A MALVERN born and bred woman is to take charge of some of the town’s biggest events in the calendar which attracts thousands of visitors each year.
Diana Walton has been appointed ‘Head of Shows’ for the Three Counties Showground – meaning she will lead the town’s CountryTastic event, Royal Three Counties Show, the Malvern Autumn Show and Three Counties Farming Conference.
Diana takes over the reigns from current shows boss Doreen Smillie-Gray who has taken up a new position at Three Counties.
And agriculture has run through Diana’s blood all her life her uncle, Lyn Downes, was CEO for more than two decades and her father exhibited for many years at Royal Three Counties Show.
Her father founded Malvern based, Hadopots, which manufactures black polythene plant pots and still supplies many million ‘polypots’ around the world, including supplying a national schools growing competition run by the Agricultural & Development Board in which two million children take part.
Ken Nottage, CEO of Three Counties, said: “Diana has been a closely associated with Three Counties for a number of years and we are delighted that she has taken up the challenge of ensuring our shows remain exciting and relevant to our visitors and a mainstay on the events calendar.
“I would like to thank Doreen Smillie-Gray for her contribution as shows manager as she takes up a different role within Three Counties. Three Counties is an ambitious event organiser and I have no doubt that under Diana’s leadership, the shows will continue to flourish.”
After studying rural land management at the Royal Agricultural University, Diana qualified as a rural chartered surveyor in 1993 becoming a member of both the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers.
Diana said: “I am delighted to be heading up these marvellous shows and working with the team to continue our success. We have many exciting ideas and developments in the pipeline so we hope people will come and take another look next year at what we are doing.
“As an active member of the local community, I am especially proud of the contribution the shows make to the local economy and the national spotlight that alights on us whilst they are on; whether that is for our world record breaking giant vegetables at Malvern Autumn Show or our superb livestock and equine champions at Royal Three Counties Show.”
Out of work, Diana’s high achieving family includes husband Peter Walton, an ex-Scotland rugby international and now an International Performance coach with England Rugby and her son Jack who is a Young Ambassador for Three Counties and who is following in Diana’s footsteps at the Royal Agricultural University.
Diana is also the mother of Lucy Walton who is in her last year of school and competes internationally in both hockey and golf.
Both Jack and Lucy have featured in Malvern Observer headlines throughout the year.
