SCHOOLCHILDREN from Plymouth had the chance to experience life on a farm thanks to Farms for City Children and a donation from South West Water. 

Farms for City Children is a charity that enables children from underserved communities to experience working and learning in the heart of the countryside. 

The charity has three farms across the UK, all of which welcome children and teachers from schools nearby.  

Earlier this month, thanks to South West Water's neighbourhood fund, Farms for City Children provided a free week-long experience to 35 primary school children from Plymouth in Devon. The children visited Nethercott House.

“We want to say a huge thanks to South West Water and its Neighbourhood Fund for supporting our mission and enabling 35 children, aged 10-11, to experience farm life," a spokesperson for Farms for City Children said. 

“The children had opportunities to take on meaningful responsibilities and overcome fears, they gained lasting confidence and resilience from the progress they made as they became increasingly skilled farmers.”

The children enjoyed a five day stay at Nethercott House, during which they took part in seasonal farming tasks alongside farm teams and partner farmers. 

Farms for City Children operates for 52 weeks of the year and subsidises the visits at 50% of a true cost of a week on the farm. The charity supports more than 3,000 young people each year, allowing them to connect with the natural world. 

Ariana, who took a visit to Nethercott House recently, said: "Nethercott was an experience I'll never forget, it was so much fun to be adventurous as well as helping us to develop our communication skills - every activity was something I'd never done before - I wish I could go back."

Since launching in 2021, South West Water’s Neighbourhood Fund has provided support to community groups, initiatives and charities that work to improve the lives of residents in Devon, Cornwall and Dorset. 

Dani Twelvetree, from South West Water, added: “We are always looking for new and innovative projects and ways to enrich the lives of people within our community. We’re proud to help Farms for City Children in their mission."