Outstanding Learners Honoured at Annual Land-Based and Environment Awards in Birmingham
4th December 2025
The National Conference Centre, in Birmingham, was full of excitement and celebration last week as the annual Land-Based and Environment Learner of the Year Awards took place.
The ceremony recognised outstanding talent and achievements across multiple areas of the land-based and environment sector, including agriculture, animal care and management, landscaping and horticulture, forestry and arboriculture, veterinary nursing, and many more.
The evening celebrated excellence from Learners in further education, and higher education, as well as those undertaking apprenticeships within the sector.
The Inspiring Life of Kate Humble: Farming and TV
The event was hosted by Kate Humble, TV Presenter and farmer, who has a small-holding and has presented programmes including Lambing Live, Animal Park, Springwatch, and Countryfile.
Kate told her inspiring story of how she had grown up in a rural setting, being involved in farming communities since a young age, and how her TV career has focused on animals and wildlife. Kate also shared how she came to own a small-holding and how she enjoys the lifestyle of tending to the farm animals every morning.
Celebrating Talent in the Land-Based Industries
The LBEL Awards are organised by Lantra, a specialist in training and qualification development for the land-based and environment sector, and Landex, a membership organisation representing land-based colleges and universities. The Ceremony was attended by finalists, their families, tutors from land-based colleges, and industry professionals.
With the land-based and environment sector facing challenges in recruiting new people into the industries, the LBEL awards shines a spotlight on the future leaders of the sector, inspiring more people to embark on a career in one of the industries.
Prof John Moverley OBE, Chair of Judges for the LBEL Awards, said:
“It’s been another fantastic year where we have been able to celebrate the success of learners and apprentices within our sector.
We had over 170 nominations this year, which was brilliant! There are so many inspiring stories from nominations and it’s an honour to be able to celebrate their achievements and passion this evening. Congratulations to all winners and finalists!”
Celebrating Talent in the Land-Based Industries
The winners on the evening were:
Land-Based and Environment Research Student of the Year
Ellie Martin (Hartpury University)
Land-Based and Environment Higher Education Learner of the Year
Helen Ashton (Hartpury University)
Land-Based and Environment Further Education Learner of the Year
Ellie Watton (South Staffordshire College)
The Suzanna Duncan Land-Based and Environment Apprentice of the Year
Anna Welland (Anglia Ruskin University - Writtle College)
Agriculture
FE Learner of the Year: Harry Lugsden (Suffolk New College)
HE Learner of the Year: Joshua McFarland (College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE))
Aquaculture and Fisheries Management
FE Learner of the Year: Ollie Harrison (Sparsholt College Group)
Animal Care and Management
Apprentice of the Year: Matthew Daniel (Derby College Group)
FE Learner of the Year: Louis Normal (Hartpury College)
HE Learner of the Year: Helen Ashton (Myerscough College)
Arboriculture, Forestry and Woodland
Apprentice of the Year: Will Smith (Askham Bryan College)
FE Learner of the Year: Ellie Watton (South Staffordshire College)
Environment, Conservation, Game and Wildlife Management
FE Learner of the Year: Connor Musson (Nottingham Trent University)
HE Learner of the Year: Kelsey O'Shaughnessy (Cornwall College Group)
Equine and Farriery
Apprentice of the Year: Rebecca Jordan (Askham Bryan College)
FE Learner of the Year: Mimi Dean (Hartpury University)
Floristry
FE Learner of the Year: Maddy Morgan (Warwickshire College Group)
Greenkeeping and Sports Turf
Apprentice of the Year: Jack Langley (Myerscough College)
Landscape and Horticulture
Apprentice of the Year: Francis Avizuis (Activate Learning - Merrist Wood College)
FE Learner of the Year: Molly Sheppard-Ward (Plumpton College)
Land-based Engineering
Apprentice of the Year: Anna Welland (Anglia Riskin University - Writtle College)
Veterinary Nursing
Apprentice of the Year: Megan Chambers (Cornwall College Group)
FE Learner of the Year: Melinda Wallace (College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE))
HE Learner of the Year: Ellie Hollings (Hartpury University)