build on its success at the heart of farming, food and the countryside.
Alistair Nixon, the show’s chief executive, also said:
We are excited to be working even more closely with Paul in his new role as chair of the society to build on the excellent progress the society made during Rob’s tenure.
Over the last five years, the society has taken great strides, expanding its charitable support, ensuring the continued success of the Great Yorkshire Show [and] undergoing a major rebrand to improve synergy across.
The Great Yorkshire Show, which attracts 140,000 visitors and sees 8,500 animals exhibited over four days, will return for the 166th time next month.
Tickets are on sale now.
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