Bishop to visit pig farm


The Bishop of Sherwood will be trotting down to a Nottinghamshire pig farm this week as part of a fact-finding visit in the north of the county

The Rt Revd Tony Porter, whose wife Lucille is from a Cornish farming family, will spend time talking with pig farmer and church warden at Scrooby parish church, Gordon Ashworth at Scrooby Top Farm, near Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, when he will be shown round the farm and find out about farming today.

There will be an opportunity for photos at the pig farm from 2.30pm on Thursday, 3rd July 2008 at Scrooby Top Farm.

Priest-in-Charge of Blyth, Scrooby with Ranskill, the Revd Richard Spray, who organized the visit said: “I think Bishop Tony’s visit will be encouraging because farming is not the easiest thing to be in at the moment and pig farming especially. It costs quite a lot to rear a pig compared to what farmers are getting for them.”

Richard said Gordon Ashworth ran the farm with the help of his two sons, who also managed to keep the churchyard under control in the middle of their busy lives.

Before visiting the farm the Bishop will also meet with owners of a small business Howard and Kim Smith, who run ‘Punches, Dies and Blades’ – a small local engineering firm. The couple have been actively involved with Blyth Bombers football club – supporting young people in the area.

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