Your Leicestershire, Northants and Rutland county NFU update

Marie Charles

Marie Charles

LEICESTERSHIRE, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE & RUTLAND COUNTY ADVISER

We have two big events this month that are not to be missed!

Barbecue with NFU President Tom Bradshaw

Our next NFU county meeting is on 30 June and we will be joined by NFU President Tom Bradshaw.

The meeting, being held at Marston Lodge Farm, Sibbertoft Road, Marston Trussell (Market Harborough, LE16 9TT) will include a barbecue which will be a great chance to speak to Tom, who will also give an insightful update on ongoing NFU work.

There will be an opportunity for some questions before we enjoy some well-deserved, locally sourced food and, for some, a beer!

You need to book due to catering purposes, so please register as soon as possible. 

If you wish to register more than one person, please reuse the registration link accordingly.

LNR pre-harvest health and safety event

Safety on-farm is so important, for you and those around you, so please make sure you attend our pre-harvest safety day to esnure you're up to date with practical safety measures you can use in your farm business.

The event is on 24 June at Lyndon Lodge Farm, Kilby Road, Fleckney (Leicestershire, LE8 8BQ).

Here's the itinerary:

  • 8.30am | Delegates arrive. Breakfast rolls and refreshments available.
    9am - 9.20am | Welcome and farm safety overview by Sarah Stephens, NFU Farm Safety and Transport Adviser
  • 9.30am - 12.30pm | Group rotation between five stations, which include:
  • Chemical storage and fire safety presented by Leicestershire Fire Service | An overview of correct chemical storage to ensure it complies with current laws.
  • Trailer weights, towing, age restrictions and speeds presented by Sarah Stephens | Guidance on legal trailer weights and speeds, and information on towing rules and restrictions.  
  • Overhead power cables presented by National Grid | How to prevent machinery coming into contact with overhead power cables, and what to do if you hit or see someone hit one.
  • Farm security and preventing thefts presented by Leicestershire and Rutland Rural Crime Team | An update from the Rural Crime Unit on how to prevent farm thefts during the harvest season, including the use of Smart Water.
  • Guidance for serious on-farm accidents presented by RABI with a demo of FarmersAid | FarmersAid is a long-term initiative from RABI, designed to strengthen emergency preparedness across the farming community. It has been developed with clinical and frontline expertise to ensure guidance is accurate, practical and usable in real on-farm conditions. 

Refreshments on arrival at registration, a certificate of attendance, NRoSO and BASIS points are all available.

If you have more than one person attending with you, we ask that you please try and car share where possible.

Book your place online

Stay connected - join the NFU LNR WhatsApp group

Join our county WhatsApp group to keep up to date with the latest news and events.

Sign up to the group

 

Local news

Severn Trent’s Environmental Protection Scheme (STEPS)

STEPS 2026 is here

Familiar to many farmers, land agents and estate owners across our region, STEPS is part of our Farming for Water catchment management programme.

STEPS provides practical funding and expert advice to help farmers make improvements that work for their farms and support local water quality.

Every farm is different, and STEPS is designed to help farmers identify the right action for the right farm. Like STEPS 2025, STEPS 2026 is based around 6 core objectives, all of which are designed to support your farm and benefit water quality. 

Last date for application will be 11 December 2026.

For more information about STEPS and to apply please use the link attached.

To find your catchment click here

Apply here

Event

Join the Be The Change Curiosity Day

Join us for the first Be The Change Curiosity day at Sarah Bell's farm in Rutland on 18 June. She is one of three project farms on this year’s Carbon Calling coaching programme.

Meet at Old Oak Farm, Uppingham Road, Preston, Rutland, LE15 9NP for the morning, and then a guided farm walk at Manor Farm, Stoke Dry, Rutland LE15 9JG later.

During the day the event will be tackling the big questions shaping your farm’s future - from soil health and strategic tree planting to succession planning and diversified income streams.

The day will bring together the practical insights gathered during the Be The Change project, expert guidance and on-the-ground learning at Manor Farm.

Tickets are £25 (to cover lunch and hot drinks).

Start date

18 June 2026 at 10:30am

End date

18 June 2026 at 4:00pm

Location

Old Oak Farm, Uppingham Road, Preston, Rutland, LE15 9NP

Get more information and book tickets

Local news

RABI Return to School Grant 2026

As the new school year approaches, RABI is committed to helping thousands of school-aged children (4–16 years old) start September confident, equipped and ready to thrive. Grants of £200 per school-aged child (4–16 years old) are available, providing vital assistance to ease the financial burden and ensure every child has what they need to succeed.

To find out more visit the link attached.

Find out more

Local news

Anglian Water Farmer Training Grant

The grant is available to all farm/amenity land management businesses in the Anglian Water region.

It's aim is to raise knowledge of land management practices, with a focus on improving water quality, with particular focus on:

  • soil management
  • nutrient use efficiency 
  • reduced pesticide use / IPM e.g. FACTS, knowledge exchange events such as Groundswell

One grant of 50% of the training / event cost, up to a limit of £600 is available per farm / amenity land management business.

T&Cs - applications must be approved before course / event is booked and payment made.

  • One application per business for a single attendee from that business
  • Excludes legally required training e.g. PA courses and NRoSO annual update courses
  • Successful applications will be notified within 2 weeks of application being received
  • Successful applicants contact details will be shared securely with Ricardo Ltd to enable payment
  • Proof of payment must be submitted to Ricardo Ltd before 1st March 2027 or grant funding may be lost

Application closing date 18 January 2027. The grant is budget restricted and will be granted on a first-come, first-serve basis for relevant applications, and could be closed at any time.

www.anglianwater.co.uk/business/help-and-advice/catchment-services 

Take part

Local news

Rutland Neigbourhood Mental Health Cafe

Drop in support for when you're struggling to cope, supported by Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland NHS

Times

Thursday - 5.30pm - 8.30pm

Sunday - 4pm - 7pm

Venue

Pepper's - A Safe Place, 2a High Street, Oakham, LE15 6AL

Contacts
Mobile 07955 344126 or email [email protected]