On Thursday 2 October our CEO Delva Patman joined year 6 children from Alfred Salter Primary School, London on their farm residential at Nethercott House in Devon.
This Victorian manor house with sweeping lawns, circled by farmland and the River Torridge is one of the locations Farms for City Children use to offer children from underserved communities the experience of being farmers for a week. Earlier in the year, thanks to players of The Health Lottery, £20,000 was donated to the charity to help subsidise residential breaks.
The charity was founded nearly 50 years ago by author Sir Michael Morpurgo and his wife Clare, to give children the chance to experience the benefits of time in nature. Since 1976, more than 104,000 children and young people have visited their three heritage farms in Devon, Gloucester and Pembrokeshire.
A warm welcome by staff and enthusiastic young farmers!
Children and young people spend a week immersed in farm tasks, from tending to animals through to planting, harvesting and preparing produce. Thanks to partner farmers, the Ward family, the young farmers also travel via tractor trailer to get first-hand experience of life on a commercial farm. Their week also includes craft, cooking and nature-walks all fuelled by delicious farm-cooked meals.
Delva said,
“The setting was stunning, and it was fantastic to see children from such an urban environment getting stuck in to farm duties. The residential started on Monday, so when I visited (Thursday) the group had become well-acquainted with rural life. They were happy to tell me about what they’d experienced, and I have no doubt that for many the memories of the trip will last a lifetime. The fact that Eleanor Prestage, the Head Teacher of the Alfred Salter Primary School, had been to Nethercott when she was at school says it all. The way the children were marching boldly down to one of the fields with pitchforks and wheelbarrows to collect manure is something that I am sure none of them dreamed they would be doing this time last week! Thanks so much to Nathalie, Katy, Jenny, Adam and the team from Nethercott for such a warm welcome.”
The farm residentials support the curriculum needs of the visiting schools and contribute to life skills such as confidence and communication. They also foster a sense of curiosity and collaboration – exposing many young people to completely new experiences. Importantly the visits, which last five days, are also fun!
Jenny Percival, Nethercott House, Farms for City Children, said,
“The most satisfying thing is seeing the positive change in the children between Monday and Friday. Often, the greatest difference is in the children and young people who find it hard to engage in the classroom. Being outdoors and learning in different ways gives them a new environment where they can thrive.”
Meeting the team at Farms for City Children
Thank you to everyone who made this visit possible and Alfred Salter Primary School for telling Delva about their experience.
Farms for City Children work with more than 3,500 young people each year. If you would like to know more, visit their website and follow them on social media.
Website: www.farmsforcitychildren.org
Instagram: @farmsforcitychildren
Facebook: @farmsforcitychildren
LinkedIn: @farmsforcitychildren