Leaders from the world of agriculture and business have been awarded Honorary Fellowships by the Cirencester-based Royal Agricultural University (RAU).

Former National Farmers Union (NFU) president Meurig Raymond, the chief executive of Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) Caroline Drummond and business consultant Christine Cross who was business development director at Tesco all received accolades.

The RAU paid tribute to the careers and impact of these leaders at its graduation ceremonies in Cirencester Parish Church. Each year, alongside presenting students' degrees, the University awards Honorary Fellowships to those who have made significant contributions to agriculture and the related land-based industries.

Meurig Raymond retired as NFU President in February after undertaking various roles there for nearly 40 years. At the European Commission's High Level Forum for a Better Functioning Supply Chain, Meurig represented European farmers and worked to improve their position in the food chain.

As Chief Executive of LEAF since it began in 1991, Caroline Drummond is a passionate advocate of greater public understanding of farming and of encouraging sustainable farming practices.

Christine Cross held senior roles at Tesco, including business development director, and is now an independent adviser working across retail, manufacturing and education.

Students were awarded degrees and diplomas from the RAU.

Professor Joanna Price, vice-chancellor of the RAU said: "Graduation is a celebration of our students' hard work, commitment and success over many years.

"Meurig, Caroline and Christine have had a lasting influence on their fields and they've shown how food production, agriculture and the land-based industries successfully combine with entrepreneurialism, enterprise and policy leadership.

"Their achievements will inspire our students for years to come because RAU graduates in 2018 are global citizens who are ready to contribute to society in a myriad of ways."

During the ceremony, two special awards were presented to staff from the Royal Agricultural University. The James Buckman Presentation Cup was awarded to Andrew Davis, senior lecturer in heritage property, game and deer management in recognition of excellence in education. The Professor W. Paul Davies Award was presented to Katherine Duke, head of enterprise, for developing student potential.