Regional Groups

See below for details of our four Regional Groups:
  • East Anglia
  • Scotland & North of England
  • South West
  • London & South East.

Click here to see a map and list of counties in each region

East Anglia

The group aims to strengthen experience-sharing, networking, knowledge exchange and interaction between TAA members in the East of England, as well as fostering links with regional research and training institutions that have links with overseas agriculture and development.

Events and activities include:

  • Seminars and Discussion Groups. These focus on topical issues of the day, with adequate time for interaction.

  • Round-table Sessions. These are informal full day events at a local hostelry, enabling members and their friends to visit, interact over lunch, discuss common issues and present brief papers.

  • Visits to Places of Interest. Venues are related to agriculture, preferably with relevance to tropical or sub-tropical farming.

  • Symposia & Seminars, hosted by, or jointly with, regional institutes.
    - Membership by TAA of the Cambridge Conservation Forum (CCF) provides opportunities for TAA members to attend a wide range of environment and conservation-related events, within East Anglia and beyond.
    - Writtle College, a corporate member of TAA, has jointly hosted events with TAA.
    - The John Innes Centre and University of East Anglia in Norwich, National Soil Resources Institute at Cranfield and the World Conservation Monitoring Centre in Cambridge, have co-hosted events with TAA.

  • Circulation of news and events in the region. This is facilitated by our links with CCF, Society of Biology and other regional organisations. Membership of the CCF has also proved valuable in linking with other East Anglia organisations.

  • Joint events with TAA London/South East. Seminars aimed at involving the wider members in London and the south-east of England.

To join the East Anglia Group, simply contact our Coordinators:

Keith Virgo: eastanglia_convenor@taa.org.uk or

Bill Thorpe: thorpe.w@gmail.com
 

Scotland and North of England

The group aims to strengthen experience-sharing, networking, knowledge exchange and interaction between TAA members in Scotland and the North of England, as well as fostering links with research and training institutions active in overseas agriculture and development.

Events are arranged approximately twice per year. These are normally organised as informal symposia which focus on topical issues with adequate time for interaction amongst participants.

In order to promote wider networking and also to attract potential new recruits to TAA, events are often arranged jointly with a research/training institution within the region. Recently this has included Newcastle University, Edinburgh University, SCRI (Dundee) and the Institute of Aquaculture (Stirling).

Our membership is widely spread and we therefore aim to rotate meetings around the region.

To join the SNE Group, contact our Coordinator John Gowing ( scotlandne_convenor@taa.org.uk)
 

South West

The group includes the area from Gloucestershire and west Hampshire through Somerset, Wiltshire, Devon and Cornwall to Lands End. Within the area there is a good mix of working and retired members with a continuing and active interest in all aspects of agriculture for development.
 
Seminars and field days are arranged around the Region and subjects for examination and discussion are chosen by the committee acting upon members' suggestions and their own view of what is most opportune in relation to expected need. The Group enjoys and encourages linkage with academic institutions in the area e.g., the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester, Bicton College in Devon and Bridgewater College at Cannington Centre, the Eden Project, Lackham College and others when opportunities of joint interest arise. In Devon the Group has very active collaboration with the Bicton Overseas Agricultural Trust which provides high quality and appropriate training for key personnel from developing countries. The Group seeks to involve students in seminars whenever possible.
 
The Group is unique in having its own AGM at the Exeter Golf and Country Club early in January and combining it with three short presentations of topical interest, a good luncheon followed by a keynote address. Usually well attended, it is the opportunity for members to provide the committee with their views on seminar subjects, etc. In addition to the AGM usually four subject seminars and field days are held during the year and publicity for these and arranging the events and registration is handled by the seminar organiser and the group convenors.
 
Joining the South West Group is easy. Contact our Convenors:
 
George Taylor-Hunt: southwest_organiser@taa.org.uk Tel: 01626 362782 or
Bill Reed: southwest_organiser@taa.org.uk Tel: 01258820245

London & South East

This group covers London, the Home Counties and the South East of England. Most events take place in London

To join this group, please contact Elizabeth Warham (Acting Convenor) on southeast_convenor@taa.org.uk