Peterborough pupils learns about food from field to fork

Kids country breakfast event at Welland Academy. Farmer Dan Bryant with his tractor EMN-200122-145223009

More than 230 Key Stage 1 and 2 children spent the day taking part in hands-on workshops covering everything from sausage making with free-range rare breed pork, to making pancakes, and from the ‘metre square farm’ to learning about what makes a healthy breakfast, with sponsors Central England Co-op in a series of teamwork and communication centred  activities.

The event focused on the importance of using locally, seasonally produced food, in our diets as much as possible to minimise food miles and promote healthy eating, while understanding the role of the farmer to bring that food from field to fork.

Sandra Lauridsen, Education Manager for Kids Country, said: “We are passionate about helping children to understand food, farming and the countryside in the East of England, where we are surrounded by some of the most productive farmland and producers - our local ‘farming superheroes’. These children are the consumers of the future and to understand that food comes from a farm, not the supermarket, and the process of producing that food, is essential to making better informed consumer decisions.”

Kids country breakfast event at Welland Academy. Farmer Dan Bryant and pupil Nancy Lin in the tractor cab EMN-200122-145234009

Central England Co-op member and Community Relations Officer Jenny Hurst said: “We are delighted to once again be supporting Kids Country and Breakfast Week following the success of the partnership in previous years in raising awareness of the health and nutritional benefits of breakfast.

“This fits in perfectly with The Co-operative and its long tradition of giving back to the community.”

Kids Country chairman and local farmer Tom Martin said: “For me, it’s also really exciting that Breakfast Week also fits in with key elements of the national curriculum from a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) point of view, and that children from all backgrounds, and especially from city-based schools like Welland Academy, are shown that there are actually amazing career options in the agricultural industry, whether that’s in science, engineering, digital technology, or hands-on, on the farm.”

Sandra added: “We are proud of the strong links that we have with schools, farms and food producers across the East of England, and we would like to thank our main sponsors Co-op Food for donating eggs, milk, fresh fruit and vegetables, and much more that they donated to make the day a success.”