Social Partner
Farming Representative

Retired

As a member of the Ulster Farmers Union, Esther represents the interests of the farming community on The Bridge Partnership. She has two key aspirations for The Bridge Partnership, which she hopes will be achieved in its future work. Firstly, she hopes that it will help create better employment opportunities for the farming community particularly in the area of market diversification. Secondly, she hopes that it will help promote social inclusion for young and older people in the form of a forum for these groups to display their talents.

Esther’s interest in the young stems from her teaching career. Now retired, Esther has spent all of her working life teaching in primary schools after qualifying as a teacher in 1964. Her retirement in January 2000 coincided with the closure of the Ballyward Primary School, where she taught for 25 years holding the position of Principal for the last 8.

As a wife, mother of four grown-up children and a grandmother family life remains Esther’s key focus but she does find time to pursue her passions which include developing her farming interests, playing bridge and investigating local history. She sings in the First Dromara Presbyterian Church Choir and belongs to the Dromore Bridge Club, Banbridge Historical Society and Dromara Historical Society. She is also a member of the Farm Family Committee. She really enjoys the therapeutic benefits of swimming and during the summer she swims in the Rock Pool, Newcastle.