Every year the Royal Norfolk Show runs competitions for schools based around food, farming and the countryside. Pupils are encouraged to research issues of their own choice and then present their findings at the annual Show. Such entries are clearly guided by teachers and that means they get to learn things too.
Last week at the County's highly successful Show this worthwhile tradition was continued and although it is probably invidious to mention just one entry I do not apologise for reporting on the historic presentation from Acle school not far from Gt Yarmouth that jumped out at me - because I was there!.
The pupils had chosen to feature the "Dig for Victory" campaign launched to help feed the nation during the 2nd World War. They had researched what went on during those years and found press cuttings and government pronouncements about how ordinary citizens could produce food from their gardens and allotments.
They recorded how this effort was led by farmers who responded magnificently to the challenge of keeping the nation fed in the face of German U Boat attacks on convoys of ships bringing in food from abroad, mainly America. They disclosed that there were some periods during the conflict when Britain was just a few days from running out of food. And they wrote about rationing to preserve what stocks were available.
It was a particularly timely topic for those of us who think a few years ahead to when this country might again be faced with a similar situation - too little food for a hungry nation. And I encouraged the pupils to spread their message as widely as possible so that more consumers come to understand the need for domestic food production, a minimum level of self sufficiency and adopt a habit of buying home produced food to encourage those who grow it to supply even more when its needed.