Youngsters get a taste for the countryside

There was some hands-on experience of the countryside for 7,000 schoolchildren as they followed the journey from field to plate at the Kids Country Food and Farming Day staged at the East of England Arena and Events Centre.

The interactive event was organised by the East of England Agricultural Society and sponsored by the Central England Cooperative. It saw pupils and teachers from over 60 schools get the chance to touch and taste various foods, find out more about livestock and working animals, visit an African village, and see the machinery and technology deployed on UK farms – including drones. This was the fifth time the event has been staged and was the largest held so far. It also featured 309 exhibitors from 85 companies offering various activities across 14 learning zones. Sandra Lauridsen, Kids Country Education Manager, said: “This was a fantastic event, showing just how popular the Kids Country Food and Farming Day is with children and schools across the region and beyond.

“With the support of the Central England Co-op we gave thousands of children the chance to not only understand how farmers produce their food and the journey it takes from field to plate, but to get handson experience of farming and the countryside. They have also had direct contact with big names from the food industry who have got involved in the education process, such as Billingsgate Fish Market and Albert Bartlett Potatoes.” Central England Co-operative Member and Community Relations Officer Karen Ball said: “Everyone involved with Central England Co-operative enjoyed being part of the Food and Farming Day. The Co-operative has a long tradition of giving back to the community, and we welcomed the opportunity to make a real difference to the lives and education of local children by talking to them about the history of the Co-op, food provenance and the importance of healthy eating.”