For thirteen years, the have shone a light on the best in British Farming. During this annual event, Britain's farming industry comes together to celebrate the achievements of its contemporaries.
This award seeks to shine a light on those farmers who have had no security of a family farm and have built an enterprise completely from scratch.
These finalists have all worked towards achieving their goals despite not having the easiest route into agriculture and some have even left careers in other industries to pursue a dream to farm.
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Finalists
Andrew and Cath Broadhead - Lancashire 鈥�
Since taking over Leyland Farm in Worsley's urban fringe in 2021, Andrew and Cath Broadhead have transformed a centuries-old site into The Promise Co., a thriving small-scale regenerative farm and community hub. On just 3.37 acres of green-belt land, they raise free-range chickens for eggs, keep bees for honey, and offer an evolving programme of workshops, events, and seasonal products that connect people with food, nature, and heritage.
Diversification has been key to their success. Alongside produce sales, the couple host unique experiences, from foraging and food-preservation classes to well-being events and art workshops, reinvesting revenue into conservation, infrastructure, and sustainable growth.
Their vision blends tradition with innovation, breathing new life into historic farm buildings while championing local suppliers and regenerative practices. Challenges, from planning constraints to rising compliance costs, have been met with creative solutions and collaborative partnerships.
Looking ahead, Andrew and Cath plan to expand into heritage tourism, corporate retreats, and retail branding, positioning The Promise Co. as a model for resilient urban farming. Their journey shows how passion, creativity, and community spirit can turn a small plot into a vibrant, future-focused enterprise.
Chrissie & Mat Crossman - Wiltshire 鈥�
Wiltshire dairy farmers Chrissie and Mat Crossman have built their 200-acre farm into the successful Moo2Yoo brand entirely from scratch. Farming was in their blood, Mat grew up on his family's farm while Chrissie's respect for the industry was shaped by her father's career as a herdsman. Yet their journey has been far from straightforward. After leaving Mat's family farm in 2015, they restarted with two young children and no land of their own.
In 2018, they began managing a Wiltshire dairy herd and soon launched Moo2Yoo, processing and selling milk through vending machines. Their entrepreneurial spark led to the creation of their own milkshake syrups, now dubbed the "Nation's Favourite" and sold across the UK to cafés, restaurants, and fellow dairy farmers.
In 2022, the couple secured the private tenancy of their own 200-acre farm, relocating 100 cows and re-establishing their vending sites within four weeks. Today, Moo2Yoo runs seven milk huts, supplies local outlets, and sells surplus milk to Cadbury.
Balancing farm management, product innovation, and community links, Chrissie and Mat have proven that with resilience, vision, and determination, new entrants can thrive, even against the odds.
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Harry Churchill - Bristol 鈥�
Fifth-generation farmer Harry Churchill has taken his family's Bristol farm in a bold new direction, blending tradition with modern diversification and digital storytelling. Originally a dairy enterprise, the 161-hectare farm now supports a thriving beef herd alongside hay, haylage, and equestrian livery.
Harry's route back to farming was unconventional. Trained as an actor in London, he returned home during the Covid pandemic, rediscovered his passion for agriculture, and decided to commit full-time. Determined to combine his creative background with farming, he launched Churchills Farm as both a business and a brand, producing engaging content to showcase British farming. Within just a year, he has collaborated with major names, including Mole Valley and LadBible, raising awareness of the industry to audiences far beyond agriculture.
On the ground, Harry buys cattle at 8–10 months, finishing or selling them as strong stores depending on condition, while also delivering hay daily to local livery yards. Rising input costs, such as store cattle prices climbing from £700 to £1,200 in just two years, have tested his resolve, but his resilience and focus on efficiency are driving success.
Harry's vision is clear: to build a sustainable farm business while inspiring the next generation and championing the importance of British farming.
James Newhouse - North 驰辞谤办蝉丑颈谤别鈥�
When aerospace engineer James Newhouse swapped a 20-year career at Rolls-Royce for farming in North Yorkshire, he fulfilled a childhood dream inspired by his shepherd grandfather. With no family farm to inherit, James and his wife Amy purchased 52 hectares of hill land during the Covid pandemic, establishing Megs Farm at 1,000ft elevation.
Today, the business runs Belted Galloway cattle and Swaledale and Herdwick sheep, managed under a regenerative, nature-friendly system. The farm is Pasture for Life certified, with cows outwintered and slow-reared until at least three years old, producing both breeding stock and meat. Sheep are kept pure, with breeding shearlings and lambs sold locally and through meat boxes.
Guided by Yorkshire Dales National Park advisors and supported through Pasture for Life's mentorship programme, James has embraced rotational grazing, soil health monitoring, and habitat restoration, including wildflower meadow recovery and bird stewardship. This shift has improved resilience against climate extremes while enhancing biodiversity.
Family and community remain central: Amy and their children are actively involved, while neighbours pitch in at haymaking and tree planting. James believes his outsider perspective helps him ask questions, embrace change, and challenge convention, building a sustainable farm that balances productivity, ecology, and heritage.
Taking place on 16 October at The VOX in Birmingham, the event will welcome industry professionals from across the country to celebrate British agriculture and the successes it has had this year.
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