- Location
- Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Trust Administrator Colin Smith, James Forrest and Chairman Stephen Cobbald
The Felix Thornley Cobbold Trust convened a conference at the Felix Cobbold Centre, Otley on Thursday 26th November to profile some of the ways in which agricultural improvement is being achieved in East Anglia with the help of grants from the Trust. To date 73 projects have received funding from the Trust.
In his introduction outgoing Trust Chairman Stephen Cobbald gave a short history of the Trust, it's founder and benefactor Felix Thornley Cobbold and a lead in to 5 current funded projects that were then presented to an invited audience.
The conference was entitled "Making A Difference" and as he handed over the Chairmanship to fellow Trustee James Forrest, it became clear how apt that title was with the variety and tangible relevance of the projects supported:
Two research projects from the Plant Pathology Department of the School of Life and Medical Sciences at The University of Hertfordshire; the appropriate control of Phoma stem canker and light leaf spot and preservation of yield in oilseed rape. Ongoing research papers undertaken by Thomas Sewell and Coretta Kloeppel. The latter paper was prsented by Professor Bruce Fitt as Coretta was attending her Grandmother's funeral. In his introduction, Professor Fitt observed that Coretta was a hands-on farmer's Daughter uniquely capable of combining her own OSR plots.
Educating young people "The Suffolk School Farm and Country Fair" was one of a range of educational projects supported by Trust funding by The Suffolk Agricultural Society. In making her presentation Hannah Woods, Education Officer, was a quick to observe that the SSFCF was likely to be the most positive outcome from the enforced countryside lock down due to Foot and Mouth in 2001 and has gone from strength to strength.
The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust's work in wildlife conservation was recognised with a bursary supporting their work in "Saving the Grey Partridge"
Finally a lively and upstanding project presentation showcasing the practical guidance given by professionals to farmers for them in turn to evangelise in an attractive and engaging manner on why "Farming Is Magic"
Nowadays the Felix Cobbold Trust is a £10m Trust with an annual discretionary disposable income of £200,000.
Attending Eton and Cambridge Felix Thornely Cobbold was a brewer, banker and landowner near Felixstowe. Bucking the family traditions, Cobbold entered parliament as a Liberal representing first Stowmarket then Ipswich.
Upon his death in 1909, a Trust was set up. Initially this Trust was holding land in trust in the Hadleigh area as 20-30 acre allotments for starter units; maybe the forerunner to the County Council starter holdings. These "allotments" proved unmanageable in practice and the land was regrouped as one holding at Otley
A 9 strong board of Trustees now manage the process of awarding annual bursaries
More information on the Trust can be found at www.felixcobboldtrust.org.uk
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