The Goodwood Education Trust, the independent environmental education charity operating on the Goodwood Estate near Chichester, is continuing to offer funded farm trips through 2026. The Trust has been connecting children with nature for 50 years, and offers three programmes: Farm Visits, Forest School, and Children in the Community.
The farm visits are suitable for both primary and secondary classes, with content tailored to particular curriculum areas. Students experience all aspects of one of the largest organic farms in the country, meet the dairy cows, gain insight into potential careers in agriculture, make the connection with the food they eat, and learn about how environmentally sensitive farming benefits the landscape. The Education Trust is based at a stunning and sustainable Education Centre, offering a comfortable and accessible base for visiting groups.
Schools find the cost of transport to rural sites a particular challenge, and this year the Education Trust is delighted to be partnering with the South of England Agricultural Society to help schools. Established in 1967, supporting countryside learning and agricultural education is central to their mission, and the Society runs a number of initiatives to encourage children to develop an interest in the countryside industries. These include the popular Loan-a-Lamb scheme, where primary schools look after a ewe and her lambs for a week, and free tickets for schools to their flagship South of England Show each June.
The Society has made a grant to the Education Trust, to support up to 20 schools with a contribution to the cost of their travel to the farm at Goodwood.
Catherine Cannon, Trust Manager said, ‘We know how valuable it is for children to spend time on the farm, meeting the animals, learning about jobs, and discovering where their food comes from. And beyond that, spending time outside, in nature, is so important for both physical and mental health. We’re thrilled that the South of England Agricultural Society is making visits more accessible through their travel funding’.
Corrie Ince, Show Director said, ‘School visits to the South of England Show are really popular with both primary and secondary schools from across the region. Partnering with the Goodwood Education Trust will enable more schools to experience life on a farm and bring their learning to life. We know that the cost of transport is a real barrier for schools, and are pleased to be able to make this grant available.’
To book your free trip, please contact the Education Trust at get@goodwood.com
Contacts:
Catherine Cannon, Education Trust Manager catherine.cannon@goodwood.com
Rebecca Minto, Senior Marketing Executive, Rebecca.minto@goodwood.com
Corrie Ince, Show Director education@seas.org.uk
Images are attached, from GET and from SEAS.
Notes for Editors
The Goodwood Education Trust is an independent environmental education charity (Charity Commission CIO 1198212). Their purpose is to inspire a love and understanding of the natural environment and sustainable agriculture. They connect children and young people with nature, particularly those who are disadvantaged or vulnerable. They were established in 1976 by the 10th Duke of Richmond.
They work with all children and have a particular interest and growing expertise with children and young people who have Special Educational Needs, Social Emotional and Mental Health Needs, who have experienced trauma, who are Young Carers, who are eligible for Free School Meals or who are excluded from mainstream schooling. To reach those with the highest level of need, they’ve established local partnerships with those who work with disadvantaged children. They have funding available to support schools in areas of disadvantage, offering free farm visits and support with coach travel, which is a significant barrier.
They work broadly across West Sussex and East Hampshire (including Portsmouth and Gosport), offering three programmes:
- Farm Visits for Schools,including free visits for disadvantaged schools
- Woodland learning,including weekly Forest School for vulnerable students, including those in Alternative Provision or Special Schools.
- Children in the Community, woodland activities, including partnerships with local charities and Forest Adventures through school holidays, particularly for those on low incomes.
The South of England Agricultural Society is a registered charity dedicated to funding and supporting agricultural education and countryside learning.
Working across Berkshire, East Sussex, Hampshire & the Isle of Wight, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, they operate from the South of England Showground, a 150-acre site situated on the outskirts of the village of Ardingly in the heart of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Showground hosts many of their shows and events and is home to the South of England Event Centre which they own and operate on behalf of the Society. The Society organises and hosts four seasonal shows which showcase agriculture, horticulture and the countryside and raise funds for their educational work. These events provide visitors of all ages with a fun and informative day out while promoting the countryside and its industries through displays, interactive activities and competitions, including from their own Countryside Hub. Their flagship event, the South of England Show, has been running since 1967 and takes place in June each year and is a focal point for farmers and producers across the region.
Central to their remit are the educational objectives. As well as raising awareness of agriculture and countryside pursuits, any funds raised from their seasonal shows help serve the community through the provision of education, grants and awards for people with an interest or involvement in agriculture and other land-based industries.
The Society delivers and hosts a wide range of educational events including their Farming Conference, technical forums, school and college competitions and countryside learning initiatives for primary school children.
