A NEW headquarters for NFU members in Worcester and Tenbury Wells, which will also house rural insurer NFU Mutual's expanding local office, was opened last week by the national leaders of the two organisations.

Sir Don Curry, chairman of rural insurer NFU Mutual and Tim Bennett, president of the National Farmers' Union, cut a ribbon together to declare the new office open.

On the outskirts of Worcester, at Malvern Gate in Bromwich Road, the new office provides a central headquarters for NFU members in Worcester and Tenbury Wells as well as providing a wide range of insurance services for local people and businesses.

Recruitment of new staff following increased demand for NFU Mutual insurance and the need to provide modern administrative facilities to run the NFU branches in Worcester and Tenbury Wells, meant that the previous office in Barbourne was too small for the growing operation.

The new office is staffed by a team of 15 advisers and administrators, headed by group secretaries Rupert Barnes and Anne Bradshaw.

"NFU Mutual's major investment in this building, together with state-of-the-art IT - and most importantly highly-trained staff - means that people in the Worcester and Tenbury Wells areas have a dedicated insurance company providing a unique local service and highly competitive products on their doorstep," said the NFU Mutual chairman.

Sir Don said it was vital that country people and businesses had easy access to services like insurance to sustain the viability of the countryside.

"These days it is something of a rarity for a financial institution to open a new building to serve customers in their local area - but we're committed to providing local service because our customers tell us that is what they want - and indeed view NFU Mutual as a vital part of the countryside rather than just a provider of insurance and financial services."

Mr Bennett added: "The new offices will provide a state-of-the-art facility to cater for the needs of NFU members who belong to both the Worcester and Tenbury Wells branches.

"We remain committed to servicing both branches as separate entities from this one central office and we feel we have an excellent team in place to promote the work of the NFU and ensure an effective two-way stream of communication from the centre of the organisation to the grassroots and back.

"I am delighted to have the opportunity to open the new offices, which represent a firm commitment to the successful and productive future of these two important branches of the organisation."

NFU and NFU Mutual have served local farmers and other customers from offices in the city since the 1920s.

Charity concert to aid Ugandans

A CHARITY concert to help the agricultural communities in Uganda is being held next Saturday

in Pershore Abbey.

It is being organised by the Farmers Overseas Action Group, or FOAG as it's better known, a Worcestershire-based farming organisation that specialises in aid to the African country.

Over the years, FOAG has helped in many farming and village projects in Uganda, particularly in welfare, water supply and health.

The fund-raising concert features Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra playing a variety of works by Elgar, Rossini and Schumann.

It starts at 7.30pm and tickets costing £10 each are available from Laura Rankin in the FOAG office on 01905 830745 or John Hammonds on 01886 884221.

Big cheque is in hand

A HORSE event at Malvern's Three Counties Showground in June raised £1,000 for the County Air Ambulance.

The Midland-in-Hand Association always gives the profits from its annual show to charity and, this year, the Air Ambulance was the beneficiary.

The association was set up to improve conditions at horse shows for in-hand exhibitors and provide rosettes and trophies for its members.

To hand over the charity cheque, a lunch was held for MIH members at the farm of Tiss and Andrew Bomford at Sale Green, near Droitwich and a raffle organised during the meal raised a further £78 for the charity.

Young Farmers give thanks for harvest

n YFC members from across the county took part in this year' s Worcestershire's County Harvest Festival, held at Worcester Cathedral.

Young Farmers presented harvest gifts at the service, including grain, hay and straw, vegetables, herbs, fruit, hops, meat, butter, milk, cheese, eggs, fish, flowers and wool - as well as presenting the traditional Harvest Loaf itself.