FACE

What does FACE do?

Today we have over 50 member organisations all of whom have a commitment to educational work associated with food, farming and the countryside. There is an ever-increasing demand from within the sector for help and guidance.

FACE's answer is to promote visits to farms and provides easy access to resources and activities to complement these visits.

Our work with schools and young people is so successful because visits to the outdoors, and using food, farming and the countryside as part of the curriculum are so beneficial.

FACE's activities aim to:

• stimulate interest and excitement;
• link to all aspects and stages of the curriculum;
• allow pupils to see rural activities like food production first-hand;
• introduce pupils to a host of leisure activities in the countryside;
• introduce pupils to rural career opportunities and the world of work

• Growing Schools initiative - aims to link schools more closely with farming and the countryside. It also aims to enhance teaching and learning through farming and growing. Defra is one of the members of the initiative's steering group, along with the Department for Education and Skills, the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens and several other organisations with links to farming or education See www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachingandlearning/resourcematerials/growingschools/
• Access to Farms: Defra is involved in the Access to Farms partnership which promotes quality educational visits to farms. Their website publicises all the information that schools need to know before visiting a farm. See www.farmsforteachers.org.uk
• Mersey Forest School and Education Resources: A range of learning resources for schools that provide an excellent basis for introducing woodlands and sustainable development into the classroom. See http://www.merseyforest.org.uk/pages/fun_schools_resources.asp
• Food a Fact of Life: There's no such thing as bad food - only a bad diet and to make sure that children get a good healthy diet we must start them young. This is the aim of a brand new website. See www.foodafactoflife.org.uk
• School Milk Project: The School Milk Project employs Facilitators who work with schools, dairies and LEAs to encourage more children to drink milk at school. Facilitators visit schools and can offer help and advice in implementing milk schemes. See http://www.schoolmilk.co.uk/