ESSEX Young Farmers are keeping busy, even though the weather is still not being kind to us.

The Wix club won the football at our eastern area competition and will now be going to the nationals to represent Essex, along with our senior public speaking team, Halstead, who will also be representing Essex. We wish everyone involved good luck.

We are all working hard preparing for one of our biggest events of the year, our annual show which is being held on Sunday, May 19 at Boyton Hall, Roxwell. This will be a wonderful day out for everyone so please come along. You can buy your tickets in advance or on the gate on the day.

Colchester Young Frmers are holding an auction of promises on April 20 in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust, in support for one of their active club member’s brother who has recently been diagnosed with cancer, and like him Colchester are aiming to try to raise a fantastic amount towards the charity.

All our clubs do a lot of fund raising for different charities each year through parties, muck runs, running bars at events, and many more ways. Maldon are holding their annual clay shoot this month too with, as always, all proceeds go to charity. Good luck to all and we hope you raise a lot of money for charity.

We all got together a few weeks ago and took part in our annual stock judging competition where the Brentwood club were outstanding in their judging of beef, dairy, sheep and pigs, and took first place, but well done to everybody who took part. We are now preparing for farm valuation, another countryside event where club members team up and value items of machinery, buildings, deadstock and more, at a secret location (so no cheating beforehand!)

We are all looking forward to our Prelims day on April 14, with a Disney theme of indoor and outdoor activities. Our clubs will be going head to head to earn points to see how many members they can fit in a potato box, or naming that Disney film, taking part in a ATV challenge and much, much more entertainment to keep every one amused, finishing with the first rounds of tug of war, a very important sport for Essex, getting everyone prepared for the Young Farmers Show, where the tug of war finals take place, for men and women.

We hope everybody has had a lovely Easter break, we all certainly enjoyed a few Easter Egg hunts around farm yards, and barns. Please take a look at our website for information on our show; any queries at all please contact our office. Contact us at www.essexyoungfarmers.com, office@essexyfc.co.uk or 01245 360442.

n Diary Dates: April 7, Farm Valuation; April 14, Prelims Day; April 20, Colchester YFC Auction of Promises; April 21, Maldon YFC Clay Shoot.