Teaching children about rural life in Yorkshire
MORE THAN 6,000 pupils from across Yorkshire will learn about farming, the environment and the countryside at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate this week.
The free two-day event will see primary school children from all corners of the county, enjoy a full programme of rural activities and demonstrations tomorrow and Wednesday.
Yorkshire Agricultural Society organises the Countryside Days as part of its educational remit.
Charles Mills, show director, said: “Countryside Days are an important part of the society’s work in educating the younger generations about agriculture and farming life and both days are completely funded by the charity.
“Some of the children who come here may never have seen some of the animals or even the sheer scale of the showground and it’s important to teach them about the countryside.”
Held every year, admission to the Countryside Days are on a first come, first served basis and are always oversubscribed with waiting lists.
This is one strand of educational programmes run by the society, including Grow Your Own Potatoes, National Apple Day, Farmhouse Breakfast Week and courses for primary school teachers.
It comes ahead of next month’s Great Yorkshire Show, which sees around 5,500 schoolchildren visit on official school trips.
Mr Mills added: “Education is at the heart of the society which is why we run Countryside Days among other school programmes. We are also working to make it easier for parents to bring children to the Great Yorkshire Show by urging the Government to relax rules around educational term time trips.”
A recent High Court ruling has tightened rules designed to discourage parents from taking their children on term-time holidays.
But show organisers fear this could discourage families from bringing their children.
The society has invited the Secretary of State for Education, Shadow Education Minister and Yorkshire MPs to the show from July 11 to 13.