The connects children and young people with nature, food and farming from its base at in Chichester, West Sussex.
Established by the 10th Duke of Richmond in 1976, it hosts school visits, offers woodland learning, plus children in the community activities for disadvantaged young people.
Its trustees include NFU Group Secretary Matthew Baker and it is working with the to maximise resources and minimise duplication.
Connecting children with nature
Trust Manager Catherine Cannon said: 鈥淎s an independent charity operating on the estate, we work with schools and groups who can most benefit from what we have to offer.
鈥淏eing a charity enables us to seek grant funding from external sources, such as the . This allows us to welcome more school groups.
鈥淥ur purpose is to inspire a love and understanding of the natural environment and sustainable agriculture. We work to connect children and young people with nature, particularly those who are disadvantaged or vulnerable.鈥�
The trust works across West Sussex and East Hampshire, including Portsmouth and Gosport. It has an education centre on the farm, set in 20 acres of woodland.
Last year around 2,000 primary and secondary children visited the farm. About half of them were on a free trip because they were eligible for means-tested free school meals or had special educational needs.
Finding out where food comes from
Catherine said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e fortunate to be based on the farm. On a typical day, children will start off in the education centre before going to the dairy. They can watch milking, learn about the life stages of the cow and see different roles and careers that people have on the farm.
鈥淎fter lunch at the education centre, we might go for a walk to see the sheep and pigs and talk about different farming techniques, soil health and looking after the land.
鈥淲e might then make butter or go to the farm shop 鈥� we try and fit a lot into the school day.鈥�
After a visit, one pupil commented: 鈥淚 want to be a farmer when I grow up and look after all the animals like cows and sheep.鈥�
One teacher said: 鈥淭he children learned so much during their visit. It was a unique opportunity for them to connect with nature, learn about farming practices, and gain a deeper understanding of where our food comes from.
鈥淭he hands-on activities and educational aspects of the trip were truly outstanding and left a lasting impression on our students.鈥�
Supporting Open Farm Sunday
Catherine said the trust was gearing up for on 8 June while looking to raise awareness about what it can offer.
鈥淲e would love to hear from schools, children鈥檚 charities and organisations who want to find out about what we do,鈥� she said.
鈥淲e work all year round and we鈥檙e taking bookings now from the autumn of this year into 2026, looking ahead to our 50th anniversary.鈥�
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