The Kent County Agricultural Society’s Annual General Meeting, which took place on Friday 13th February 2026 in the Astor Pavilion at the Kent Showground, saw two major new appointments to the Society.
With the Honourable William Boscawen, who has served as President of the Kent County Agricultural Society for 6 years, announcing his intention to step down from his role, the Society was delighted to welcome longstanding supporter Roz Day into the role.
Roz has previously served the Society as Chairperson of the Charitable Activities Committee and was chief steward of The Flower Tent for twenty years ( now The Gardening Life ) as well as supporting the Society’s many events. As Roz noted in her acceptance speech, her history with the Society began when she became a rosette carrier in the main ring at 19 years old. A few years later she became engaged at The Kent County Show and found herself supporting her future father-in-law, Alan Day, in the Kent County Show office (now known as the Alan Day House!). In fact, the Day family’s connection to the Society runs all the way back to it’s foundation, with Alfred Day (Father of Alan Day) being a founding member when the Society was formed in 1923!
Roz’s many years of support, experience and dedication to the Society make her an extremely popular appointment to the role of President, which was voted in unanimously at the Annual General Meeting on Friday.
Chairman of KCAS, Matthew Cullen, was delighted to present the outgoing President, the Honourable William Boscawen with an Honorary Life Governorship of the Society in recognition of his 6 years of service to the Society.
Following this, the much missed and respected late Hugh Summerfield, who served as Honorary Finance Director of the Kent County Agricultural Society for 8 years, was awarded in memoriam the President’s Award for his services to the Society. The award was collected by past Society Chairman and close friend of Hugh, Julian Barnes, on behalf of Hugh’s family.
Following Hugh’s sad passing in September 2025, the Society found itself in the position of needing to appoint a new Honorary Finance Director. The Board of Directors were delighted to recommend the appointment of Hayley Kingsnorth, who has over 20 years of experience working in the finance industry and holds the role of partner at the Ashford office of UK top 10 accountancy firm, Azets.
On accepting the new appointment, Hayley told the Society and its members “I hope to honour Hugh’s memory by continuing his important work in ensuring KCAS’s financial strength, supporting our charitable objectives and securing the future of our organisation. KCAS is a hugely important organisation in our rural county, and I will do my utmost on behalf of all members and supporters as we look to protect the agricultural sector.”
The Annual General Meeting also saw Co-Opted Board Director Kristina Boulden, Company Director of Romney Marsh Wools and Romney Marsh Shepherds Huts, re-appointed for a further term in her role on the Board.
Following the Annual General Meeting, the Society’s annual Falmouth Lecture saw newly graduated Kent Rural Scholar, Finn Selby-Green, deliver a highly engaging speech to the assembled members about his time at University studying agriculture supported by the Society’s scholarship scheme and his exciting plans for the future. Chairman of the Society, Matthew Cullen, noted as he closed the day’s formal proceedings, that Finn’s talk highlighted the importance of the work of the Kent County Agricultural Society and the support of its members in encouraging young people such as Finn to enter the agricultural industry and giving them the opportunity to succeed.
