Bournemouth student gets bursary from famous farmer
Rupert Jones is being supported by Clarkson's Farm's Kaleb Cooper
An agriculture student from Bournemouth is getting a helping hand from one of Britain's most famous farmers.
Rupert Jones, who comes from Kings Park and went to school in Southbourne, has been chosen as a recipient of the 2024/2025 Kaleb Cooper Agriculture Bursary.
You'll know his name from being the right-hand man to Jeremy Clarkson on his farm, Diddly Squat.
The bursary will give Rupert £3,000 of support towards his studies at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU), as well as a work placement with either Kaleb himself or one of his industry partners.
Rupert has met Kaleb at the RAU’s Cirencester campus to congratulate him - along with the other recipient this year - Rose Geggie.
Kaleb said: “Today has been brilliant! It’s the second year of my agricultural bursary with the RAU and I’m so proud that once again we’ve been able to award it to two very deserving young people – that’s double what we were aiming for when we started out.
“I am so passionate about supporting the new generation through into the best industry in the world. Especially as I know, from my own experience, that it’s not an obvious or easy route for someone who doesn’t come from a farming family.”
1\9 year old Rupert joined the RAU last September to study for a BSc (Hons) in Agriculture. He said:
“Receiving the RAU Kaleb Cooper Agriculture Bursary has given the start of my studies a real boost, providing inspiration for the future and my career within the agricultural industry. When I heard that I had been selected I was over the moon. I couldn’t be more thankful, to Kaleb himself and to the RAU, for providing this amazing opportunity.
“Coming from a non-agricultural background, I haven’t yet had the opportunity to gain a good understanding of the working practices of a farm, but the RAU has already given me a great insight into this through my studies and I have made many friends who have farms and other connections in the industry.
“This support from Kaleb will provide further opportunities for me to increase my networks within the industry and will help me work towards my goal of having a career in the agricultural sector. It’s great that there are more and more opportunities for people from non-farming backgrounds to be able to work in agriculture.”
Professor Peter McCaffery, Vice-Chancellor at the RAU, said:
“We are delighted that Kaleb has renewed his support this year for RAU students through this bursary.
“Kaleb is a passionate advocate of farming, as we have seen in Clarkson’s Farm, and he has significantly raised public awareness of farming and agriculture at a very challenging time for the sector.
“Our bursary winners are new entrants to farming and it’s fantastic that this support will help them to realise their career dreams and aspirations and follow in Kaleb’s path. We are very grateful and excited to be working with him."
Rayo Premium