Careers day at Hollow Trees Farm celebrates breadth and diversity of farm life

Children enjoying a day at Hollow Trees in Semer during the Food & Farming Student Day Newmarket Academy student get up close to a tractor (Image: Archant)

Sally Bendall, of Hollow Trees Farm, near Hadleigh, which played host to the Food and Farming Student Day, said it had been a successful collaboration of organisations, including the Suffolk Agricultural Association and Easton and Otley College.

“It’s our seventh year and the quality of workshops that were delivered everybody said was just brilliant this year,” she said.

She added: “It’s hugely important that agriculture unites to try and address the shortfall of people getting involved in our industry. Food and farming is what sustains us and it helps feed an ever increasing population. We need to get this message out and we do at this event by giving youngsters an interactive flavour of what farming is, champion local produce, talk about career opportunities and try to open people’s eyes to the fantastic technological advancements that are happening right now.”

Youngsters from 10 Suffolk high schools took part, alongside more than 50 farmers and farming professionals.

Also taking part were Muntons, Marks and Spencer, the Suffolk Wildlife Trust and Natural England.

Neil Ridley, of Easton and Otley College, said: “Farming generally isn’t on the radar when it comes to careers advice in schools. Therefore the best way to explain how things work is via days like this.

“It’s great when your passion for a subject is reciprocated and you see the penny drop.”

SAA chief executive Nicola Bateman added: “I’ve been in my role since the start of the year and after an incredibly successful Suffolk Show that had agriculture at its root, it is important we continue to bang the farming drum in a fun and informative way.”