A first for HighGround – a Female Only Rural Week

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

In a first for HighGround a group of six serving and veteran female military personnel gathered at Bicton College for a residential rural week aimed a focusing on the considerable contribution women make to the land-based sector. The week also aimed to gather women who may have found being in a mixed group more challenging for a variety of reasons. Kindly made possible by funding from Lloyds Patriotic Fund a group 6 – 2 Army, 1 Royal Navy and 3 RAF – gathered on a sunny evening.

With welcomes and introductions from Chris Shepherd (Course Director), Pete Boorn (Welfare and Support) and Jamie Crisp (CEO) the scene was set and guidance given as to how to get the most from the week. We always encourage participants to make the most of a rare opportunity to focus on themselves, their needs and wants and what they are looking for in life beyond the military.

Technology in the Land-based sector presentation by Ed Parrish, Director of Land-based at Bicton College is a great session to start the week and helps underpin how much technology is increasingly used across the whole sector. Military technology has helped pioneer this increasingly important area and this session helps participants understand how their skills are so valuable.

Toby Taylor and Fiona Daggett at RSPB Aylesbeare Common kicked off the week with a discussion about Environmental Conservation. This sector is always a popular option as a potential career option and Toby and Fiona’s knowledgeable and honest insights provide food for thought and for some, solidify their pre-course thoughts.

Following lunch the group visited John Herbert at Clinton Devon Estate who talked through the many opportunities available in woodland management in the private sector. The estate are generous and long standing supporters and we are always delighted to continue our relationship with them.

Our long time supporters, Terry Farkins and Andy George at Woodbury Park gave another excellent introduction to Greenkeeping. The visit is always an eye-opener and as always, most beneficiaries said they simply hadn’t thought of it as a career and were amazed at the variety of directions possible.

The Wheel of Life exercise on Monday evening is run by Pete. This useful tool helps identify areas of importance in each persons life and encourages individuals to think about what they value and want post-military life to look like. Given that many attendees have rarely had dedicated time to think deeply and solely about what they want from the next steps in their life this is a thought-provoking and important session and always promotes a lot of discussion.

Kevin Bond of Bicton Home Farm generously gave the group the benefit of his extensive knowledge of agriculture, which provided more than one beneficiary with career path option not previously considered.

Josh Stephen at Forestry England Haldon Forest Park ably supports us in helping the group understand the differences between private and public forestry enterprises.  Exeter Racecourse beautiful location on Haldon Hill followed with a meeting with Clerk of the Course Jason Loosemore. This visit always proves enlightening and demonstrates the management and support roles available in the racing industry that don’t necessarily require equine knowledge or background.

Our regular visit to Rodney Hall’s organic vegetable farm always provides useful insights into the realities of commercial veg and crop production and his back story demonstrates that career paths are definitely not linear!

Tony Benger Landscaping  and in particular Chris Bolton, are valued and regular supporters on rural weeks. This visit gave the group a chance to learn about horticultural landscaping, another area that many have not previously considered but that offers significant opportunities. We are so grateful for this burgeoning relationship and the huge value it offers the course. A quick trip along the motorway to Killerton House followed, meeting Karl Emeleus (Head Gardener on the estate), who gave a tour explaining Heritage Gardening and working for the National Trust, always much enjoyed given Karl’s progression through different roles within the organisation.

With the Trustees AGM and Board meeting being held at the College, the group headed back for lunch which allowed the Trustees time to have valuable conversations with them. This contact time is hugely beneficial in ensuring the charity is fulfilling its aims and supports potential new directions.

Nick Murphy of the Outdoors Group  introduced Forest Schools in the afternoon; although not an area of interest to this group it did allow conversations about the use of the outdoors as a therapeutic tool and how the ideas of forest school and bushcraft can be adapted. To round off the afternoon the group returned to Clinton Devon Estate  woods above the college, meeting Wildlife Ranger Tom Garner who explained the changing role of game-keeping on many estates into a wildlife and conservation emphasis. His explanation of how to add value to the business of deer management by providing high quality products to local restaurants helped show the group that career paths, much like those in teh military have several strands.

Our evening speaker was Josey Fields, an Army veteran who now works a Countryside Manager for the National Trust – Arlington Court . Her journey from military to ranger is inspiring and it was wonderful to welcome her again to Bicton.

An early start on a beautiful morning took the group to Meldon Reservoir, Dartmoor to talk with Rangers. Gaining a understanding of the wide variety of ranger roles was something this group found especially useful. Mark and Dawn Rees at Gotland Gin help the group understand how diversification and an open mind can make a success of a smallholding. Much fun was had with their flock of Gotland sheep, with at least one beneficiary adding them to her list of livestock for a future venture.

Kirsty and Matt from Hi Line  training delivered another informative discussion on Arboriculture including the all important progression and career extending information. They were delighted to have a female group, especially as one is looking at this as her future career.

To round off Thursday, we were joined via Teams by Robert Honan, estate manager at Ascott Estate. His extensive knowledge is always welcome, especially around the various routes into the profession helps to reinforce the significant skills service leavers bring to the land-based economy.

Our regular Thursday evening walk along the River Otter in the hopes of spotting otter, beaver and kingfisher allows a discussion about wetland regeneration and the conflicts between such schemes and farming communities. This evening social allows the group time to chat further about ideas, possibilities, future plans and to begin to reflect on what they have learned.

Jamie Ranson and Bramble of Langore Tree Services in Cornwall joined the everyone for breakfast and chat before an informative and important session showing the realities of self-employment and demonstrates the possibilities of portfolio working which is a draw for many HighGrounders.

Drawing the week to a close, Chris and Pete rounded up the learning from the week and talked through next steps and support, with additional support and guidance from Jamie Crisp and Heather Crawford.

Bicton College – thank you for another wonderful week, for looking after us so well and your generous and enthusiastic support. Particular thanks to warden Andy.

A final quote from one of this weeks beneficiaries, “Amazing insight provided here. It would help any service personnel or veteran rule the sector in or out as a viable option. It is realistic and authentic delivery with honest, driven and passionate people”.

Pictures from the week can be seen here

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