Country Trust in the United Kingdom is working to instill deeper understanding in children about the food they eat, farming, and the countryside. Through curated experiences, they teach children about the link between diet, human wellbeing, and the health of the planet.
The organization works in areas with high rates of economic insecurity, offering programs that allow young people to visit farms, grow and prepare food, simulate a farmers’ market, and explore the outdoors. They also offer their Farm in a Box program, which provides eligible schools with free boxes packed with agriculture-related activities and other resources.
Country Trust also engages in policy work, lobbying for food and farming education to be incorporated in school curricula. They hope to see a hands-on component that connects children to the food and the land.
These initiatives are designed to empower children to be confident and curious about their natural environment and encourage them to create positive change in their lives and communities, Jill Attenborough, the CEO of Country Trust tells Food Tank. “Eighty percent of [people] live in towns and cities, and many are three generations away from working on the land.” And in some communities, they may not “have access to produce, equipment, resources, or incomes that would facilitate food choice.”
Attenborough believes that the organization’s programs are “most impactful” when they engage the adults, including teachers and parents, in a child’s life. When family members join students for farm visits, they often “come away saying they have learned as much as the children about where our food comes from and what is involved in producing it,” she tells Food Tank.
According to Attenborough these shared experiences allow everyone involved to develop confidence, curiosity, and sense of connection. And this leads to a community that “can share knowledge and make informed choices.”
Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.
Photo courtesy of Nikoline Arns, Unsplash
