AN Iddesleigh charity has been awarded a cash prize and art equipment in recognition of the work it does in providing out of school experience for children.
Farms for City Children, run by Clare and Michael Morpurgo, who received MBEs in the Queen's Birthday Honours List last week, was one of 270 projects throughout the UK awarded by the educational charity Education Extra.
The £700 prize to Farms for City Children will be used to enrich the experience of the children who visit Nethercott House at Iddesleigh.
Since 1976 the charity has welcomed more than 36,000 children to come and spend a week living and working on one of three farms in its ownership. As well as learning about animals the children experience at first hand the need for consideration for others, responsible behaviour and good citizenship.
The Education Extra award has been made in order to improve the arts and crafts facilities at the farm. The cash prizes are a key feature of the work of the organisation, now in its sixth year, which was set up to support and promote the development of after-school activities in schools.
Mrs Morpurgo said she was very pleased the charity had been successful in its bid. 'It will help to enrich the experience we are offering the children who come to us,' she said.
The Morpurgos received the Education Extra award from Carol Hughes, widow of the late Poet Laureate, Ted Hughes, who was founding president of Farms for City Children.