Work at Whittern

Jo Hilditch

Owner and Managing Director

Jo is the fourth generation of the Green family. She came back to the farm from a career in PR and Marketing in London and has been running the farm since 1997 when her father died. Her passion has been diversification, creating a great environment for her staff to live and work in an agricultural environment but with interesting side lines and developments. She loves a project… the current one is a vineyard!

James Wright

Farm Manager

Following completion of a BSc (Hons) Degree James began his career at the Whittern in 2011 as assistant farm manager, taking over as farm manager in 2013. He keeps a close eye on all aspects of the farm from poultry to excellent fruit husbandry through to estate maintenance. His expertise and intelligence in every field keeps the business running like clockwork.

Paul Harter

Senior Poultry Manager

Paul has been at Whittern Farms overseeing the safe and responsible production of our poultry offering since 2008. He is a very safe pair of hands and has an academic approach to ensuring that all the right practices are followed at the farm and we always produce great quality birds for the nations plates.

Slavi Markov

Poultry Manager

The one, the only 'Slavi' consistently produces the finest quality chickens at Hollybush Farm. Ably assisted by his father Vlad they work tirelessly to ensure the job gets done.

Graham Hill

Poultry Manager

Graham joined us in 2021, coming from a background in game management Graham has a thirst for knowledge and the enthusiasm required to learn to manage our largest poultry site - Hunton

Sheila Bridge

Poultry Key Worker

Sheila, employed by Jos father at the very beginnings of Sun Valley poultry in the 60s, has provided a lifetime of service to the business. In later years Sheila still steps in to help out on all of our poultry farms as and when she can. Sheila spends many hours walking Jo's dog Emily around our lovely footpaths!

Karon Cooper

Senior Admin and Bookkeeper

Karon is a proper perfectionist. Her passion is figures which we are delighted about as we rather get on with our day jobs whilst she ensures that every part of the business is properly accounted for. Woe betide the person who fails to give in their Amazon purchase VAT receipt.

Mel George

Holiday Property Manager

Mel is a huge asset to our team. Her organisational prowess has whipped us into shape to ensure that all our holiday guests are as happy as they can be all the time. She's a great team player, and fabulously friendly with all our welcome guests!

Housekeeping Team

Shan Haynes, Sarah Baxter, Nadya Vankova and Didi Markova – they all whistle while they work and have enormous pride in their work making sure that all the properties looking shining, clean and well appointed for our guests.

Gary Bridge

Farm Worker

Gary is a Whittern Farms third generation farm worker. Always reliable and an expert on blackcurrants. Gary’s father Mike, his mother Sheila and his grandfather Tom have all given years of their lives to the Whittern Estate.

Lawrence Roberts

Farm Worker

Lawrence is our apple expert. Originally an orchard man at Bulmers in their enormous Herefordshire orchards, Lawrence now works for us pruning, spraying and harvesting and keeping the orchards looking smart and tidy.

Sebastian Lazarewicz

Poultry Maintenance Engineer

Sebastian keeps our poultry sheds working in tip top condition. Having worked in construction for many years prior to joining our team in 2012. Always wearing a smile Sebastian will fix any issue large or small to a high standard.

Chris Williams

Estate and Farm maintenance

Chris is a solid character, straightforward and a steady hand in a crisis. Equally expert on a digger as with a paintbrush or making doors, repairing toilets or putting up fences, Chris has been with us for 15 years and reliably turns up in his trusty landrover day after day.

Craig Evans

Heating, Renewables and Electrical engineer

With a strong background in commercial heating and renewable energy systems Craig joined our team in 2021. He is kept busy maintaining our biomass boiler systems, holiday cottages and private rentals.

Osyp

Vineyard specialist

Osyp is from Ukraine. He arrived here very soon after the Russian invasion. He comes from a farming background, and luckily for us has looked after vineyards back home. Come rain or shine, or even snow Osyp is an incredible worker and amazingly positive despite all his country is suffering. Here in March snow where he was pruning all 22,000 plants.

Mike Newman

Farm Support worker

Mike will turn his hand to anything, but is a very able assistant to the farm manager in so many respects. He works hard on the chicken litter burners, is an ace tractor driver and generally can turn his hand to anything on the farm.

Emily the Dog

Golden Labrador

Emily is part of the furniture. Sweet natured and gentle, she's often seen around all parts of the farm behind Jo on her bike, or having a general rummage! We can't say she's much of a retriever, but we can't do without her!