A regular at the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show is the refreshment marquee run by the Church of England in Gillingham, Shaftesbury and Stour Vale. Working together they provide a welcome opportunity to sit down and enjoy coffee or tea plus home made cake. All profits are given to charity with an emphasis on the rural community. A recipient in 2023 was The Student Fund founded by the G & S Show itself in 2020. The Student Support Fund helps to remove some of the financial barriers faced by students and trainees embarking on new careers in land based industries, which include agriculture, horticulture, forestry and so on. Their needs are varied from safety boots and laptops to travel expenses to access their training. Nothing is off the table; one student, with exemplary practical and technical skills but who struggled with dyslexia was helped with private tuition to achieve the higher level courses.

Sheep are the animal most connected with the Bible and here we have Matthew Price, Chairman of the Student Support Fund accepting the cheque with a helpful band of Ouessant Sheep. Ouessants are a rare breed of heritage sheep and are the smallest in the world. They will be present at the Spring Countryside Show on the Turnpike Show ground on the 20th and 21st April where you can get to know these eco-friendly and people-friendly living lawnmowers.

The Church Tent will be at the Show in 2024 and welcomes all to visit and ‘rest a while’. Please let us know if you have a favourite rural charity that we may be able to help.

For further information, please contact Jo Churchill on 01747 850432 or [email protected]