Chair, Executive Manager and Management Group

The Chair: Tony Pexton OBE

Biography:
Tony Pexton OBE oversees the operation of a family farm in East Yorkshire where pigs are reared from progeny to bacon and wheat, oilseed rape and vining peas are grown.  A former Chairman of the Assured Combinable Crops Scheme, he was awarded the OBE for services to agriculture in 2007 and currently holds office as Chairman of NIAB and Chairman of the Sustainable Arable Link Research and Development Programme Management Committee for Defra.  Tony was recently chairman of the Farmers Club and was also vice and deputy President of the NFU 1992 - 2002.

Executive Manager: Helen Wright who is managing the secretariat which was appointed by the RAF in December 2009.

I am delighted to have been appointed to the role of Executive Manager for the Yorkshire & The Humber Rural Affairs Forum. Without doubt there will be challenges - but I see it as an exciting opportunity to build on the good work that has been undertaken by the Forum so far, and to ensure that rural governance structures at the regional level are fit-for-purpose and able to deliver effectively as we move forward into increasingly uncertain times.

Biography:
Helen is the Rural Policy and Partnerships Manager at East Riding of Yorkshire Council.  She has worked in local government for many years on rural planning, development and regeneration issues. She played a key role in setting up the East Riding Rural Partnership in 1998 and securing Beacon Status for ERYC under the theme of ‘Supporting the Rural Economy'.

Management Group

This is at the moment being nominated.  The chair will make his appointment in late January.  A vice-chair will be elected from within the six successful member appointments.
The New YHRAF Management Group
Management Group Nomination Form