Kaleb Cooper meets with his agriculture bursary recipients
14th February 2025
Two young agriculture students, who may have struggled to get into the sector as they are not from an agricultural background, have received a helping hand from Clarkson’s Farm star Kaleb Cooper.
Royal Agricultural University (RAU) students 20-year-old Rose Geggie and 19-year-old Rupert Jones, have been chosen as the two recipients of the 2024/2025 RAU Kaleb Cooper Agriculture Bursary and met the man himself when he visited the RAU’s Cirencester campus to congratulate them on their success.
While he was in town, Kaleb joined Rose and Rupert, and fellow RAU students, to take part in a charity Tractor Pull for the university’s students’ union’s annual charity fundraising RAG (Raising and Giving) Week.
‘Not an obvious or easy route’
Kaleb said: “Today has been brilliant. It’s the second year of my agricultural bursary with the RAU and I’m so proud that once again we’ve been able to award it to two very deserving young people – that’s double what we were aiming for when we started out.
“I am so passionate about supporting the new generation through into the best industry in the world. Especially as I know, from my own experience, that it’s not an obvious or easy route for someone who doesn’t come from a farming family.”
The RAU Kaleb Cooper Agriculture Bursary, which was launched in 2023, currently offers two bursaries annually – one funded by Kaleb himself and one funded by the Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust that has an existing relationship with the RAU – which are open to all the university’s undergraduate agriculture students.
The bursary provides Rose and Rupert each with a £3,000 payment as well as the opportunity to apply for a work placement with either Kaleb himself or one of his industry partners.
‘Definitely worth a shot’
Rose, who comes from Lymm in Cheshire, joined the RAU last September to study for a BSc in Agriculture.
She said: “When I applied for the bursary, I didn’t dare dream that I would be chosen, but, with the chance to meet Kaleb and potentially get some work experience with him, I felt it was definitely worth a shot.
“I come from a non-farming background, but my mum has always been a huge support for my agricultural dream, and she insisted I go to university and take all the opportunities that came.
“I was in Tesco buying some potatoes when I got the call letting me know that I had been awarded the bursary, and I was ecstatic! I just burst out in hysterics – one of the other customers came over to check that I was ok!
“This is an enormous opportunity which will shape my career for many years to come. I don’t yet know which direction my career is headed – maybe I will manage a farm, or perhaps even be lucky enough to run my own farm one day, but whatever happens, if I’m a farmer, I’ll be the happiest person in the world.”
‘Inspiration for the future’
Rupert, who comes from Bournemouth, is also in his first year, studying for a BSc (Hons) in Agriculture.
He said: “Receiving the RAU Kaleb Cooper Agriculture Bursary has given the start of my studies a real boost, providing inspiration for the future and my career within the agricultural industry. When I heard that I had been selected, I was over the moon. I couldn’t be more thankful, to Kaleb himself and to the RAU, for providing this amazing opportunity.
“Coming from a non-agricultural background, I haven’t yet had the opportunity to gain a good understanding of the working practices of a farm, but the RAU has already given me a great insight into this through my studies, and I have made many friends who have farms and other connections in the industry.
“This support from Kaleb will provide further opportunities for me to increase my networks within the industry and will help me work towards my goal of having a career in the agricultural sector. It’s great that there are more and more opportunities for people from non-farming backgrounds to be able to work in agriculture.”
‘Take that first step’
The self-made agricultural entrepreneur and farm contractor Kaleb has been working in and around farms since he was a schoolboy and is a passionate supporter of UK agriculture and opportunities for young people to enter the sector.
He said: “Agriculture can offer such a varied and rewarding career, and today’s another chance to spread the word about it. If you’re hard-working, curious and want to learn skills for life, I can’t encourage you enough to look into agricultural studies and take that first step.”
Professor Peter McCaffery, vice-chancellor at the RAU, added: “We are delighted that Kaleb has renewed his support this year for RAU students through this bursary.
“Kaleb is a passionate advocate of farming, as we have seen in Clarkson’s Farm, and he has significantly raised public awareness of farming and agriculture at a very challenging time for the sector.
“Our bursary winners are new entrants to farming, and it’s fantastic that this support will help them to realise their career dreams and aspirations and follow in Kaleb’s path. We are very grateful and excited to be working with him.”
READ MORE: Kaleb Cooper and his partner are expecting their third child
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