This years recipient of the Idris Davies Memorial Prize is recently retired NFU group secretary, Keith Bevan, of The Orchard, Poyston Cross.

The award is made annually to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to agriculture in Pembrokeshire. Keith joined the staff of the National Farmers Union at its Haverfordwest office 27 years ago when Friesian calves were fetching the equivalent of just 50p apiece at the local mart.

Whats changed? he asks.

A farmers son from Three Wells, Tavernspite, Keiths first job was for agricultural engineers, S. and F. Green, at their Pembroke depot. He later progressed to become the representative for Wales and the West Midlands area selling cow kennels to dairy farmers.

In 1974 he was appointed to succeed Vivian Bates as the group secretary for the central area of the NFUs Pembroke county branch servicing 234 farmer members of the Haverfordwest/ Camrose and Clarbeston Road branches.

He became enthusiastically involved with National Association of Group Secretaries and was appointed chairman for England, Wales, Scotland and Ulster for the period 1989/90. He also served the association as its general secretary for the 1996 year.

Keiths involvement with farming did not end there for he has also been treasurer of the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society and held a similar post with the Pembrokeshire Young Farmers Clubs for a period of 11 years. He has also served as a keen member and official of the local Round Table.

During the time he held office as group secretary his enthusiasm for travel sparked wide interest among NFU members and their wives in the local branches. The excitement generated by Keith, and his wife, Elizabeth, was so infectious that he was called upon to lead highly successful extended tours to farming regions in Australia, Canada (twice), France, Germany, New Zealand and the United States (twice).

Keith retired at the end of October and, having replaced his well travelled touring caravan with a sparkling camper van, plans, with Elizabeth, to resume their travelling adventures.

The couple have a daughter Francis, who is a dentist in Narberth, and a son, Nick, who is in the police force at Haverfordwest.

The unions central branch has now been merged with the South West area branch and will be serviced by Mr Hywel Davies and his team.

Mr Geraint Daives, Berllan, Eglwyswrw, son of the late Mr Idris Davies who served the Pembroke County branch of the NFU for many years, pictured presenting the memorial prize to Mr Keith Bevan. PICTURE: Meyrick Brown.