Staff, volunteers, supporters and visiting children and teachers at Nethercott House were delighted to welcome a very special guest this week, as Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal joined us on for a tour of the farm to mark our 50th anniversary year.
The Princess Royal has been Patron of Farms for City Children since 1991, supporting our work for more than three decades. We were delighted to have the opportunity to share our thanks for her longstanding patronage and support, as well as show her some of the ways we are looking to the future at Nethercott and across the charity.
The day was made even more special as we were joined by our founders, Clare and Michael Morpurgo, whose vision and commitment have enabled more than 108,000 children to grow and thrive on our farms over the last five decades.
Her Royal Highness toured the farm and met children and teachers from a visiting London school as they took part in a range of hands-on farm activities. Children shared their experiences of caring for our horses and donkeys, working in Nethercott’s heritage walled garden and maintaining our roundels agroforestry project before presenting Her Royal Highness with gifts of flowers and farm produce.
At the end of the visit, Clare and Michael presented Her Royal Highness with a copy of his recently published memoir, Down Burrow Lane, which reflects on the Morpurgos’ life in Devon, the story of Farms for City Children and the community that has helped us grow over the past 50 years.
Help us shape the next 50 years
As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we’re reflecting on the impact that generations of children, supporters, staff and volunteers have made possible. With your support, we can ensure many more children have the chance to grow their knowledge, skills, confidence and wellbeing during a week on one of our farms.
Whether you choose to donate, fundraise or spread the word, you can play a part in shaping the next chapter of Farms for City Children and future generations of our visiting farmers.
Photos: Jim Wileman
