Shropshire Magazine

Annie Home-Dodd, first woman chair of the West Midlands Agricultural Society.

Neil Thomas talks to a woman with a vision for the West Mid Show

The West Mid Show logo.

Annie Home-Dodd has made history by becoming the first woman chairman of the Shropshire and West Midlands Agricultural Society, organiser of the West Mid Show.

Annie admits such a groundbreaking appointment has probably raised the odd eyebrow – not least from her own mother!

Beryl Home, 80 this year, was clearly uncomfortable with the idea of ending 130 years of male dominance.

Annie says with a smile: “The post is something of a last male bastion and my dear old mum said to me when I told her I was to become chairman, ‘Annie, I’m not sure that’s right’. She has been a life member of the society since she was 20, so I suppose she was used to having a man at the top. However, she is very excited for me.”

Annie Home-Dodd brings to her new role a family background in farming and a successful track record in running her own diverse businesses, from a bed and breakfast and children’s nurseries to her current chiropody practice.

Along the way she has brought up three children and battled back from the trauma of a divorce to find happiness with second husband Roy. She talks with pride of her 30-year-old son Alastair, who farms 1,000 acres of arable land, and daughters, 27-year-old Gemma, a marketing executive in the steel industry, and Amy, who is 25 and teaching English in Mexico.

She loves children and when we meet she is babysitting Rory and William, her young grandchildren by stepdaughter Letitia.

It might come as no surprise, then, that one of her main goals as chairman is to encourage more young people to get involved in the society and organising the West Mid.

Future

“Youngsters have so many skills, they have a lot to offer, and they are the future of our organisation. They have the job of taking the West Mid forward in the 21st century.

“It’s so important that we encourage young people. I can remember going to meetings as a youngster and feeling quite overawed. We must welcome them in and listen to their ideas, give them their chance. They are going to make mistakes but that is often how you learn. So often in society we don’t give young people the time of day and they become disaffected. That’s a great shame. It is essential that young people are part of the society and are given responsible roles so that, eventually, they can take over its running.”

This progressive-thinking new chairman has set herself a target of bringing in at least eight to 10 new faces, though would happily welcome in many more.

Annie is determined to continue the society’s expansion, particularly in making more use of its showground and facilities in Berwick Road, Shrewsbury.

“I am not just chairman of the West Mid Show, I’m chairman of the society. The show takes a great deal of organisation and is very successful but it is only two days a year. There are another 363 days where we must make the most of our potential and encourage use of our excellent facilities for other events.”

Annie is full of praise for the ground laid by her predecessor David Tudor. “David did a brilliant job and will be a hard act to follow. He has been an excellent chairman and if I can do anywhere near as well then I’ll be delighted. It is a privilege, though, to be given the chance.”

Her mother might have nursed reservations about her being given that chance but, ironically, it was Annie’s father John Home, who died last February, who instilled in her the drive to break new ground.

The family has farmed Berwick Grove since 1897 and John installed a series of ‘firsts’ for Shropshire in terms of technology and equipment, including the county’s first big strawburner.

He was also insistent that girls had an education and the same opportunities as boys, which led to Annie being sent to an excellent girls’ boarding school at Dolgellau in Mid Wales for eight years – the only eight West Mid Shows she has missed since she was old enough to attend.

Annie with canine companion.

Excelled

She found that she excelled at sports, inspired by a headmistress who had played cricket for England ladies.

“I played hockey for the county and cricket,” says Annie, who is first cousin to Shropshire’s former county cricket captain Guy Home and his younger cricketing brother Ed.

With a family steeped in farming, Anne grew up with a love of the outdoor life and the countryside.

“I used to spend my summer holidays bringing in grain. It was idyllic,” she recalls.

However, her first training was in hotel management at Radbrook College, Shrewsbury, which led to a post at Attingham Hall as head cook. The bed and breakfast followed, then two nurseries, Tower House and Stargazers, after she had gained a diploma in nursery education. However, the desire to break new ground was always there and three years of part-time study led to a diploma in chiropody and qualifications in orthotics. She now she runs a flourishing practice from home in Hadnall, near Shrewsbury.

With a successful business, busy home life and her agricultural society duties, Annie Home-Dodd is in for a hectic time. However, she is relishing the challenge and determined to make the most of it.

She adds: “One motto for life that I’ve always liked is: ‘Aim for the sky and you’ll reach the treetops. Aim for the treetops and you’ll stay on the ground.’ So why not aim for the sky?”