New guide to help farmers hosting school visits

Farmers planning to hold educational visits for school children can take advantage of a new online resource.
 
The new farmers’ section of the Farming and Countryside Education (FACE) website provides helpful hints on how to make a holding accessible for visitors, a guide on how to set up a farm trail and access to a full package of online resources which are free to download.
 
The farmers’ section is also regularly updated with informative, in-depth briefings on major agricultural issues – such as avian flu ­- that could have an impact on a farm’s ability to host a school visit.
 
FACE’s executive director Bill Graham said this latest addition to www.face-online.org.uk shows the organisation’s commitment to cementing the link between the agricultural industry and the consumers of tomorrow.
 
“The farms of England and Wales have the potential to provide a fantastic educational experience for children who are learning about their food, the environment and wildlife,” said Mr Graham.
 
“It is vital that the whole industry is committed to making it as easy as possible for farmers to host educational visits and for schools that want to visit farms to access them.
 
“FACE can play a pivotal role in smoothing this path and it is our intention that the new farmers’ section of our online presence will continue to develop in the months ahead.
 
“The combination of stringent health and safety regulations, the need for risk assessments and extra insurance mean that the prospect of hosting a party from your local school can be extremely daunting these days.
 
“But we are here to help and I hope that farmers will take advantage of the resources available on the new area of the website. We are also keen to hear any feedback and suggestions on what we could usefully add that would assist in making school visits easier for farmers to host.”