A Northamptonshire estate’s new education programme teaching young people the importance of sustainable farming has been boosted thanks to a new donation.
Property consultancy Fisher German has donated twenty laptops to Holdenby House to bolster its newly launched Rural Education Programme.
The programme takes primary schoolchildren on a tour of the farms and shows them how food is produced, as well as how wildlife can be looked after at the same time.
Children taking part in the programme at Holdenby House’s Education Centre experience all outdoor activities, including seeing how crops grow.
The programme aims to educate them on how nature and farming can coexist, and how the industry allows for the conservation and protection of important habitats.
Jackie Evans, head of education at Holdenby House, welcomed the new donation, saying that it would boost bookings on the programme.
“This donation is absolutely vital to the viability of our Rural Education Programme," she said, "Without it, if the weather is bad when a school decides to visit, or if a child cannot walk around the route, the laptops enable us to bring the farm to them.
“Many schools would be reluctant to book if they knew bad weather would scupper the chances of an educational trip for their pupils, so the laptops have given us a bit of an insurance policy.
“We have taken our first bookings already, and we’re looking forward to welcoming many more schools to Holdenby in the future.”
Holdenby House dates back to the 16th century and was once the palace of King James I as well as the largest private house in England. It has been owned by the Lowther family since 1709.
The estate wanted to start a new educational programme after the success of its award-winning Heritage Education Programme, which has seen more than 250,000 children learn all about various chapters of British history.
Matthew Trembath, of Fisher German added: “We thought it was another brilliant way for the estate to capitalise on its beautiful countryside setting and attract schools from urban areas to experience a proper taste of country life.
“Although a brilliant idea, we advised schools may not be as keen if there was no alternative to the outdoor activities in case of bad weather.
“We offered to donate 20 laptops to ensure Holdenby had the ability to give children a great educational experience even if the heavens open.
“Advice like this is all part of the service we provide to estates, and we are delighted bookings are starting to come in for the new programme.”
