INFORMATION AND HOW TO JOIN!

We have one big social event every month, and often meet up between these socials to hang about, have a drink, and go to the cinema - things like that! Things get a bit hectic around June and July, when we're frantically rushing around the town training our animals, which we borrow from local farmers. This show just gone was our first, and next year we'll probably have a few less lambs and a few more calves - but we try and make sure everybody gets the animal they want to show. If people have rabbits or chickens at home, they're welcome to bring them to the show too!

We have about 25 members at the moment (roughly half boys and half girls). Our youngest member is 10 years old, most are 17 and 18, and there's a few older ones around too (I'm 20, but our oldest member is 21). Membership costs £20, which sounds a lot compared to school-club membership, but is actually about the average for an open club (in Kent, usually between £16 and £23 per year, nationally £20). This pays for our insurance, and affiliation to YFC - and a large chunk of it normally comes back to the club in the form of discount for first aid courses, police checks, and things like that. There are also plans for various training courses like Quad biking, trailer towing, animal handling, etc.

Because of the age-groups, we're slightly less drunk than many of the other open clubs (who live in pubs!), but we still try and get involved with exciting social events.

Last year our events officer had to drop out the club fairly early in the year, but we managed several visits to the cinema, ice skating, lazer challenge, and bowling. We also organised a quiz night to raise money, went through Maidstone town centre dressed as a pantomime cow (that was embarrassing!), and dressed up in tuxes and ball gowns to attend the County Ball. Once May arrived, everything went County Show mad - we began meeting up on the farms of the people we were borrowing animals from, and socials consisted of training lambs to walk and building our show area! Some of our members were first-aid trained and went on food hygiene courses. After the show was over, we had a massive party in East Farleigh with a go-kart, bouncy castle, fireworks, bbq and disco!

This year we are continuing our search for a farm to meet at. In the meantime however, we've got some very exciting social events planned! In April, we will be working as zoo keepers at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park in Hythe, to try and raise a little money for the John Aspinall Foundation. We have also managed to get some cheap Paintballing tickets, and hope to go as a club in November. We plan to hold a dung day event, and a Barn Dance in 2007. The girls are organising a pony trek, and we've got lazer challenge against Canterbury YFC on the cards! We also intend to support the Kent Federation of Young Farmers by attending their social functions, including their animal training days, parties, and County Ball! Not to mention all the usual meet-ups throughout the year, and a night hike with our neighbours Maidstone YFC.

If you want to join the club, or want more information, please get in touch with our club secretary Emma Lifford (secretary[at]northdownsyfc.co.uk) or on 07792 728673, or click here to get in touch over the website.