Alistair (Ally) Brunton has been elected as the latest chair of the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC).

Ally (27) from East Fife JAC was officially appointed at the Association’s AGM held on Saturday, April 20, stepping up from his position as national vice.

He is already looking forward for the year ahead, saying: “I'm absolutely delighted to be appointed as national chair of SAYFC. I have gained a huge amount from Young Farmers since I joined East Fife back in 2012, so to have the opportunity to give back and lead this amazing organisation is an honour.

The Association is in a strong position, largely due to the hard work of outgoing chair Jane Strawhorn, so I would like to thank her for everything she has done.

"We have a strong team across all national and regional committees this year, and I'm excited to see where their enthusiasm and dedication can take us over the next year.”

As Ally mentioned he inherits the position from Jane Strawhorn of Crossroads YFC, under whom, the association has enjoyed a year of growth and positivity. In an emotional final report, she addressed those gathered at the AGM, remarking on how the last 12 months had been 'the best year' of her life and encouraging members to 'enjoy every moment' and 'seize every opportunity' that Young Farmers sends their way.

Working alongside Ally this year will be the newly appointed national vice chair Jillian Kennedy of Aberfeldy & District JAC.

Jillian (28) has spent the last year guiding SAYFC’s work in the East Region as regional chair and is excited to be moving up onto the national stage.

She said: “I am delighted to be taking on the role of national vice chair. I am really looking forward to working with Ally and all our national and regional committees over the coming year. SAYFC is a fantastic organisation with so much to offer its members and I look forward to another incredible year within the organisation building on existing opportunities and striving for more for the membership.”

The month of April also saw each of the Association’s six National Committees hold AGMs in order to elect office bearers for the year ahead.

The appointments for 2023/24 are as follows:

Agri and Rural Affairs

National chair - Scott Dey (Inverurie JAC)

National vice chair- Fraser Graham (Crossroads YFC)

West region chair- Jack Young (Carluke YFC), east region chair - Christina Smith (Edinburgh JAC), north region chair- John Forbes (Bower YFC)

Communications and marketing

Chair - Wallace Currie (Lower Nithsdale YFC)

Vice chair- Joanne Hall (Carluke YFC)

Competitions and events

chair - Jane Donald (Biggar YFC)

Vice chair- Lois Scott (Forfar JAC)

Development and wellbeing

Chair - Abby Forsyth (Stewartry YFC)

Vice chair- Elspeth Purdie (Lower Nithsdale YFC)

Finance and risk

Chair - Lewis Carruthers (Annandale YFC

International travel

Chair - Mhairi Dalgleish (Bankfoot JAC)

Vice chair- Ellen Glennie (Vale of Alford JAC)

West region

Chair - Michael Rolfe (Lanark YFC)

Vice chair- Anne Craig (East Kilbride YFC)

East region

Chair - James Kennedy (East Lothian JAC)

Vice chair- Lucy Orr (West Fife YFC)

North Region

Chair - Euan Bremner (Halkirk YFC)

Vice chair - Ellen Glennie (Vale of Alford JAC)

Honorary president

Alex Allison

Vice president

Sheena Munro