Strutt & Parker Award - Double Success for Harper Adams

Posted 16 November 2007

Two students from Harper Adams University College, the largest university institution serving the rural and land-based industries, have recently been presented with the winning prize from the Strutt & Parker Estate Management Day.

MSc Rural Enterprise and Land Management students Mark Herrod from Church Warsop, Nottingham and Matthew Williamson from Humshaugh, Hexham have both been commended for their performance at the Estate Management Day that was held at the Squerryes Estate in Kent earlier in the year.

Each year Strutt & Parker, leading national property consultants, invites postgraduate rural estate management students from Harper Adams University College, the Royal Agricultural College and the University of Reading to tour an estate and complete a case study and interview. This year students were taken on a tour of the Squerryes Estate by Strutt & Parker’s Estate Manager and were shown the scope of the business activities that range from traditional dairy farming through to business units in converted farm buildings and a recently planted vineyard. Mark and Matthew each completed individual written tests where they had to act as a Land Agent who was advising an absentee estate owner on the future viability of his estate and the options available. Members of the Strutt & Parker Team then interviewed the students.

Three students were awarded the winning prizes, two of whom are studying at Harper Adams University College.  Jack Tavernor, Rachael Heath and James Farrell from Strutt & Parker presented the awards at an event at the University College this month. Jack and Rachael both studied Rural Enterprise and Land Management at Harper Adams.

Mark Herrod comments “The day was really enjoyable and I am pleased to have been one of the winners of the Estate Management Day.  Both Matthew and I are both grateful to Strutt & Parker for organising the day. It was most interesting being able to see behind the scenes of the Squerryes Estate and a great opportunity to meet future colleagues and students from other universities.”

Photograph:

L-R: Jack Tavernor (Strutt & Parker), Matthew Williamson (HAUC), James Farrell (Strutt & Parker), Mark Herrod (HAUC), Rachael Heath (Strutt & Parker)