A volunteer for The Farming Community Network (FCN) charity has been awarded an MBE after decades of service in support of farmers and people living in rural communities.
Suzie Wilkinson, who volunteers with FCN in Somerset, has received her MBE as part of the King’s Birthday Honours, announced today.
Suzie was born in Weston Super Mare and grew up with a deep love of the countryside.
She started working in agriculture in the late 1960s with her husband Charlie, adopting roles in the pig and beef sectors, before taking over a dairy holding as a tenant farmer in the 1980s.
This gave Suzie insights into different types of farming and the unique challenges and pressures involved.
Suzie said: “The experiences of working in a family business, working for different farming companies, eventually running our own business, milking twice daily, and eventually downsizing to prepare for later life and retirement, have given me a realistic insight into different aspects of farming and family life which have helped me develop a greater understanding of ways I can help people in the role I have with FCN now.”
In 1995, Suzie was the pastoral support lead in the Somerset Women’s Farming Union. She joined FCN as a volunteer in the same year – when the charity was founded – back when it was called The Farm Crisis Network.
FCN was a joint venture between the Agricultural Christian Fellowship (ACF) and Germinate: The Arthur Rank Centre. It was founded by Christopher Jones MBE, who sadly passed away in May of this year.