We’re a multi-generational family business spanning three generations, with agriculture and diversification at the heart of all we do.
There are so many photos that could tell our story and introduce all members of our family and team, but I’ll start with three.
A photo of me, Rachael, and one of our daughters – chatting on the wall overlooking the cottages. A reminder to me that family comes first. How family life is woven in to the juggle of running an on-site family business is great fun, always keeping me on my toes! I might be in the middle of cooking dinner, whilst guests are arriving and collecting their keys. Needless to say, sometimes the girls come with me to welcome cottage guests. Last summer they got along so well with some children staying that they even became pen-pals! They are eagerly awaiting their return visit this year, which is a joy to see.
Next, is a photo of my brother John and I, enjoying an evening at the Tithe Barn in beautiful Bolton Abbey – finding time to relax in the midst of a time of great change. Since losing Dad last summer, we are working very closely with my mum Catherine to take the businesses forward. It is wonderful to have a shared vision for enterprise and complementary skills that we can all bring and work together with purpose.
And finally, a photograph of Dad and I. We’re not dressed in our usual attire! We were extras in the filming of an episode of All Creatures Great and Small which took place at Newton Grange a few years ago. You can read more about it here. This is just one example of all the different things our family has said “yes” to over the years and how we love to embrace new opportunities. It is a wonderful memory to cherish and is something that continues to bring a smile to my face every day.
Dad dearly loved Newton Grange Farm – it embodied his lifetime’s work underpinned by a strong sense of heritage and legacy, conserving what was good of the past and moving forward with the times. Something we’re hoping to preserve as we move forward in to the next chapter.