Published: Thursday, 13th August, 2009 9:00am

60 years of travel and adventure for young farmers celebrated

by Editorial Department

Comments (0) | Print | Email

Some of the local members who attended the 60th Anniversary function of the Young Farmers Ambassadors in Portadown Rugby club(back from left); Joe Graham, Diane Donaldson, Lorna Graham and Trevor Armstrong. Front row, Pauline Armstrong and Derek Quinton.

An assocation of former members of the Young Farmers' Clubs of Ulster who travelled abroad on exchange visits has been celebrating its 60th anniversary. Young Farmers Ambassadors exists in Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales and is affiliated to the International Farm Youth Exchange(IFYE) organisation which exists around the world.

In Northern Ireland the YFA organises social and educational visits for its members and at the summer outing in Co. Armagh recently, celebrated the 60th anniversary of its founding. It was in 1949 that the first person from Northern Ireland travelled for an exchange visit to the United States. May McAdam, who went on that trip was present at the recent celebratory occasion along with other YFA members who travelled abroad during each of the decades over the last 60 years to places such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand as well as mainland Europe and Scandanavia.

The event held at Portadown Rugby Club included the cutting of a special cake to mark the occasion and it brought together members from all around the Province. It was also attended by current exchange visitors to Northern Ireland from other countries in Europe. They are currently being hosted by members here as a reciprocal arrangement through the IFYE movement.