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The Country Trust has received a £12,000 Movement for Good Award from Benefact Group.
The awards are designed to help charities make a real difference in their communities. More than 900 charities applied for the funding which is being put towards the advancement of education and skills, rural and community development, heritage, arts and culture, and climate change and environment. The winning projects were selected against four criteria: impact and effectiveness, sustainability, innovation, and care and compassion.
“The Country Trust will provide 14 country-wide Farm Discovery visits to 364 primary-aged children and their teaching support staff over the course of this academic year. The children will spend a day on a real working farm, where their host farmer and our experienced Coordinator will provide engaging and immersive learning that complements the national curriculum and supports children to make their own “real-world” connections. The program encourages participating children to explore all aspects of food and how farming impacts our lives. Each visit is carefully planned, and after the children have had their experience, evaluation forms are completed. All feedback is assessed so that Country Trust can report fully on the immediate and sustained impact of our work in addressing the severe disconnect between thousands of children with a paucity of opportunity in this country and the rural land that sustains us all.”
The Movement for Good Awards large grants provide charities with flexible funding that can be used within three years and for a blend of capital and running costs for their projects.
Jill Attenborough, CEO of the Country Trust, said: “We are absolutely delighted. The money will enable us to connect, through our Farm Discovery program, around 364 disadvantaged primary school children across England and North Wales. We introduce them to crops and livestock, encourage them to question and explore food production and roles in agriculture, and discover how farming impacts all our lives. The opportunity to be in the countryside, to be physically active and exploring nature can also bring mental and physical health benefits for children who may ordinarily have very limited access to green spaces and few opportunities to discover the world around them.”
Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, said: “We understand the importance of longer-term funding for charities, especially when trying to bring ambitious new ideas to life and get larger transformative projects off the ground. Through our large grants, we are actively championing innovation, giving charities the backing they need to propel their plans forward and turn creative ideas into practical solutions that benefit society. Benefact Group is the third largest corporate donor in the UK and has an ambition to be the biggest. Owned by a charity ourselves, charitable giving is at the heart of what we do and all of our available profits go to good causes.”
Movement for Good is funded by EIO plc, part of the Benefact Group.
