Our Heritage

The origins of the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs can be traced back to 1938, although young farmers clubs have been a feature of rural Scotland for much longer. For almost 90 years, SAYFC has supported young people across rural communities by providing social connections, educational opportunities, and a strong sense of belonging.

As we look ahead to our 90th anniversary in 2028, SAYFC is developing a major heritage project to preserve and celebrate the past, present, and future of both the organisation and its member clubs. We are fortunate to hold an archive at Ingliston that has been described as being of ‘national significance’ since it brings to life the voices and journey of the young people growing up and working in the Scottish agricultural landscape.

Within this project we are planning to apply for National Lottery Heritage Funding for our heritage project on digitising our archive as part of our website so that it can be available to all our past and present members, and the physical archive will hopefully be donated to the National Library of Scotland.

Alongside the archival work, we aim to create an oral history project to record the stories and memories of former members, with the potential to develop a dedicated podcast series. Plans are also underway to create a permanent heritage space within the New Big Build, featuring displays and exhibitions that showcase 90 years of SAYFC history. The project will also provide training and support to clubs across Scotland to help them preserve their own local archives and histories, strengthening their place within the wider national story of SAYFC.

This is an opportunity to protect, celebrate, and share the legacy of Scotland’s oldest and largest rural youth organisation for generations to come.