Members' Information

Stephen Greenfield - Chairman

A native of Norfolk, having trained at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, Stephen Greenfield has worked as a Chartered Surveyor and Land Agent for 40 years, specialising in Estate Management. He has lived and worked in Yorkshire since 1989, and for the last 18 years has been Chief Executive of the Sledmere Estate. In this position, Stephen is responsible for the property, farming and leisure, and hospitality businesses.

Stephen has a small mixed farm near Malton, and is a founding member and former Chairman of the First Venison Deer Farmer’s Co-operative. He serves as a member representative on the Remuneration, Nomination and Governance Committee of the Green Pea Company Ltd, and a former Yorkshire Branch Chairman of the RICS Rural Division.

Charles Brader - Vice Chairman

Charles Brader, one of our new Board Directors, has had a long career within the agricultural sector and beyond, working within arable, sheep & livestock enterprises, as well as holiday let diversification. Charles' experience spans to his childhood, having worked on the family farm, and attending agricultural collage as a young man. You may recognise him as the former chairman, and the current Vice Chairman of the BATA Group.

In his personal life, Charles is married with two grown up twin daughters. He is interested in rugby union, equestrianism, country sports & music, and is part of his local parish council as Vice Chairman.

Judy Richmond

We’re also pleased to confirm that Judy Richmond MRICS has accepted our invitation to join the Board to fill the vacancy left by Diane Flint. Judy’s family farmed East of York and were members of BATA for many years, and she herself continues as a part-time sheep farmer and BATA member today. A qualified Chartered Surveyor, Judy is currently Senior Estate Manager for the National Trust in the North of England.

Previously the Chairman of the Governance Board of Bishop Burton College and Chairman before that of its property committee, Judy brings considerable experience of governance and the management of large multi-faceted organisations.

Richard Butterworth

Richard Butterworth's agricultural career began at Bishop Burton College, where he gained his Diploma in Agriculture. From this, he has had a successful career as a farmer, specialising in arable, pigs & renewables in the Holderness area of East Yorkshire. Richard used this expertise to represent the pig industry on the Pork & Bacon Promotion Council, and is currently representing the pig industry on the SAOS Council. He is also the Director of Nupork, which joined Scotlean Pigs, where he has been a director for 23 years and the Chairman for the last 10.

Richard, now a BATA Board Director, is married with three grown up sons and is the Chairman of his local parish council. His interests include rugby, cricket (for which he has done junior coaching) & country sports.

Dorothy Fairburn - Group Secretary

We’re pleased to confirm that Dorothy Fairburn has been appointed as Secretary to the Society. Dorothy’s family are long standing members of BATA and she was brought up on the family farm near Helmsley. She will be well known to many members and staff as the former Regional Director of the CLA, where she was awarded an MBE in 2011 for ‘services to rural affairs in Yorkshire’.

The Board are sure the Society will benefit greatly from her experience of membership organisation administration. Dorothy will be fulfilling the role on a part-time basis, and, as well as supporting the Board, will play a significant role in enhancing our membership services.

Richard Murray Wells

Richard Murray Wells has recently been elected to join the BATA board, alongside fellow new electee, Johnathan Bulmer. Originally a Chartered Surveyor, Richard left to start his own business in 2003 seeking to add value to farm produce by taking it direct to the consumer’s plate (or glass). He purchased The Feathers Hotel in Helmsley and started Homfray Hotels. Over a decade, this grew into six outlets employing close to 200 people. In 2015, the business was sold and Richard established Ness Hall Ltd, a business covering agriculture, building and retail. Today, he farms, as owner, tenant or contractor, an arable area over 5,000 acres. Richard also develops brown-field and redundant properties.

Furthermore, Richard is a director of Codex Global Ltd, a business that provides translation services primarily to global retail fashion businesses. He is also a past Director of Ryedale Steel Buildings and a current Director of W G Spice Ltd. Richard sat on the CLA’s Policy Committee 2017-23, and was the CLA National Chairman for both Agriculture and Legal & Parliamentary. He is also a past member of Ryedale District Council.

Johnathan Bulmer

Another of our newly-elected board members, Johnathan Bulmer is an entrepreneurial businessman and farmer boasting over 30 years of experience in the container and transport market. He has proven expertise in enhancing customer satisfaction and diversifying service offerings. Johnathan is recognised for leading the UK’s largest provider of shipping containers for sale and hire nationwide, managing large-scale operations, and driving growth in competitive markets.

Following the successful investment of the business from LDC, Johnathan now serves as Non-Executive Director for the Cleveland Group, which includes Cleveland Containers, Cleveland Modular and Cleveland Hire. Moreover, Bulmer Farms, Great Habton, Malton, has grown from 87 acres and 600 BnB pigs in 2011, to now farming 640 acres with 4,500 BnB pigs, 87 pedigree Simmental suckler cows and 400 crossbred ewes.