Tingewick farm wins top national award

Rectory Farm in Tingewick, Buckingham has won a top national competition designed to showcase those farmers that have shown a true commitment to promoting farming education in their local community, beating off competition from around the country.

The competition has been organised by leading crop protection business Bayer CropScience and FACE (Farming and Countryside Education). FACE are a registered charity whose aim is to educate children and young people about food and farming.

The farm scooped two prizes: the 'Biodiversity Award', a category for farms that feel they have demonstrated the promotion of a greater understanding of biodiversity (or specific species) to schools and young people, and was also named as the overall competition winner, receiving the accolade 'The Very Best in Farming Education.'

The farm was presented with their award by TV broadcaster Tom Heap (Countryfile and Radio 4) at a winners' lunch held at London's Kensington Roof Gardens on 7th September 2007.

The farm hosts over 50 educational visits from local schools and groups each year demonstrating areas such as conservation, restoration and creation of wild flower meadows and hedgerows. Owner George Eaton shares his interest and knowledge of all aspects of wildlife including water vole releasing and monitoring, otter habitat creation and enhancing populations of farm birds.

Hayley Coulson at Bayer CropScience, said: "We have organised these awards in association with FACE to celebrate the very best in farming education. We believe that key suppliers to the farming industry, like ourselves, should play a role in promoting the work that farmers are doing in their communities. These awards are just one of the initiatives that Bayer CropScience is working on with its partners to help the sustainable development of UK farming1."

Commenting on the awards Bill Graham OBE, from FACE, said: "There is no doubt that we need to connect communities with their local farms. Children, young people, and their families, have become disassociated from where their food comes from and do not know what is required for a healthy diet and lifestyle. They are also unaware of the many opportunities in the countryside for leisure and social activities, and for employment."