A NEW rural skills training scheme set up by farmers determined to maintain Dartmoor as the outstanding landscape it is today will receive the prestigious Prince of Wales Award at the Devon County Show next week. The Dartmoor Hill Farm Project, operated by the Moorskills Farming Partnership, is made up of six Dartmoor farmers who are collectively training four apprentices in hill farming skills to keep their way of life alive and preserve the moors for leisure use. The project's leader Sandra Dodd said: 'Without hill farming Dartmoor would not be the managed environment that so many people enjoy, whether walking, riding or for picnics. 'In addition, many families would lose their livelihoods and potentially be forced to move away from the area to find more secure incomes elsewhere.' The project was started after a survey of Dartmoor farmers four years ago which demonstrated there was a shortage of skilled labour. Four apprentices are gaining 20 months, hands-on training on a cluster of farms and are expected to become a self-employed group of skilled labourers available to all hill farmers on the moor. Sandra Dodd added: 'The opportunities open to the apprentices are great — there is a continuing labour shortage of skilled and experienced hill farmers who also need to understand the environment, the landscape and the various farm schemes, as well as to work alongside the Ministry of Defence, other agencies, the public and other farmers.' The apprentices have undergone an intensive introduction course held at Duchy College, Stoke Climsland, which included health and safety, first aid, manual handling, and livestock handling. They then went straight on to the farms where they are learning a range of upland farming skills. The awards judges were particularly impressed with the way in which the six Dartmoor farmers worked together to encourage the skills of hill farming and thus ensuring its future. They said that with the help of Sandra Dodd and the Duchy College, the scheme had managed to get off the ground and enable the four students to be employed on a rota basis. They appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the experience and all said they would seek to acquire permanent employment in agriculture at the end of their apprenticeship. The farmers involved are Colin Abel from Peter Tavy, Justine Colton of Yelverton, Layland Branfield of Princetown, Philip Coaker from Postbridge, Roger Hutchings of Holne and Clyde Coaker from Widecombe-in-the-Moor. The Prince of Wales Award, now in its 27th year, will be presented on the second day of the Show (Friday, May 18). Moorskills will receive a framed certificate and a £1,000 cash prize. The project receives funding from the Dartmoor Sustainable Development Fund, the Learning and Skills Council, Duchy of Cornwall, Rural Renasaisance, Holne Commoners' Association, South Tawton Commoners' Association, Dartmoor Commoners' Council and the farmers themselves.