AFF scholarship awarded, as new grower rep joins the Hay Gin team - “It’s good to be back”

Tertiary scholarship winner Lucy Shea (centre) with AFF Hay Gin manager Harley Hey and newly recruited grower services representative Heidi Stephens. Image: The Riverine Grazier / Tertia Butcher.

By Tertia Butcher

The Australian Food and Fibre (AFF) tertiary scholarship has been described as ‘life-changing’ by local teacher and mother of two of the recipients, Sherelle Shea.

Former Hay War Memorial High School captain, Lucy Shea is the 2025 scholarship winner and will be studying primary teaching at CSU Wagga.

Lucy will be following in the footsteps of her mother as teacher and is thrilled with her scholarship which will enable her to focus on her studies without the need to also find a part-time job.

Lucy’s elder sister, Hannah received the scholarship in 2022.

Agronomist, Heidi Stephens has returned to the AFF cotton gin as Grower Services Representative.

Heidi joined the former Auscott gin when she left school, and after qualifying as agronomist, she moved to Mackay for three years before returning to Hay.

“It’s good to be back,” she said.

“The marketing team has been very welcoming. They are a great bunch of people to work with.”

Heidi is hoping for another bumper ginning season considering the warm summer, if conditions remain favourable.