A YOUNG farmer from the Worth Valley has spoken at the annual conference of Pennine Prospects, the body set up to promote the future of the south Pennines area.

Pennine Prospects is a regeneration organisation set up a decade ago to help ensure the future prosperity of the area and This year’s conference took place in Halifax.

Speakers included experts from the Yorkshire Dales and a remote area of Scotland on how they have coped with the challenges of having small, ageing, populations in sprawling rural areas.

But they were also joined by and joining the guest speakers was 16-year-old Nathan Greenwood, a member of the Worth Valley Young Farmers organisation.

Nathan spoke on the Fields of Vision project, which involved working with other young farmers and artists to create field-sized ‘land art’ on the route of the Grand Depart for the Tour de France in July.

The rural regeneration company’s chairman, Pam Warhurst, told the conference: “We have to create opportunities for young people. to get work here; We have to make sure we have ‘sticky money’, money that stays in the local economy.

“But we’re not starting from scratch. Here, in the South Pennines, where we have a quality landscape accessible to millions, we already have strong partnerships. We want to build on those and create new ones, with the areas bordering the South Pennines, and beyond, including transnational partnerships. We can all learn from each other.”

Other speakers included Peter Ross, chairman of the Dumfries and Galloway Local Action Group, on the challenge of trying to entice young people into the area, with Cllr Stephen Bains, leader of Calderdale Council, welcoming the delegates.