Suffolk Village of the Year 2023

Stanningfield and District Agricultural Club

Contents

Meetings

All meetings are on Tuesday evenings at 7.30 pm in Cockfield Village Hall unless stated otherwise.

Contact

For information about the Club and its activities please email stannag.club@cockfield.org.uk

Club History

In 1942/43 the Ministry of Agriculture needed to educate farmers and encourage them to pull together as part of the Nations war effort. Local farmers set up The Stanningfield and District Agricultural Club with a little inducement from the ministry and devised a programme of meetings and farm visits to discuss various farming issues and to share knowledge and skills. This proved to be enjoyable and successful and farm workers were then also invited to attend. This was followed by the inclusion of the Chadacre Farming College students who attended as part of their course work. Young farmers clubs also joined and today’s club has developed from the success of this body of people with a common sense of belonging to a local community and a love of the countryside.

With changes over the following decades the club became a more social body to include people with lifestyles related to farming and others engaged with countryside pursuits. The club also arranged annual Country Shows for people to display their skills and enjoy friendly competition. This is believed to be the forerunner such events as the South Suffolk Show.

Today the Club has changed little in many aspects other than keeping pace with current trends of work and leisure time. An annual programme of regular meetings with visiting speakers on all aspects of country life is arranged. Farmers are pleased to talk of developments on their farms and the club members are often invited to meet on each other units to be shown around and enjoy true friendly hospitality. The programme also includes a Cereal and Beet competition with trophies awarded to the best contributors. An annual quiz between teams from the club, Chadacre old Students Association and Young Farmers Clubs keeps tradition alive. The ladies of the club run a special Ladies Night and they compete with baking or handicraft displays. A carol singing event raises monies for charity and, of course, a well earned dinner completes the year’s activities.

The club still welcomes new members and meets approximately twice each month throughout the year in Cockfield Village Hall. A friendly body of people happy to maintain a true and happy lifestyle representing Village peoples love of country living.

Scroll to top