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NFU
Learn by Design has been contracted to staff the NFU Discovery Barn events since 2019.
Challenge:
The National Farmers’ Union represents the interests of over 50,000 members in England and Wales -the biggest organisation representing farming in the United Kingdom. As an organisation they are passionate about educating the public about food and farming.
Launched in 2017 the Discovery Barn is a key part of the NFU’s campaigns. Visited by 50,000 children and their family’s members during its inaugural year the Discovery Barn is an interactive exhibit featuring to engage nursery and primary school aged children.
The Barn needed to be bought to life in school and outdoor event settings by enthusiastic education communicators and the NFU were seeking an appropriate organisation to carry out this work.
Solution:
Learn by Design has been contracted to staff the NFU Discovery Barn events since 2019. Following a summer schedule of over 36 venues and 75 event days, we used our engaging and motivated staff to ensure consistency of experience for all visitors. All staff are DBS and First Aid trained and have the appropriate driving licence to drive the barn vehicle. Learn by Design store the vehicle on behalf of NFU, in a secure unit in Derbyshire.
Legacy:
Report here: https://www.nfuonline.com/archive?treeid=150799
Speaking about the success of using agriculture as a route to teach STEM subjects, Claire Hofer, science coordinator at Brompton Westbrook Primary School in Gillingham, said:
“The NFU Education programme has been great for developing the children’s science capital and helping them to understand that science is not just something that happens in a science lesson but it’s everywhere in the world around them."
“This project has helped them to understand and appreciate the science involved in growing their food and caring for their own plants, as well as considering costing and manufacturing. It has been a fantastic real-life project for the whole school to get their teeth into.”
Learn By Design have run our Discovery Barn since March 2019, taking it to festivals and shows across the country. We have a close working relationship with their management team, and we’ve found them agile to changing needs and circumstances. Their staff are ambassadors for the NFU at each event and have always been professional and knowledgeable. We particularly value their ability to interact with children providing them with an enjoyable experience which teaches them something about food and farming. The team have also demonstrated that they are equally at home talking to toddlers as well as much older children with their parents. Large events with the public can be hard work requiring enthusiastic staff from dawn to dusk. The By Design team provide that and clearly take pride and value what they do.
Sarah Burley-Jukes, Campaigns Manager
