Lantra Wales has provided vital expert training and qualifications for the environmental and land-based industries. To celebrate this, Lantra Wales are hosting an exclusive awards ceremony to be held on Thursday, 24th February 2022 at the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells.
Comperes for the ceremony include the BBC Wales presenter Rachael Garside and Aled Rhys Jones, Rural Business Consultant and Nuffield Farming Scholar. It has also been announced that the leading multimedia production company Telesgop, will be the awards’ media partner.
The awards ceremony will bring together other key partners, organisations, and individuals to recognise the initiatives, skills and enthusiasm of individuals pursuing careers within the environmental and land-based sectors.
Kevin Thomas, Director of Lantra Wales, said: “The Lantra Cymru Awards provide a platform to recognise and celebrate the outstanding contributions that individuals have made in the environmental and land-based sectors in Wales.
“If you know an individual that’s deserving of recognition in their field then please enter them and help celebrate this year’s successes. We would like to encourage all individuals, colleges and organisations to get involved and get nominating now!”
“We also value the support of Farming Connect in helping to put these Awards on”
There are 10 award categories in total that span a wide number of land-based sectors and build on new projects operating in horticulture and animal health and welfare.
Categories include College Learner of the Year (20 years and under), College Learner of the Year (21 years and over), Farming Connect Learner of the Year (under 40 and over 40 years), Farming Connect Farm Innovator Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award. The full list of eligible categories and their criteria’s can be found on the Lantra Wales website.
Award winners and runners up will be enlisted into the new Lantra Wales Ambassadors programme to champion skills development within the food and drink supply chain in Wales. A combination of resources and informal awareness raising will be made available to all ambassadors during the year.
The awards are free to enter, with the deadline for entries 12th November 2021. Judging will take place on the 13th and 14th December by a virtual panel of expert judges.
Judging will be undertaken by digital interview following a pre-selection process.
Award categories
1. “Learner of the Year Award – 20 years and under”
Open to students and candidates 20 years or under on the 1st January 2021, who are developing a career within the environmental and land-based industries and who have shown a commitment to vocational education and training since leaving school. Candidates could be full or part time students in college, apprentices, volunteers or employed.
Judged by: Lantra Cymru Awards Panel
2. “Learner of the Year Award – over 21 years”
Open to students and learners over 21 years, on the 1st January 2021, who has excelled in training and development and as a result benefited the business in which they work, the industry that they represent, or launched a successful enterprise of their own. Candidates could be full or part time students in college, apprentices, volunteers, employed, self-employed or business owners.
Judged by: Lantra Cymru Awards Panel
3. Farming Connect
Open to all Farming Connect Lifelong Learning clients who have undertaken training through the Farming Connect Programme since January 2016.
There are two categories
- For learners 40 and under on 1st January 2020
- For learners over 40 on 1st January 2020
Judged by: Lantra Cymru Awards Panel
4. Farm Innovator Award
Award to celebrate an individual who has demonstrated innovation and flexibility within a sustainable farming system through engagement with Farming Connect support. Judges will focus on how applicants approached, implemented, and recorded sustainable land management and climate change best practices on their holding.
Judged by: Lantra Cymru Awards Panel
5. Lifetime Achievement Award
Award to recognise outstanding and significant on-going contribution to the Land-based or Agri-Food sector in Wales.
Judged by: Lantra Cymru Awards Panel