More children in south Wales will have the chance to go on an educational farm visit thanks to funding for a new training programme for hosts provided by leading rural insurer, NFU Mutual, and delivered by FACE Cymru.
Funding will provide training courses for farmers
Courses will help make farm visits safe
Training courses will enable more children to go on farm visits
NFU Mutual has stepped in to provide £18,000 to enable more farmers to join the farm visit education programme run by the Access To Farms partnership (ATF), which educates children and young people about food and farming in a sustainable countryside.
In Wales, the two-day course will be delivered by FACE Cymru at the Swansea Community Farm on 12 and 19 November 2013. The Countryside Educational Visits Accreditation Scheme (CEVAS) delivers three Open College Network-accredited units: preparing farms for public visits; meeting the requirements of the National Curriculum; and Communication skills.
Welsh farmers will also be able to apply for support through the Farming Connect Skills Development Programme.
“No-one is more important to us than farmers and the rural community so we’re pleased to be able help provide training so that farmers can provide safe and informative visits to the public,“ said Richard Percy, NFU Mutual Chairman.
“As a farmer myself, I know that it’s vital that we give the public opportunities to see how farming works and how the food they eat is produced.”
Jane Powell from FACE Cymru, who is working with Access To Farms to deliver the course, welcomed the initiative: “Our aim is to educate children and young people about food and farming in a sustainable countryside.
“NFU Mutual’s generous funding means we can run these courses in Wales and expand the number of farm visits available for children.”
Farmers interested in attending a CEVAS course can contact ATF on 0845 838 7192 and www.cevas.org.uk.
