It was the Year for ‘Green Action’ in Glendale

 

It was the Year for ‘Green Action’ in Glendale

The 15^th Children’s Countryside Day (CCD), hosted by the Glendale Agricultural Society yesterday in Wooler, rural North Northumberland, was a great success for the 1,650 children that attended from 40 schools across Northumberland and North Tyneside.

Focusing on the ‘Year of Green Action’, each and every school child learnt about the natural environment, the importance of countryside to everyday life, including farming and the benefits of a healthy environment.

Each of the schools were invited to design and bring with them a flag representing the theme. The calibre of flags was outstanding and after a very difficult decision the judges, Mr Anthony Murray on Behalf of The Northumberland National Park, along with Mr and Mrs I Mackay of Lanton Estates, announced the winning school as Prudhoe Castle First School. Second prize was presented to Otterburn First School and West Jesmond was awarded third prize. Each were presented with a shrub to take back to their school, donated by the Glendale Garden Centre.

The Children’s Countryside Day, formerly known as the ‘Classroom in the Countryside’, is a multi-award-winning educational day for school children aged between 7 and 9. Across the day, the children were able to witness everything from combines to crop seeds, timber to tractors, donkeys to demonstrations, robots to rare breeds, and water to wool, including a ‘mini farm’.

Over 60 exhibitors attended, and all contributed in their own way of teaching the children from across North Tyneside and Northumberland about their local countryside and natural environment. New exhibitors included Cheviot Trees, Watson Seeds, Tweed Foundation, Environment Agency, Hadrian’s Game Larder, Wessex Archaeology, Fiona Burn Donkeys and Hay Farm Heavy Horses.

The theme ‘the Year of Green Action’, was chosen by Northumberland National Park. In 2018, the government launched its 25 Year Environment Plan and the Year of Green Action (YoGA) offers opportunities for everyone to play their part in delivering the ambition set out in the 25-year plan of helping to improve our environment.

Activities nationally in the YoGA will focus on connecting with, protecting and enhancing nature. It aims to encourage and promote events, announcements and activity that raise awareness of, and participation in, action that is beneficial to the environment.

The National Park are running a series of events throughout the year linked to YoGA and are pleased to be involved once again in the judging of the school’s flag completion. The winning flags will be displayed in the Sill; Landscape Discovery Centre from mid-July to mid-August when they will be transported back to Wooler in time for Glendale Show.

Commenting after, Tony Gates, Chief Executive of Northumberland National Park, said:

“In the Year of Green Action, we were delighted to be partners in Glendale Children’s Countryside Day once again. The Year of Green Action aims to improve everyone’s understanding of the environment, the benefits a healthy environment can bring, and the effect of their actions on the natural world. This was Northumberland National Park’s ambition to offer every school age child in Northumberland the opportunity to take part in a learning experience linked to the unique landscape and heritage in the National Park.

“Through an introduction to the countryside on the day, every child has been inspired and encouraged to learn more about their local environment. We have been handed a rich set of assets in our National Parks and we want everyone to have the opportunity to experience them.”

The day is free for all schools to attend, and this is only possible because of the support it receives from many supporters and sponsors.

Rachael Tait, Event Manager, commented: “Each and every child across the North East had the opportunity to experience what as an inspirational and educational day, learning about key elements of everyday life and of course, finding out that cheese did not grow on trees and fish fingers did not come from chickens.

“The Children’s Countryside Day aims to educate the thousands of young minds and we have been able to do so for over 15 years. It truly has become one of the foremost rural educational events in the UK and has been praised as being a key highlight of children’s primary school education.

“Thanks, of course, must go to the dedicated committee, Lilburn Estates Farming Partnership for use of the field, team of volunteers, each and every exhibitor, sponsor and contributor who all make this knowledge transfer day possible for so many children. We are already looking forward to next year’s event.”

Further information about the Glendale Agricultural Society and the Children’s Countryside Day can be found by visiting www.glendaleshow.com.