Primary school pupils from Walsall, Wolverhampton and Telford enjoyed an inspiring opportunity to swap the classroom for the countryside as part of an agricultural open day hosted by landed estates business Bradford Estates.

Around 170 children visited Woodlands Farm in Weston-under-Lizard to discover more about farming, forestry and conservation from the Bradford Estates team on Tuesday (May 5), taking part in an interactive day designed to bring rural life to life.

Year 3, 4 and 5 pupils from Woden Primary School in Wolverhampton, Leamore Primary School in Walsall and St Matthew’s CE Primary School in Telford attended the event, which continues Bradford Estates’ commitment to rural education and helping young people better understand the natural environment.

Bradford Estates, which manages 12,000 acres on the Shropshire and Staffordshire borders, delivered interactive sessions for the fourth year running with Countryside Learning, an educational charity which works with landed estates businesses to get children into the outdoors.

Farm Director Duncan Fleming welcomed the visitors to the event, which featured a wide range of engaging activities for the pupils. Forestry management expert Oliver Thompson from Bronwin and Abbey explained to the children how the Bradford Estates woodland is managed, including the 240-acre Woodland Walk, which opened in the autumn.

Pupils were shown the farming machinery, weighbridge and grain stores as well as an introduction to the estates’ sheep from administrator Megan Betts.

Richard Price from vegetable producer Huntapac Ltd, which leases farming land from Bradford Estates, spoke to the children about their root vegetable production and the fascinating journey produce follows from farm to plate.

Matthew Dutton from the British Association of Shooting and Conservation (BASC) delivered an engaging session on conservation and birds while Countryside Learning led a fun activity on camouflage. The children had a picnic lunch and enjoyed the beautiful setting at Woodlands Farm.

Teacher Eric Mills from Woden Primary School said: “Our Year 4 pupils thoroughly enjoyed their visit to Bradford Estates and discovering how the countryside operates.

“The children took part in a range of activities from using camouflage in the wild, looking at sheep and lambs and observing all of the different machinery that a farm has from a gator utility vehicle to a combine harvester.

“This was such an enriching trip for children who grow up in a city and will not have experienced life in the countryside. The staff were very informative, engaging and had the children captivated all day.”

Countryside Learning events manager Barbara Brannigan said: "These events are a great way to connect young people with the countryside. This is the fourth year we have run this event which brings together various organisations to engage children through interactive activities focused on food, farming and the natural world.

"Working with Bradford Estates continues to be rewarding as we see the immediate positive impact these visits have on children's understanding of rural life and environmental stewardship."

Alexander Newport, Managing Director of Bradford Estates, said: "Hosting the Countryside Learning visits is a key part of our commitment to community engagement and promoting understanding of modern agriculture and environmental management. The enthusiasm and curiosity shown by the pupils is infectious and we are grateful to our partners and the Bradford Estates team for sharing their expertise in such an engaging way.

"We recognise our responsibility in nurturing the next generation's connection to the countryside, and these events play an important role in sharing our 100-year plan for sustainable land management with the widest audience."

Working to its 100-year plan, Bradford Estates' stewardship is centred around its commitment to working as a responsive partner to local organisations and promoting sustainable land management practices.