About Us
Farms for City Children is a charity enabling children from disadvantaged communities to experience the adventure of working together on our farms in the heart of the British countryside.
This opportunity exists for children because of our amazing supporters. Thanks to them we can continue to brighten the lives of thousands of children each year.
A Welcome from our Founders,
Clare and Michael Morpurgo
Since we started the charity in 1976 more than 100,000 children have been to one of our farms – Nethercott House in Devon, Lower Treginnis in Pembrokeshire, and Wick Court in Gloucestershire. But it should be millions. It’s a visit that builds children’s self-confidence and self-worth as they work as a team on the farm. A visit full of fun too, and for many, the most memorable time of their young lives.
For today’s children who are ever more disconnected from the countryside, nature, and the source of the food they eat, spending time on the farms brings great joy, new discoveries, and the opportunity to reconnect with friends and teachers.
We hope to see you down on the farm or at one of our events very soon!
Welcome to our farms!
Each of our three heritage farms provides a vibrant living laboratory for children and young people to enjoy. The farms are a practical classroom in which children and their teachers immerse themselves in purposeful tasks during the day, and then relax in a warm, welcoming and homely environment enjoying some respite from the hectic pace of modern life.
Click on a farm below to find out more Nethercott House, Wick Court, and Lower Treginnis, and what makes each one unique.
Devon – Nethercott House
Nethercott House sits just outside the pretty Devonshire village of Iddesleigh with views to the high tors of Dartmoor National Park. Nestled deep in the countryside that inspired our founder – Michael Morpurgo – to write War Horse, Nethercott House is a Victorian manor with wide sweeping lawns, steeply banked lanes, and ancient hedgerows that lead down to the River Torridge.
Nethercott House accommodates up to 39 children and 5 adults.
During a visit to Nethercott House children will be immersed in the practical and meaningful farming tasks of the day, such as:
Feeding poultry and collecting eggs • grooming and mucking out horses, ponies and donkeys • feeding cattle • herding sheep • feeding pigs • walking through the fields and along the trout stream to check the health of livestock • working in the kitchen garden to sow, grow, tend and harvest the fruits and vegetables • cooking nutritious meals from the produce harvested in the kitchen gardens • making butter and yoghurt in the food prep room • lighting fires, whittling wood, and making dens in the forest • walking into the village, the spiritual home of Joey, Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse.
We’re now accepting bookings at Nethercott House. To find out more and discuss availability please get in touch with our bookings team.
Pembrokeshire – Lower Treginnis
Lower Treginnis farm sits on the stunningly beautiful site of a 700 year-old farmstead and is the most westerly farm in Wales. Situated on the peninsular just outside of Saint Davids – the UK’s smallest city – Lower Treginnis provides visitors with an incredible mix of traditional Welsh sheep farming and direct access to the beautiful beaches of Pembrokeshire National Park.
Lower Treginnis accommodates up to 39 children and 6 adults.
During a visit to Lower Treginnis children will be immersed in the practical and meaningful farming tasks of the day, such as:
Feeding and caring for goats (milking in season) • feeding poultry and collecting eggs • grooming, walking and mucking out donkeys • watching lambing (in season) herding sheep and checking health • feeding pigs and weighing piglets • working in the kitchen garden to sow, grow, and tend to vegetables and flowers • harvesting field-scale vegetable crops to use in the kitchen and sell off the farm • cooking nutritious treats from the farm produce • log session to produce kindling and firewood • coastal walk to see the abundant wildlife and learn about local history • beach visit for rock-pooling, beach cleaning and creative activities
We’re now accepting bookings at Lower Treginnis. To find out more and discuss availability please get in touch with our bookings team.
Gloucestershire – Wick Court
Wick Court is an impressive Elizabethan moated property once used as a hunting lodge by the nearby Lords of Berkeley and rumoured to have hosted Elizabeth I. The majestic house looks out across idyllic pastures to the reed beds of the River Severn – a view that has changed little since the first recorded farmstead stood on this land in the middle ages.
Wick Court accommodates up to 36 children and 5 adults.
During a visit to Wick Court children will be immersed in the practical and meaningful farming tasks of the day, such as:
feeding rare-breeds poultry and collecting eggs • grooming horses • feeding dairy calves • herding sheep and halter training lambs • feeding and weighing pigs • working in the kitchen garden to sow, grow, tend and harvest the fruits and vegetables • cooking nutritious meals using fresh farm produce • picking apples and pressing fresh juice • beekeeping • storytelling • Forest School activities like den building and fire lighting • birdwatching • willow harvesting and weaving • Bio-diversity walk & draw
We’re now accepting bookings at Wick Court. To find out more and discuss availability please get in touch with our bookings team.
