Warburtons Case Study: Natural Capital

The visits give children the opportunity to explore a real farm – many of them for the first time in their lives. They provide a crucial learning experience for some of the most disadvantaged young people in Britain, and encourage care and respect for the environment to protect it for generations to come.

During visits, children learn about the cycle of wheat and explore the importance of soil, water and wildlife. Activities are designed to help them understand how food is produced, and the vital role the countryside plays in providing quality ingredients. Taking pupils outside the classroom opens up new ways of learning in pressure-free surroundings, which allows many of them to improve their knowledge, skills and educational attainment while having fun.

Over 400 children have attended the visits and feedback from pupils and school teachers has been extremely positive. Following the visits, 96% of children indicated they considered the countryside ‘quite’ or ‘very important’. There was also a 33% increase in pupils recognising the importance of biodiversity on a farm.

Going forward, Warburtons will continue to work with its partners to transform young people’s understanding of the countryside and food production. The positive experiences they have on visits will, the company hopes, help them become responsible consumers of the future who care about their own and the wider environment, ensuring the future of our countryside and farming industry is protected for generations to come.

View Ambition 2025 Progress Report 2017.