It is with sadness that we have to report the death of Tom Chamberlain, former senior partner of Adkin. Tom passed away peacefully at home on the 6th January 2021 aged 93 with his wife Muriel by his side.

Born in 1926 in the market town of Wallingford in Oxfordshire, Tom attended Berkhampstead School and was then employed as an articled pupil with Bruton Knowles in Gloucester. During his time there he took an active part in the Young Farmers’ Club, serving as Secretary of the Gloucestershire Club for two years.

Following this, Tom was called up into the Royal Engineers and commissioned as a Field Engineer Officer, serving in Egypt and Sudan in the Hirings and Disposals Section of the Middle East Land Forces. After being demobilised, he completed his training at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester (now the Royal Agricultural University) where he obtained the College Diploma in Estate Management.

Tom then began his career proper, first with C E Williams & Co in Oswestry and then with Franklin & Gale in Wallingford. During this time, Tom was elected an Associate of Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). He then moved employment again and took up a position as an assistant to Thomas Bowen with Adkin, Belcher & Bowen in Abingdon where he was elected a Fellow of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV). Tom became a partner at Adkin in 1952 rising to the position of Senior Partner, a position he held for over 15 years, during which time the firm expanded considerably under his leadership.

Tom was a longstanding and active member of the CAAV serving on Council and as President.  Upon being proposed, he was described as a “tireless worker”, something that all those who knew him would recognise. The future of the profession was very important to Tom. As a result, he trained many young rural surveyors over the years, all of whom benefited from his tutelage and wise counsel. They were all encouraged to play an active part in the CAAV and organisations such as the Young Farmers movement. He was also an active member of Drayton & District Farming Club.

In addition to his professional career, Tom also held many positions in his community including a longstanding role in a locally based charity, Christ’s Hospital of Abingdon where he was a Governor and the Master for many years. He was also a long-term member of Abingdon Rotary Club. In such spare time as he had, he pursued his interests in orienteering and sailing.

Tom was held in high regard by his clients, fellow professionals and friends alike. He is survived by his wife Muriel, their son, two daughters and their grandchildren.

Adkin would like to reassure their clients that the office will remain fully functional for the duration of this current lockdown. If you have any queries please continue to call the main office number 01235 862 888.

The majority of our surveyors will be working from home. If you need to contact them directly please send them an email or call their mobile number, both of which can be found on our ‘People’ page.

All calls and emails will be returned and actioned as soon as possible but please be patient as we adapt to the change in working practices again.

Please be assured that Adkin will continue to provide its usual high level of service during this challenging time.

On the 30^th November the Government published ‘The Path to Sustainable Farming: An Agricultural Transition Plan 2021 to 2024’.

To accompany the Agricultural Transition Plan’s publication, they have created the booklet called Farming is Changing. The booklet summarises the Agricultural Transition Plan, and was written with farmers and land managers in mind.

The main points to note are:

BPS to be at 50% of current levels by 2024 as a minimum

Countryside Stewardship and additional grants to be expanded from 2021-2024 with a focus on Sustainable Agriculture, Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery

Environmental Land Management to be launched 2024

Exit Schemes launched to assist those wanting to retire from the industry

Please contact Emily Ham or Sarah Payne for further information.

Adkin would like to reassure their clients that the office will remain fully functional for the duration of the second lockdown. If you have any queries please continue to call the main office number.

The majority of surveyors will be working from home. If you need to contact them directly please call their mobile number which can be found on our ‘People’ page.

All calls and emails will be returned and actioned as soon as possible but please be patient as we adapt to the change in working practices again. Please be assured that Adkin will continue to provide its usual high level of service during this challenging time.

We are pleased to announce that Rosie has joined the team as a Graduate Surveyor.

Rosie graduated from Harper Adams University in 2020 with a BSc Hons degree in Rural Enterprise and Land Management. During her time at University, she completed a work placement year on a large Norfolk Estate as Trainee Land Agent gaining valuable estate management experience. Rosie then joined Adkin in September 2020 and is currently working towards becoming both a Chartered Surveyor and Fellow of the CAAV.

We are delighted to announce the election of Simon Alden as Junior Vice President of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV).

https://www.caav.org.uk/About_CAAV/Presidential_Team.aspx.

Simon has been a member of the affiliated organisation, the Berks & Oxon Rural Valuers Association Committee for many years and was Chairman in 1999.  He was an examiner for the Southern Group of the CAAV for ten years becoming chief examiner in 2007 and has been a member of the Education & Examination Committee of the CAAV since 2007, serving as its Chairman since 2009.  He has been on the CAAV Council since 2004, serves on the Future Skills Group and was elected to the CAAV Executive Committee in 2019.

Click here for the latest article written by Kevin Prince for the Hampshire Chronicle

Sept farm blog Hampshire Chronicle

Adkin are currently marketing the beautiful farmstead of Rectory Farm in Northmoor, Oxfordshire.  You can find full details on our own ‘Property Page’ but we were delighted to see it featured in this week’s Country Life as one of their ‘Properties of the Week’.

Country Life Article

We are looking for ambitious and motivated surveyors to join our team based in the picturesque village of Ardington in Oxfordshire.

We are particularly interested in experienced graduates, recently qualified surveyors or those who have up to 5 years post qualification experience in a broad range of rural professional work. In addition, we have an immediate requirement for a surveyor or equivalent candidate who has significant experience with the Basic Payment Scheme, environmental schemes and our expanding workload in areas such as natural capital, biodiversity, soils, water and climate change.

Should you wish to discuss the positions available, please contact Simon Alden on 07710 900681.

Further details can be found here: Surveyor Advert – July 2020