A week that sparked a lifetime of storytelling
Jacqueline Hobson still remembers the feeling of walking down a country lane at Nethercott Farm in 1976, her small group trailing behind Michael Morpurgo as he told a story that made the journey feel like an adventure. At the end of the lane waited a newborn calf. Michael asked the children to name him, they chose “Poogley.”
Nearly fifty years later, Jacqueline can still picture the moment and even the blue-and-white striped bobble hat she wore, which is forever to be seen as a painting of the children and said calf in the Nethercott House visitors’ book.
A magical week far from home
Jacqueline travelled to Nethercott House from her junior school in Great Barr, Birmingham. As the eldest of four children, where money went on the every day essentials, the opportunity to spend a week away felt extraordinary. At the time, she didn’t recognise it as unusual, only extremely special. The farm felt, in her words, like “a castle full of magic,” a place where she felt completely happy, close to animals and free in the outdoors.
There were simple joys too; rolling down the garden bank in fits of laughter, helping care for animals and experiencing a landscape far removed from city streets. These moments rooted something deep within her, a lasting love of the outdoors and a sense of belonging in open spaces along with hearing stories.
Shaping the future
Writing about the visit today still brings emotion for Jacqueline. The week opened her world and broadened her sense of what was possible. That widening perspective shaped a life dedicated to children and young people. Jacqueline went on to work through sport and education as a PE coach and teacher, and later in the NHS as an audiologist and paediatric nurse. Her work has always centred on empowering young people, listening to their voices, and nurturing confidence and self-worth.
Storytelling as a lifelong companion
Storytelling, first encountered walking that farm lane with Michael, became one of her most powerful tools. She tells stories to distract children during medical procedures, to entertain Beaver Scouts on camp. She recalls with great fondness inventing tales about wildlife while walking through muddy fields with her own children. Jacqueline discovered she didn’t need a book to tell stories – a profound realisation for someone who struggled to read until the age of twelve and later in life learned she was dyslexic with ADHD.
The outdoors remains her “happy place.” Family walks in rain-soaked fields, time with animals and sharing nature with young people all trace back to that formative week in Devon.
The enduring power of a week on the farm
Looking back, Jacqueline believes the value of a Farms for City Children visit cannot be overstated. Experiences like hers nurture confidence, independence, empathy and self-worth, qualities that grow quietly but endure for life.
Her experience is also one of the reasons she has gone on to be a valued long-term supporter to Farms for City Children, helping enable generations after her to experience the magic she felt.
Jacqueline still carries deep gratitude for Michael and Clare Morpurgo, who cared for the children during what felt like a very big adventure away from home. And the memory of meeting Poogley, the calf named by a group of wide-eyed Birmingham schoolchildren, remains a small, perfect symbol of a week that opened the world.
We can only grow the knowledge, confidence and curiosity of the young people who visit our farms with your support. Visit our Support Us page to find out how you can help us ensure that thousands more children can thrive on our farms for the next fifty years and beyond.
