Gareth Jones, Rhug Estate Farm Manager, won Rural Employee of the Year at last night’s Rural Business Awards Wales & Northern Ireland Region 2018/19 and Rhug Estate has come Runner-up in the Outstanding Rural Diversification Project category.
The Wales & Northern Ireland winners of the Rural Business Awards were announced on Tuesday night in Abergele. As the winner of the Wales region, Gareth will now go on to the Grand Final, to be held in Worcestershire in February 2019, where the winners from each category, in every region, will take part to win the overall national title.
Lord Newborough, Owner of Rhug Estate said, “This Award is recognition for all the hard work and passion Gareth puts into the farm here at Rhug and the Welsh farming industry. He has made a huge contribution to the overall success of Rhug Organic Farm over the last 25 years. He has also established himself as a highly respected member of many key organisations which help to inspire and guide the future development of farming in Wales. Gareth’s commitment goes further than his work at Rhug through his support of the local community, his pride in Welsh culture and language. Gareth is not only a pillar of Rhug he is also a pillar of the community.”
Gareth Jones said, “Thank you to Rhug for nominating me for this award, I am overwhelmed by the support of the rest of the team. I am delighted to have won this Award.”
The Rural Business Awards were established in 2014. Their aim is to give recognition to businesses operating right across the rural sector, to acknowledge the breadth and depth of opportunity presented by the Great British countryside, as well as to celebrate the achievements of rural businesses.
The Rural Business Award for Outstanding Rural Diversification Project aimed to recognise those that demonstrate a compelling justification for diversification and who have established a strong position in their marketplace. The winning businesses will have created the foundations for continued operation and will address the Award’s overarching ethos by demonstrating diversification – branching out from traditional activities by adding new income streams which result in growth. The winner was the Bluestone Brewing Company, Pembrokeshire, with Rhug Estate coming runners-up.
Lord Newborough said, “We are delighted to have walked away with a prize in both the categories we entered in this year’s Rural Business Awards. The team is always striving to do better and that is how it should be. It is nice for all the team to receive such recognition for all their hard work and dedication.”
Gareth is pictured after picking up the Runner Up Award.
Organic Beef