Dear Members,
I am looking forward to taking up the position as Secretary in March and the exciting implementation of the Grassroots programme.

I am currently Administrative Secretary for the Shropshire Sheep Breeders Association and have been Membership Secretary for the Hebridean Sheep Society. I have lived in Northumberland for 20 years having moved here from Hertfordshire. Together with my husband we run a 40ha farm in the National Park and I bought my first goat in 1990, a British Saanen Angora first cross who lived to be 17 years old. Since this date I have extended the breeds kept to include Bagot, Golden Guernsey, and British Guernsey (grading up). On the farm also are Whitebred Shorthorn cattle, Hebridean and Llanwenog sheep.

For many years my Hebridean sheep were used for conservation grazing in the North East for English Nature (Natural England) and The National Trust. More recently I was employed with the Grazing Animals Project or GAP (now Grazing Advice Partnership) as the Coordinator for Northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. My role was to encourage the sharing of advice and experience among individuals and networks of conservation and government organizations while encouraging them to work together, to support each other.

Sue Knowles has been your secretary for many years so will know a great number of you. During March I will be spending time working with Sue Knowles at the BGS office in Bovey Tracey and thereafter working from home. I shall look forward to speaking to and meeting many of you throughout the coming year at BGS events and shows.

Best wishes
Jane