The Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham Usher, has been appointed President of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association (RNAA) for 2026.
His induction took place during the RNAA’s Annual General Meeting on Thursday 23 April. The Royal Norfolk Show is the largest two day agricultural show, drawing more than 80,000 visitors and featuring over 700 trade stands and 3,000 animals. It remains a cornerstone of Norfolk’s cultural and farming heritage.
Reflecting on his appointment, the Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham Usher shared “It was a great surprise to be asked to be this year’s President of the Royal Norfolk Show. It is a huge honour and I hope that I can fulfil the role to the very best of my ability. Having only been living in the county since 2019, I am conscious that I am very much a newcomer with plenty still to learn.“
Bishop Graham has chosen ‘thriving rural communities’ as his theme for the Royal Norfolk Show. He writes;
“When villages have a diversity of ages and backgrounds their schools tend to thrive. When rural communities have good internet connection businesses function well. When there are good transport links mobility is enhanced. When there is access to shops and GP surgeries and leisure facilities then wellbeing tends to get better. When nature is being protected and enhanced then all benefit. When there is a church community, a village hall or a pub, and perhaps some local clubs and societies, people can meet and chat, celebrate and share, and those who are struggling can be supported, isolation is reduced, and a common sense of purpose is fostered.
Yet, so many of these aspects have been deeply challenged across Norfolk in recent decades. The demand for second homes means that many rural communities are no longer affordable for young families. The reducing birth rate is having a dramatic impact on small rural schools, and I grieve the closure of some of our church schools. We have seen hundreds of pubs and village shops close. Many churches are struggling to get churchwardens, yet these icons in our landscape are treasure troves of architecture, history and faithfulness, where the beauty of holiness is encountered.
Yet, together we can also celebrate when things turn a corner – which they do. The community shop, the school offering brilliant support, the restoration of rare habitats, the food bank outpost, the community defibrillator, the warm hub in the village hall, the welcome provided to Ukrainian refugees, the funeral done well in a village church, the small scale social housing development. . . All of these things I see as I make my way around this county. For me, this is a living out of Jesus’ hope that we might each find “life, and have it abundantly.”
Bishop Graham and his wife Rachel have chosen to support the work of charities in Norfolk which work with people experiencing homelessness, including the work of St Martin’s Housing Trust, of which Rachel is a trustee.
Mark Nicholas, Chief Executive Officer of the RNAA, welcomed Bishop Graham’s appointment and expressed gratitude to outgoing President Poul Hovesen for his exceptional contribution to last year’s Show:
“As the baton passes from Poul Hovesen to Bishop Graham we can be in no doubt that the Association is in a strong position to champion food production, farming and the countryside in Norfolk. A staunch supporter of our work since arriving in Norfolk in 2019 Bishop Graham’s vision will enable us to find innovative ways of supporting rural communities and growers and producers across the county. We thank Poul Hovesen for his hugely successful Presidential year and warmly welcome Bishop Graham as our President for 2026.”
The 2026 Royal Norfolk Show will take place on Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 June.