A STUDENT from Bicton College has been named Cornish Mutual South West Agricultural Student of the Year.

Tia Whitrow was selected for the prestigious award from bursary students across the south west and will receive funding to attend a leading agricultural event of her choosing as a prize.

An active Young Farmer who grew up on a family farm, the judges said Tia stood out for her drive to develop her knowledge of the industry. She also received a Cornish Mutual Young Farmer Further Education bursary of £500 to support costs related to her Level 2 course in Agriculture.

“I’m absolutely delighted to have won the award,” said Tia. “Being recognised as the South West Agricultural Student of the Year is a huge confidence boost, and it’s strengthened my determination to meet my goals.

“My long-term ambition is to expand and develop the family farm to make it resilient for the future. Winning the bursary will help me invest in resources and learning experiences that prepare me to take a more active role in the business. I’m also hoping to expand my knowledge of showing and stock judging, and I would love to spend some time in New Zealand to gain more experience of different farming systems.”

The award was judged by a panel including Cornish Mutual chief executive officer Peter Beaumont: “Among this year’s exceptional bursary recipients, Tia stood out for her determination to not only progress her family farm, but also to have a positive impact on the wider industry. Her commitment to building her knowledge and skillset is admirable, and I’m sure she has a bright future ahead.”

The Cornish Mutual South West Agricultural Student of the Year was selected from the 2024 bursary recipients. Attracting a record level of entries this year, Cornish Mutual’s Young Farmer Bursaries offer funding to support agricultural students studying in the South West. The farming insurance experts offer four Further Education Bursaries of £500 and two Higher Education Bursaries of £750 towards course-related costs.

Further Education Bursaries were open to any student studying an agriculture-based Level 1, 2 or 3 course at Bicton, Duchy, Weymouth and Kingston Maurward, and Bridgwater and Taunton College, Cannington Campus, with £500 awarded to one student at each college. Applicants were asked to submit entries on ‘Why I am studying agriculture’.

Higher Education Bursaries were open to any student studying an agriculture-based Level 5 or 6 course at University Centre Somerset and Duchy College.

Applications for both bursaries could be submitted as either a 500-word written essay, 20-image photo essay or two-minute video or audio podcast. Bursary entries were judged by an awards panel, including the Cornish Mutual Chairman and CEO. Membership of Cornish Mutual was not a pre-requisite for entry.

The Cornish Mutual Young Farmer Bursaries are part of the Future Farming Programme, which supports the future of agriculture in the region. To find out more about the bursaries or how to apply, visit www.cornishmutual.co.uk/cmfuturefarming/young-farmer-bursaries