Agricultural Society

Three Counties is a charity. Its charitable objectives are to promote Agriculture, Horticulture, Arboriculture, Apiculture, Rural Skills and Crafts and Conservation for the Public Benefit.

Today we fulfil our objectives through staging our popular fundraising shows at our 90-acre showground, centrally located on the borders of the three counties it serves: Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire. We undertake various additional educational activities, including putting on a free Careers Fair, hosting Pathways Day Service for young adults with learning disabilities, sponsoring a Nuffield Scholar and administering two educational bursary schemes.

Together, our four main shows attract a footfall in excess of 250,000 and have far-reaching influence, bringing together industry leaders, experts and visitors from all parts of the UK. It is difficult to overestimate the impact of our flagship event, the three day Royal Three Counties Show, which has been running for over 100 years. It is a highlight in the rural calendar for generations of local people and a unique showcase to a much wider audience for farmers, stockmen, equestrians, farriers, forestry and rural professionals, local artisans, food producers and all kinds of businesses. We also host RHS Malvern Spring Festival (a partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society), Malvern Autumn Show and CountryTastic, all of which have a strong educational focus.

Since the COVID pandemic we have sought to diversify our income streams in line with many other charities through investing in our facilities and boosting our income from venue hire. The local economy benefits enormously from the 70+ external hire events the Showground hosts annually as a premier business venue. The Agricultural Society hires out the showground to third parties for exhibitions, conferences, animal shows, trade fairs and leisure events such as flea fairs, auctions and vehicle enthusiasts’ jamborees. Over a million visitors a year come through the gates of the showground and it makes an annual contribution to the local economy.

For Farmers

Three Counties is proud to support farmers and the rural community, by raising awareness of the importance of British agriculture by investing in producing the Royal Three Counties Show each year. Find out more about what we do here.

UK Rural Event of the Year 2024 Winner and 2025 Finalist

Royal Three Counties Show was crowned UK Rural Event of the Year 2024 by the NOEA awards and is currently a finalist for the 2025 award (winner will be announced end of Nov), highlighting the show’s significance and excellence in celebrating rural life, agriculture, and the community. This is a huge honour for everyone involved in making the event such a success.

If you would like updates about what we offer For Farmers at the Royal Three Counties Show, please sign up to our newsletter here.

Latest Updates

Stockman’s Café Rebuild

Grant funding we have secured is allowing us to begin work on the Stockman’s Café Rebuild, but we still need your support to help us replace the Stockman’s Café with a new, bigger facility.

In return for a £100 minimum donation, we’re offering the opportunity for all of our members to have their name or message engraved on a brick featured on a Donor Wall inside the café. Find out more here.

Grant Funding

Projects this year we’ve received grants for include:

• The Sensor Project. This is a new weather station and sensor suite that uses advanced LoRa WAN technology to monitor environmental and safety conditions across the site. The project was supported by the River Severn Partnership Advanced Wireless Innovation Region with funding from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and delivered by CyRIC IOT.  Read more here and watch a video about the project here.
• Match funding for AccessAble in-depth guide to our facilities for visitors with accessibility needs. Click here to view this.
• Farming in Protected Landscapes funding to maintain and promote the National Collection of Perry Pears and restore the Apple orchard this winter. £20,723 covering pruning and maintenance, labelling of trees, interpretation boards, leaflets, new trees and DNA analysis.
• The Coronation Living Heritage Fund paid for 76 new trees for the National Perry Pear Collection. £9,305 awarded, adding 56 different varieties, 19 of which are new to the site.

Grant funding we have secured has also allowed us to:

•  Make substantial improvements to the Showground campsite so it’s more welcoming, has better facilities and the season of use can be extended. Part funded by the UK Government in partnership with Malvern Hills District Council.
• Undertake training and purchase equipment to enhance accessibility for visitors, such as ticket office hearing loops. Funded by Visit Worcestershire Accessible Tourism Programme.
• Access funding from the Hereford Corn Exchange Trust to support Herefordshire schools’ participation in our shows and the careers fair.