The Back British Farming message has reached even more children thanks to a £25,000 grant from the government-backed ‘opportunity area’ programme to help children learn all about food, farming and the countryside using NFU Education resources.
The NFU has worked with Learn by Design, which successfully bid for funding to deliver the project to five of Derby’s inner city primary schools that will run a variety of the NFU’s Farmvention and Farming STEMterprise sessions.
To kick-start the project, 300 students from these schools have come together today to show their support for British farming and take part in a host of farming activities, from planting their own wheat to designing a tractor.
NFU President Minette Batters said: “The NFU’s Farmvention competition and Farming STEMterprise resources deliver so much more than a science or maths textbook; by bringing farming into the classroom children are reconnected with the countryside and rural life. The projects are great fun and not only do they cover crucial topics on the curriculum, but the children learn valuable life skills along the way.
“I am aware that many children will not have had the chance to see first-hand where their food comes from and that there are many schools which do not have the resources to enable this to happen. That is why we wanted to give children in these areas the opportunity to delve into the world of farming.
“By funding these activities we can open young eyes to opportunities that otherwise might have passed them by. If we spark children’s interest now and build their knowledge of food, farming and the countryside, we can open up endless possibilities for their future.”
