In Conversation with Dr Christopher Murray

Sunday 14 July, 6:30pm with optional refreshments served from 6pm

The guest speaker for our July In Conversation With… will be Dr Christopher Murray NCA (dist) NDA DipFM Hon DBA FRAgS. Dr Murray will be talking on the topic: Recognising God’s hand on your Life.

Dr Murray studied at Bicton and for the Royal Agricultural Society Diplomas at Seal Hayne. His post graduate dissertation was on farm diversification. In his farm management year at Seal Hayne, he became involved at Riverford Farm and, with John Watson, introduced the UK’s first guided visits to open farms.

Working at Dartington with Maurice Ash, they set up Dartington Farm Foods offering local produce, inovatively marketing organic meat by post, manufacturing sheep skin products and organising farm visits for schools. He lectured at Seale Hayne and Bicton, while producing and presenting a weekly farming programme for Devon Air called Down to Earth.

In 1987, he became senior lecturer, farm manager and Head of Section in Farm Management at Coleg Howell Harris in Brecon and then in 1989, with his wife Nicky, decided to take a risk and invested in a bare field site in the South Hams, which they named Pennywell. It opened on 22 May 1989, with one animal barn, a small shop, and a catering unit. Today, they have welcomed over two million visitors and Pennywell has won numerous awards, including “Best Sustainable Business” in the South Devon Tourism and Hospitality Award. In 2011, he was made Associate of Royal Agricultural Societies in recognition of distinguished achievement in the agricultural industry, and received an Honorary Doctorate in Business from the University of Plymouth for his work in sustainable tourism.

All are welcome to attend.