Winner of a Blue Diamond Scholarship, Fay Hunter is currently studying for a Foundation degree in Horticulture at CAFRE in Northern Ireland. Before starting into horticulture, Fay initially studied engineering, during which she spent a summer interning on a community owned farm. Here, Fay was involved in the running of a market garden and found the experience and time outdoors incredibility beneficial for her wellbeing and was amazed at the huge positive impact horticulture had on the local community there.

The following year her final project involved a sensing system for greenhouse, in which Fay found she enjoyed researching the plant side more than the electronics one and so began to consider the prospect of a career in horticulture. Fay is currently in her first year of a foundation degree in horticulture at CAFRE and is thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to expand her knowledge of the industry. Fay has a great interest in how horticulture can enrich communities, whether that be through community gardens, local and organic food production or improvements to parks and green spaces.

On hearing of her success Fay said,

‘I am so delighted to have been awarded the Blue Diamond scholarship, it will be immensely beneficial in the continuation of my horticulture studies. I am very grateful to Blue Diamond and the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation for their support. I hope through my studies and with the support of scholarships like this one I will be able to pursue a career that allows me to share the joy that horticulture has brought to me with others.’

Fay received one of seven Blue Diamond Scholarships awarded to students studying for a broad range of horticultural qualifications across the UK. We are extremely grateful to Alan Roper and Blue Diamond for their support of these scholarships.