Our People
HRH The Princess Royal
Patron
Lady Morpurgo
Founder
Sir Michael Morpurgo
Co-Founder
Ted Hughes OM
Founding President
Vice Presidents
Sir Quentin Blake CBE
Vice-President
Michael Caines MBE DL
Vice-President
J B Gill
Ambassador
Carol Hughes
Vice-President
Kate Humble
Vice-President
Dame Joanna Lumley DBE
Vice-President
Martin Paisner CBE
Vice-President
Sir Philip Pullman CBE FRSL
Vice-President
Lady Pullman
Vice-President
Juliet Stevenson CBE
Vice-President
Trustees
Rachel Goult
Chair of Trustees
Richard Ash
Trustee
Andrew Bailey
Trustee
Jonathan Bishop
Trustee
Jayne Copley
Trustee
Ali Hollingshead
Trustee
Rosanna Machado
Trustee
Lady Morpurgo
Trustee
Sir Michael Morpurgo
Trustee
Rose O’Hagan
Trustee
Mary Trussell
Trustee
Simon Whattler
Trustee
Staff
Donna Edmonds
Chief Executive, Head Office
Zofia Alvarez-Rabenda
General Assistant (Outdoor), Nethercott House
Sandra Ashenford
Farm School Leader, Wick Court
Michelle Bailey
Kitchen Assistant, Nethercott House
Sophie Baker
Farm School Leader, Nethercott House
Anna Baum
General Assistant, Wick Court
Alex Bolton
General Assistant, Wick Court
Julie Booton
General Assistant, Nethercott House
Danielle Bradford
Kitchen Assistant, Nethercott House
Janette Bradford
Gardener, Nethercott House
Adam Bratt
Farm Operations Manager, Nethercott House
Jo Carr
Farm School Leader, Wick Court
Adam Clark
Kitchen Assistant, Wick Court
Stuart Cragg
Farm School Leader, Wick Court
Stevie Edge-McKee
Farm School Manager, Wick Court
Nathalie Ewing
Grants Development Manager, Head Office
Susan Fairlie
Kitchen Manager, Lower Treginnis
Sue Ford
Housekeeper, Lower Treginnis
Zoe Goode
Kitchen Manager, Wick Court
Debbie Gilbert
General Assistant, Lower Treginnis
Charlie Harrison
Farm School Leader, Nethercott House
Katy Harries
Farm School Leader, Lower Treginnis
Naomi Hartman
Farm School Leader, Wick Court
Jo Hunt
Office Manager, Nethercott House
Tracy Izod
Trust Fundraiser, Head Office
Rachael Jervis
Office Manager, Lower Treginnis
Gethin Jones
Farm School Manager, Lower Treginnis
Sophie Khayat
Farm School Leader, Nethercott House
Anna Lawrence
HR Manager, Head Office
Claire McDermott
Office Manager, Wick Court
Susannah Mair
Corporate Fundraising Manager, Head Office
Trish Mansell
Finance Manager, Head Office
Lamai Marsh
General Assistant, Nethercott House
Katy Martin
Farm School Manager, Nethercott House
Jo Morgan
General Assistant, Lower Treginnis
Sarah Moulding
Housekeeper, Wick Court
Dave McEvansoneya
Farm School Leader, Wick Court
Fiona Michael
Individual Giving & Legacy Manager, Head Office
Sophie Norvill
Head of Finance, Head Office
Sally Partridge
Farm Operations Manager, Lower Treginnis
Anna Penkala
General Assistant, Nethercott House
Hayley Penton-Worrall
HR Officer, Head Office
Jenny Percival
Kitchen Manager, Nethercott House
Alice Pethick
Kitchen Assistant, Lower Treginnis
Linda Piper
Kitchen Assistant, Nethercott House
Ben Rose
Partnerships Manager, Head Office
Tim Rose
Head of Operations, Head Office
Jessica Savery
General Assistant, Wick Court
Anne Searle
Finance Assistant, Head Office
Naomi Shannon
Database Administrator, Head Office
Becks Sweetman
Sales & Marketing Coordinator, Head Office
Lisa Tame
Head of Fundraising, Head Office
Gill Timms
General Assistant (Outdoor), Lower Treginnis
Alissa Tooley
Kitchen Assistant, Lower Treginnis
Lou Waters
Housekeeper, Nethercott House
Alan Wheatley
Farm School Leader, Lower Treginnis
Laura Wibberley-Wood
General Assistant, Nethercott House
Jo Wild
Communications & Marketing Manager, Head Office
Jess Willcox
Farm School Leader, Lower Treginnis