Actress and writer Kate Willoughby will headline a Yorkshire Agricultural Society event which celebrates women in farming.

Proud of her North Yorkshire farming roots, Kate will be guest speaker at the next Women in Farming Network event, at Brymor Ice Cream Parlour, Jervaulx near Masham.

The Women in Farming Network regularly hosts meetings, offering business and personal support to women in farming businesses and is part of the charitable activities of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.

Kate Dale, Yorkshire Rural Support Network Co-ordinator, who has organised the event said: “As we have recently commemorated the Centenary of the end of WW1 and some women getting the vote, I think it is clear that our predecessors have contributed enormously through the toughest of times and we all have much to thank them for. The hard work, sacrifice and sheer determination of many women have allowed us to enjoy so much more freedom one hundred years on. Kate’s presentation will be a timely reminder of all that has gone before and an opportunity for us to consider our roles as farming faces its own period of significant change.”

Kate’s creative work spotlights ordinary, brave and extraordinary women. Suffragette Emily Davison is the focus of Kate’s play To Freedom’s Cause, which premiered at Bolton Castle and was later performed in the House of Commons. This special performance was the catalyst for the #Emilymatters initiative which highlights suffragette Emily Wilding Davison to inspire and motivate women to vote.

Kate Willoughby said: “I’m thrilled to be part of the special YAS event at Brymor, as part of their centenary suffrage celebrations. I believe we have much to learn today from the courage, creativity and persistence of Emily Wilding Davison and her suffrage sisters. My talk will include a performance of her call to action speech to future generations, from To Freedom’s Cause, which includes: “Keep pushing until women and men are equal. When no child is told that she is not worthy, that her voice simply doesn’t matter, because she is a girl.”

The Women in Farming Network event will take place on Wednesday November 28 from 6pm.

Brymor Managing Director, Paul Hodgson, will open the event followed by Kate Willoughby.

Events this year have included a visit to Shepherds Purse Cheese at Newsham near Thirsk, business courses for those running their own farm office including banking advice and Making VAT and Tax digital, an Annual Conference with speakers from Aldi, Yorkshire Rapeseed Oils, Savills Planning Department, The Farm Safety Foundation and Grand Get Togethers from Sherburn near Malton.

Tickets are now on sale for the event at £15 a head including refreshments. To book a place, please contact Kate Dale on kated@yas.co.uk or M: 07912 495604.

Kate Willoughby, performing the Emily Wilding Davison call to action speech, 2016 Masham Town Hall