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'It's a job you will finish and think is cracking'

National Hedgelaying Society Stephen Budding has white hair and a beard. He is wearing a black jumper. Mr Budding is standing in front of a banner depicting the National Hedgelaying Society logo which depicts an axe and other hand tools.National Hedgelaying Society
Stephen Budding, of the National Hedgelaying Society, said it is "massively important" to keep traditional crafts such as hedgelaying alive

More than 100 of the country's finest hedgelayers are hoping they can cut it at the national championships this weekend.

The contest will take place at Elmswell Farms, near Driffield in East Yorkshire, on Saturday.

Each competitor will be given five hours to work on their entry, showcasing one of 10 regional variations of hedge.

The craft is used to manage hedgerows and create barriers for livestock and wildlife habitats and Stephen Budding, of the National Hedgelaying Society (NHLS), said keeping these traditional crafts alive is "massively important".

National Hedgelaying Society A competitior at the 2023 National Hedgelaying Championships. He is wearing orange protective equipment, blue trousers and a checked shirt. The man is surrounded by green bushes and is creating a natural hedgerow fence.National Hedgelaying Society
The discipline of hedgelaying is centuries old, with each region having its own distinctive style

The 70-year-old, who is vice-chairman of the society, said the craft had taken on "extra importance" as the farming industry looks to improve biodiversity.

"Hedges are the biggest man-made wildlife habitat there is and the environmental impact is our biggest priority," he added.

"If you don't do something, these hedges just become a line of trees and, eventually, fall over."

Mr Budding told the BBC he laid his first hedge when he was 15 and has created hedges around Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Norfolk.

"We have people from all sorts of backgrounds wanting to get involved and learn the skills," he said.

"A lot if people have come out of office jobs and the fast lane, wanting to give themselves a challenge. It's the sort of job you finish and think that's cracking!"

National Hedgelaying Society A row of competitors work on a hedge at the National Hedgelaying Championships. On the right of the image, a crowd of people can be seen watching the action.National Hedgelaying Society
About 100 competitors will take part in the event at Elmswell Farms, near Driffield

The NHLS said the skills on display at the latest edition of the championships will be similar to those used in the first competition held in 1979.

Mr Budding concluded: "There's an awful lot of hand work. Some of the axes and tools we're using are over 100 years old. Some people do everything by hand.

"That said, we all have chainsaws these days, you'd be daft if you didn't."

The 44th National Hedgelaying Championship and Countryside Event gets under way at 09:00 BST.

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