Sallies give youth helping hand into farming

Wellington, 12 December 2007 – The Salvation Army has given a group of young Kiwis a helping hand into the farming industry with the award of 59 Edmund Sanderson Jeff Farm Scholarships valued at a total of $156,000.

The scholarships are given each year to underprivileged young people from around New Zealand to study farming-related subjects at Lincoln University and Telford Rural Polytechnic. Funding comes from profits generated by Jeff Farm, a property bequeathed to The Salvation Army with the aim of helping young people.

Scholarship students may study subjects in general agriculture, agricultural science and commerce, dairy practice, farm management and forestry, as well as apiculture (beekeeping) and equine knowledge.

Salvation Army Southern Divisional Commander, Major Lyndon Buckingham, says that 110 young people applied for the scholarships this year, with individual awards valued at up to $6000 each.

‘The scholarships are a great way to encourage young people who otherwise would not have the opportunity to study for a career in the farming industry,’ says Major Buckingham.

‘The Salvation Army awards these scholarships as a significant investment in young people in New Zealand and rural industry.’

Major Buckingham says that Jeff Farm was bequeathed to The Salvation Army in 1954 by the late Edmund Jeff with some conditions, the principal clause being that “the farm and farm profits be used for the training of underprivileged youths in farming”.

The Salvation Army own and manage Jeff Farm -through a Farm Board. The farm is a substantial holding of 1932 hectares (4800 acres) in the Kaiwera District near Gore. It runs more than 20,000 stock units including Romney sheep, predominantly Hereford cattle, and an increasing deer herd.

ENDS

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