Food and Farming Day to celebrate arrival of VIP guest

Food and Farming Day to celebrate arrival of VIP guest

The East of England Agricultural Society’s Food and Farming Day (29 June 2018) is set to celebrate the arrival of the 35,000th child to have taken part in its Kids Country education programme.

Food and Farming Day, which connects children and families with food, farming and the countryside, is this year set to be attended by over 5000 key stage 1 and 2 children from 50 primary schools across the region and beyond.

The annual event held at the East of England Showground in Peterborough will feature shows, demonstrations, and hands-on activities across 14 learning zones, with 110 exhibitor stands.

Every child will have the opportunity to learn countryside skills, touch and taste various foods, find out more about livestock and working animals, visit an African village, and see the latest machinery and technology deployed on UK farms.

Farming is vital to the nation

Jeremy Staples, Chief Executive Officer of the East of England Agricultural Society, said: “We’re extremely proud that our Kids Country programme of events has been so successful and managed to have educated tens of thousands of primary school aged children since it was established in 2012.

“To be welcoming Kids Country’s 35,000th child to Food and Farming Day 2018 is a remarkable achievement that should be celebrated not only by the East of England Agricultural Society but all the farmers, businesses, and schools that have taken part so enthusiastically. These events would not have flourished without them.

“Farming is vital to the wellbeing of the nation and it is crucial the next generation of consumers are supportive – events such as Food and Farming Day do much to win hearts and minds.

“It’s a real hands-on event that gives them a chance to interact directly with food, farming, and the countryside. For many it will be the first time they have seen the process food goes through from field to plate – or experienced the countryside and outdoor activities.

“The atmosphere on the day is electric and it empowers them to go home and talk to their families about food and how it’s produced, as well as what the countryside has to offer.”

Inspiring educational destination

Sandra Lauridsen, Education Manager for Kids Country, The East of England Agricultural Society’s education arm, said: “The Kids Country initiative is now in its sixth year and has established itself as an inspiring educational destination for teachers and educators looking for innovative ways to stimulate and inform their students.

“Food and Farming Day is important because it gives children an understanding of how farmers produce their food and the standards they adhere to. It also connects them with big names from the food industry too.

“It’s also a lot of fun, with hands-on experiences to try, demonstrations to watch, and shows to enjoy. We’re also encouraging children this year to meet farmers at the event and have their pictures taken with our ‘Thank a Farmer’ selfie board!

“Before the event, the children’s teachers are invited to a meeting where we go through the list of all the exhibitors at the event and link them to the curriculum, helping to create a teaching plan that ties into the event. There is follow-up support available after the event too.”