Schools in Cornwall are being invited to book a free two-hour session to learn more about local farming, conservation and food production at Rustikated – a rural business based near Helston that launched last year.
The project saw Kate Biddick leave her teaching career to set up a business that combined all of her passions: working with children, local wildlife conservation and animal care.
For the past 17 months Kate has welcomed youngsters, who would otherwise struggle to manage a full week in mainstream education, to her family-run smallholding.
Every day, different children arrive to learn how to care for the pets and small farm animals, and how to carefully manage and play in the four-acre site.
Now the Rural Payments Agency is funding a limited number of places for schools to take part in sessions for a new farming, conservation and production tour at Rustikated smallholding near Helston.
Thanks to careful management being at the forefront of all that happens at Rustikated, Kate said she was delighted to be successful in a recent application to Defra’s Countryside Stewardship Scheme.
Kate told the Packet: “From September 2024, Rustikated will be using Defra’s Educational Access Grant to offer groups of school children free visits to the smallholding so that they can learn about local farming, conservation and food production.
“The free tour will take place here on the smallholding and will also highlight the use of the neighbouring, working farmland that supports local farming businesses such as Cornwall’s beef and dairy industries.”
During the tour children will learn the value of increasing biodiversity and how to make sensitive habitat improvements, as well as understanding the beneficial impact of trees and tree planting.
Kate hopes youngsters will get to witness the rich flora and fauna first hand and will begin to understand how small changes can make a big difference.
Schools are encouraged to book their free farming and wildlife tour at Rustikated quickly, as funding only allows for a limited number of schools. Booking is now open ready for September and onwards.
Parents are encouraged to make sure their child’s school is aware of the offer so that the school can make a booking. Details can be found at the bottom of the article.
Kate explained that she has long since considered herself to be the custodian, not the owner, of the space she calls home, and with her own children having grown up “it felt important to offer other youngsters the same outdoor experiences and privileged interactions with nature that my children had. This space feels right with children learning, playing and relaxing in it.”
As well as offering grazing to a flock of sheep, the ponies, horse, chickens and ducks, the ground at Rustikated also has species-rich hedgerows, small wooded spaces, wildlife ponds, marshy areas and a vast array of wildflowers.
It already offers specialist provision for children aged eight to 18 who, for various reasons, struggle to attend mainstream school full-time.
“The complexity of the children who use Rustikated varies. Some have been suspended from school, others can’t attend school because of barriers unique to them; many have additional needs or difficult life circumstances,” said Kate.
“For all, managing a full week in a busy mainstream school isn’t possible so they come to Rustikated and learn here with me and the animals for a while.”
For all Rustikated enquiries, including about specialist use of the site or to book a free farming, conservation and food production tour for schools, contact Kate Biddick by emailing rustikatedcornwall@gmail.com
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