2008 BALE Award Results Announced
The BALE Award is the farming diversification competition organised by the Suffolk Agricultural Association in partnership with sponsors Ashton Graham Solicitors.
Held annually it aims to find the best farm diversification business in the Region. Ten businesses entered the 2008 competition from across the Region - Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex.
This year's judges were the SAA's President - Lady Tollemache, Jonathan Long of Ashton Graham, and last year's BALE winner Sally Bendall of Hollow Trees Farm Shop. The competition was judged on 13th and 14th October and in making their decisions the judges considered the history of the business and its relationship with the farming business; how the business contributed to the local economy; the skills used in setting up the business, and how the income and profitability of the business has grown since its inception.
Malcolm and Glenda Stennett of Genevieve Farms, winning enterprise, Park Farm Business Centre is a range of obsolete agricultural buildings that have been converted into high quality office space as well as landscaping grounds for a stress free working environment. In a highly competitive market the judges felt that the Stennetts enterprise outshone the normal Business Parks. It is geographically well placed and is in high demand from global companies which signifies its high success rate of occupancy with a significant waiting list. "Having won the BALE Award in 1994 it's tremendous to have won it for a second time, showing that we are continuing on the right track" said Glenda Stennett. "Its great to have the endorsement of this great Award given the very high standards of competition" said Malcolm Stennett. The winners received the Ashton Graham Challenge Cup and a cash prize of £1000 to spend on the business.
Second place and £250 prize money was awarded to John Carrick, for Castle Farm, near Dereham, Norfolk. Having converted a redundant and derelict Victorian brick and tile barn to an events venue, Castle Farm now specialises in wedding receptions, conferences and corporate events. An adjacent grain store built 1966, was also incorporated to raise capacity to 250 covers and all bar, catering, organising and event management is undertaken in house.
The Best Newcomer Award and £250 prize money was awarded to John Keeble of John R Keeble & Son (Brantham) Ltd for the YHA Stour Valley Bunkhouse. The Bunkhouse at Brantham Hall provides superb budget accommodation and facilities and has had a busy and successful first year of trading.
A £100 prize money was presented for the best 'Green' enterprise and the winners were Nigel and Christine Oakley for Rede Hall Farm. Rede Hall Farm Park comprises two well appointed holiday cottages with ensuite facilities and Spa tub, offices and laboratories leased by a civil engineering company, workshops and day centre leased to Millennium Farm Trust (charity for adults with learning difficulties). They also have three acres of land to grow their own produce and run a Suffolk Horse breeding and training centre schooling both people and horses. The farm is also run as a wildlife conservation project.
Certificates of Merit were awarded to Robert Paul for Suffolk Food Hall, Wherstead; Robert Gooch, for Wild Meat Company in Blaxhall; James Strachan for Rendham Hall and Joanna Burroughs of E S Burroughs & Son for their six self catering cottages at Wheatacre Hall nr Beccles.
Commenting on this year's competition, head judge Jonathan Long said "Helping and inspiring farmers and landowners to find alternative sources of income particularly when profitability is under pressure is surely a very important part of the role of an agricultural association. One thing that I certainly didn't anticipate when I first started judging the competition back in 1992 was just how difficult it would be, and this year was no exception. Prize winners or not, each entry this year was very impressive"