Development Trust Chairman's Award

Posted 1 March 2014

The latest recipient of the Harper Adams Development Trust Chairman’s Discretionary Award is Jonathan Thomson, from Northamptonshire. 

The 27-year-old final year BSc (Hons) Agriculture student said: “The scholarship will allow me to purchase essential course materials, pay for expenses associated with completing my dissertation, and attend courses/field trips applicable to my degree. This will in turn increase my knowledge and understanding of the field I am studying.”

In addition to his scholarship, Jono has received an Aspire Award from the university in recognition of what he achieved during his placement year in industry.

He was presented with a certificate and £50 by the university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Mills. Jono, who worked for Cooperative Farms, said: “I was based at three of the Cooperative Farms businesses – one in Cambridgeshire and two in Scotland.

 “It was a fresh produce-based placement. I learnt about arable and field vegetables, a potato pack-house and also soft fruit and carrots,” added the student, who was educated in Harare, Zimbabwe, before coming to Harper Adams University.

“The favourite part of my placement was being able to learn about the soft produce supply chain whilst developing my leadership skills and being involved in a very large business. 

Jono has secured a position as Assistant Farm Manager with the Earl of Plymouth Estates in Ludlow, Shropshire. He will start this role once he has graduated from Harper Adams in September.