The Morley Agricultural Foundation (TMAF) is a Charitable Trust run by a Board of Trustees, appointed by an Advisory Council of 14 members, which meets twice a year (normally in January and June) to discuss matters affecting the Foundation, decide our grant awards and hear from the people and research we currently invest in.
The Board of Trustees currently includes the following members:
Richard is the farm manager of a local farming business growing arable crops on its own land and for others on contract farming arrangements. The land is all entered into environmental stewardship schemes. Richard says, “I am pleased to have the opportunity to serve TMAF, an organisation that I have held in high regard for many years”.
Sue is an independent crop consultant with a long association with Morley as a member, on the Experiments committees and TMAF advisory committee. Throughout, she's greatly valued the work done and the information produced which she regards as key to giving independent advice to farmers.
She is a member of the Association of Independent Crop Consultants and a director of Norfolk FWAG.
Outside work, Sue is chair of her local RNLI branch and local tennis club.
Simon is a Partner of Irelands, Arnolds Keys and heads their specialist agricultural and rural property team. He joined the firm in 1983, straight from the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester, where he studied Rural Estate Management. He is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), and a fellow of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV). Originally from Hampshire, Simon now lives in North Norfolk. He is the current Chairman of the Aylsham Agricultural Show Association and is a past President of the Norfolk Association of Agricultural Valuers. Simon has particular interest in the estate and property affairs of TMAF.
Ben runs a family farm, alongside his father Mark, at Flixton on the Norfolk-Suffolk border. Predominately heavy soil, they focus on a mainly combinables rotation as well as some sugar beet and peas, with contract farming agreements running alongside their owned land. Ben achieved a first class degree from Newcastle University in Agriculture with Farm Business Management, with his dissertation ‘The Carbon Footprint of UK Arable Farms’ being an area which he believes there will be much more focus in years to come. Outside of agriculture Ben enjoys sports, including playing rugby for Southwold, running and cycling.
Christine is a director of a family farm in mid-Norfolk which grows combinable crops (mainly grass for seed), sugar beet, potatoes and dwarf beans and runs a small suckler beef enterprise. Having been a science teacher, she is particularly interested in agricultural education and research and was a member of the Governing Body at Easton College, Norfolk, for almost 19 years and was a Board member of the Morley Research Centre before joining TMAF. She is also a Council member of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association. Christine takes particular interest in educational projects that TMAF invests in.
Patrick runs a family business based in Suffield near North Walsham. He has a mixed farming system with finishing pig, combinable crops, vining peas, sugar beet, and AD feedstock, along with contract farming on neighbouring farms. Patrick is delighted to be joining the TMAF trustees as he believes that farming can only get stronger when working with science, communication, and education. One of his drivers is plant nutrition and finding different nutrient sources while making the best use of the resources we have. Away from the farm he is involved in North Walsham Rugby Club, coaching the mini’s after playing for many years. He also enjoys cycling and skiing.
Stephen is a retired research scientist with a BSc in Biochemistry and a PhD in Plant Physiology. He studied plant physiology/biochemistry/genetics in the UK and USA before returning to lead a research programme at the John Innes Centre in Norwich. After twenty years of research, winning over £6m in competitive research grants, publishing over 60 peer-reviewed research papers, and undertaking a wide variety of management roles Stephen moved on to become the Science Operations Manager at John Innes Centre. He uses his expertise and scientific background to ensure TMAF invests in the best quality research.
Nick has been involved with Morley for over thirty years. His career was in practical farm management and he has always been interested in the technical and production side of agriculture. He now works as a consultant with a local company. He is very pleased that TMAF is able to provide funding for quality research and development, and that it is helping young people develop their careers.
