Norfolk machinery club NORMAC receives funding for website project
The Norfolk Farm Machinery Club at the Royal Norfolk Show
The Norfolk Farm Machinery Club Ltd (NORMAC) has received a £2,900 donation from the Clan Trust, which will help fund upgrades to their website.
NORMAC was launched just after the second world war in 1946, when agriculture was going through vast changes with the increased use of farm machinery to help boost Britain’s food production.
There was a need to educate operators on how to use these machines safely and efficiently, and the founders of NORMAC saw this as an opportunity to offer lectures and technical instructions to farm machinery operators in Norfolk.
With agricultural machinery continuing to progress rapidly in the 21st century, clubs like NORMAC are essential to ensure farmers are up to date with the latest electronic technology. Having the knowledge and skills required will not only improve efficiency on-farm, but also increase profitability.
Today, NORMAC has seven clubs which are still operating throughout Norfolk. Each club allows its members to study and explore the latest types of machinery and plant through demonstrations, events, talks and competitions, including the Royal Norfolk Show’s ‘New Ideas Machinery Competition’, which has been hosted by NORMAC for the past 50 years.
Membership meetings take place at the Norfolk Showground by kind permission of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association (RNAA). Alongside their meetings, NORMAC organises the well-known and nationally recognised Cultivations Demonstration that has grown over the years to become one of the largest in the UK.
Over time, NORMAC membership numbers have declined due to a decrease in the number of operating farms in the county, in addition to those currently involved in the agricultural industry working longer hours, leaving less time to attend club events.
The National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) also holds their meetings at the Norfolk Showground, and NORMAC hopes to encourage the younger generations to join the club through connecting at industry events and through a new, modern, and interactive website design.
The Clan Trust is honoured to financially support the development and refresh of a new website design for NORMAC. The new website is in progress and will be more user friendly, visually appealing and streamlined, so members can easily navigate and contribute their thoughts and ideas prior to meetings, on the website.
If you would like to find out more about becoming a NORMAC member, you can visit the existing website - https://normac.org.uk/contact.htm