KWS scholarship supports Charlotte's ambitions

Posted 4 February 2015

A 19-year-old student from the Yorkshire Wolds has been awarded an industry scholarship to help her achieve her agricultural ambitions. 

Charlotte Garbutt, from Grindale, near Bridlington, is a second year BSc (Hons) Agri-Business student at Harper Adams University. She has won the KWS Scholarship after beating off competition from fellow students. 

The scholarship is worth £2,500 in the current academic year. Charlotte also has a guaranteed job for her placement year (a key element of all Harper Adams courses) with the company, and subject to performance, could receive further financial assistance for her final year of study. 

“I applied for the scholarship because KWS is the 5th largest seed breeding company in the world and to be able to work for such a well-known and established company would be the perfect opportunity. 

“As well as the financial award, the placement will allow me to learn so much about the crop breeding industry. I’d like to thank KWS for the opportunity and the team at Royston for choosing me. I look forward to spending my placement with them and gaining knowledge of the plant breeding industry,” said Charlotte, a farmer’s daughter raised on a mixed arable, beef and sheep farm.

“The 15-month placement involves field trials and plant breeding, based in Royston, Hertfordshire. It should involve a variety of work because it requires following the crops through the growth stages, so it will really help with my ambition to become a plant breeder.” 

Charlotte, a Bridlington Young Farmer who attended Scarborough Sixth Form College, takes an active role in student life at Harper Adams, as secretary of the Students’ Union and a member of the shooting club, women’s rubgy club and women’s football club. Her other interests include horse riding and beat beating on shoots with her cocker spaniel.