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Yorkshire student Oliver chosen as Velcourt scholar

Posted 1 March 2014

Student Oliver Wadsworth, 19, from Leeds, has formally received the Velcourt Dairy Scholarship during a dedicated ceremony at º¬Ðß²ÝÉçÇø. 

Oliver is in the second year of a BSc Agriculture programme at Shropshire’s only university, which has helped him to make a start in the farming career he has dreamed of despite having very little prior agricultural experience. 

The former Notre Dame Sixth Form College student competed against fellow Harper Adams students to secure the Velcourt award, which provides funding to cover some of his tuition fees, plus a full-time job with Velcourt during the sandwich year of his degree course. 

All Harper Adams students complete one year in industry before returning to the campus for the fourth and final year, to complete their studies. Later in 2014, Oliver will take up his position on a Velcourt dairy farm. 

He said: “The Velcourt Dairy Scholarship means an awful lot to me as it represents an amazing opportunity to be able to push myself to be the best I can be, whilst having the backing of an industry-leading company, which I know produces some of the best farm managers in the world. 

“I wish to thank the company for placing faith in me by awarding this scholarship. Being from a non-agricultural background, I hope that this achievement is proof to other potential future farmers that not having a family farm need not put them at a disadvantage.”

Oliver had pursued a range of farming opportunities before applied to Harper Adams. With the right combination of school qualifications and passion for the subject, he was accepted on to his course, and now has his sights firmly set on eventually becoming the manager of a large-scale dairy farm. 

Oliver joined final year Velcourt scholars Ross Edwards and Thomas Forrest at the annual scholarships presentation event. 

Ross Edwards, 22, from Gulworthy, Devon, is due to graduate this summer with BSc (Hons) Agriculture. He said: “I am very grateful for Velcourt to be supporting me in my final year of my studies at Harper Adams. After completing my placement year on a Velcourt dairy farm and really enjoying it, I will be going back to join them on the trainee farm managers scheme in spring 2015.

“I intend on going travelling to Australia and New Zealand after graduating, as Velcourt have given me the opportunity to do so while holding my job offer open.”

As part of his scholarship, Ross spent his placement year working on a 3,800 acre estate on the south coast of Dorset. “Having come from a beef and sheep background, placement gave me a good insight into the dairy sector,” said Ross, who has his own flock of pedigree texel sheep and enjoys the breeding and selling of the progeny. 

Thomas Forrest, 24, from Thrimby, Penrith, is a final year Velcourt (arable) scholar. Tom is due to graduate this year with a degree in agriculture with crop management. Tom said: “The scholarship allowed me to undertake a very valuable placement period on a large arable farm gaining a vast range of experience. 

“The opportunity to join the Velcourt management training scheme is an excellent career opportunity after finishing at Harper Adams and one which will provide an unrivalled level of industry training and further experience allowing me to achieve my career goals,” added Tom, who would like to work in farm management.