Fran Barnes, NFU director of communications, will be the guest speaker at the annual Montgomeryshire NFU Cymru county conference.

Held on Wednesday, December 11, at Maesmawr Hall, Caersws, SY17 5SF, Fran will be joined by NFU Cymru deputy president, Aled Jones, who will give an update on the work NFU Cymru is currently undertaking.

Hot beef rolls will be served from 7pm, with the meeting beginning at 7.30.

Fran leads and directs all of the NFU’s communications. She is responsible for all NFU communications including press, campaigns, social media and membership magazines, the external affairs team in Westminster and the new NFU Education programme, for primary and secondary school children.

Fran has worked with the NFU since 2012 and before that spent 20 years working at the BBC on national radio stations including BBC Radio 5 Live and Radio 4. Notably, Fran was editor of 'On Your Farm', 'The Food Programme', 'Costing the Earth' and 'Farming Today'.

Alex Higgs, NFU Cymru Montgomeryshire county chair, said: “I’d like to thank Fran Barnes for agreeing to come along and speak with us. With farming having such a difficult time in the media at the moment it will be great to hear from her about the union’s work and how communications can help highlight the work we do as an industry.

“I’d also like to thank our deputy president Aled Jones, for taking the time to come along. Everyone is welcome so please come along and bring your friends and neighbours. I look forward to seeing you all there.”

NFU Cymru would like to thank HSBC for its continued support in sponsoring all 11 county conferences.