About
“The Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association aims to help educate young people and adults, and to bring people and business together through a range of inspiring events, including the Royal Norfolk Show and the Norfolk Spring Fling, to promote a better understanding of food, farming and the countryside.”
The RNAA is one of the leading agricultural associations in the UK and exists to promote and support food, farming and countryside. It is best known for the Royal Norfolk Show and many other industry related events and activities, including the Norfolk Farming Conference. Norfolk Showground Ltd is the trading subsidiary and manages the RNAA’s estate, Norfolk Showground, as a successful events venue. The RNAA have a bold ambition to establish the Showground as a regional events centre and, to be the foremost agricultural association in the UK.
The Royal Norfolk Show, which was first held on June 18, 1847 on the Norwich cricket ground, has become one of the country’s largest food and farming spectaculars. It attracts nearly 80,000 visitors including 8500 school children from across 102 schools in the region across two days every June. Returning in 2022 after a two-year absence due to Covid, it was described as ‘the best Show for a generation’ and was attended by HRH the Princess Royal to celebrate the Late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Over 100 businesses and organisations exhibit at the show every year, with a significant waiting list to take part in this prestigious and much-loved event.
Beyond the Royal Norfolk Show, what is perhaps less well known outside of the Association and its Membership, is the broad range of commercial activities delivered by the organisation through its trading division which in turn enables the Association to deliver its wide-ranging and inclusive programme of charitable obligations. Please see the diagram on the next page for an overview of how the organisation's commercial and charitable activities are structured.
Overall, the Association is in good health with a strong balance sheet reflecting net assets of £6,894,552 (2021: £6,775,863). In 2022 the Association made a surplus of £182,621 from its operating activities (2021 £99,644).
Read more about the Associations most recent activities in the 2022 Annual Report.
With a vibrant and supportive membership, their prime location on the outskirts of Norwich is home to a 150-acre site and 3000 sqm indoor arena which makes them a nationally recognised venue for hosting commercial, cultural and social events from concerts to conferences.
In March 2022, they drew together the ‘Leading the Field’ consultation, bringing together farmers and landowners, research and education institutions, local and regional policymakers and other stakeholder to help inform the Associations future strategy. As a result of this work, it was agreed that two initiatives in particular will be focused on. The first begin the recently launched ‘RNAA Opportunities Fund’ to encourage fundraising to help support young people who are trying to get into the industry and those in the industry who wish to undertake professional development activities. Second, the Association has continued to develop the concept of a food, farming and environment forum to support the local agricultural industry.
