Just before the schools took a break for summer, pupils from Tunstead Primary School in north Norfolk enjoyed a day at nearby Place UK, a major fruit grower who supply fresh and frozen produce to retailers across the country. Those involved with the visit explain more
Pupils from Tunstead Primary in north Norfolk were treated to a sweet end-of-term school trip with a behind the scenes visit to Place UK, one of Britain’s leading berry growers, also based in the village. A group of 20 pupils from years one and two toured the farm’s vast polytunnels, where 1,500 tonnes of strawberries are harvested every year, from around 1.5 million plants. These premium British-grown berries eventually end up on supermarket shelves throughout the UK, before finding their way into our bowls or in this case, packed lunches. The children enjoyed a ride in a tractor pulled trailer, exploring the farm and seeing how strawberries are grown.
The educational visit offered pupils from Sycamore class a rare inside look at food production, farming and sustainability. Pupils also heard about Place UK’s environmental efforts too, to protect and support local wildlife, including the re-wilding of field margins where wildflowers grow, creating habitats and food sources for beneficial insects and birds.
Dan Yordanov, Head of Fresh at Place UK, spoke to the children about how strawberries are grown, picked and the vital role of beneficial insects like bees and ladybirds. The day ended with one of the most popular tasks – picking strawberries and each taking a punnet home.
The Tunstead Primary School visit was the final one arranged by Place UK for this school year, having already hosted visits for Wroxham Guides and Coltishall Primary too.
Mrs Beckett, Sycamore Class teacher from Tunstead Primary said: “We wanted to say a big thank you for providing such a wonderful experience for our children during our recent visit. The tractor and trailer ride along the country roads was a real highlight — the children found it exciting and thoroughly enjoyed the journey to the fields.
“They also really appreciated learning about commercial fruit growing. The information was pitched perfectly for their age, and it gave them a real insight into where their food comes from.
“One of the most enjoyable parts of the day was perfecting the art of picking ripe strawberries — they took great care and pride in selecting their fruit. Being given a punnet of strawberries to take home was a lovely touch and made them feel very special. Thank you for a well-organised, educational, and fun experience. We would certainly recommend the trip and hope to visit again!”
Melissa Clements, business development and marketing manager at Place UK, said: “These visits are such an important part of what we do at Place UK, working closely with our local community. We hope these experiences spark curiosity about where food comes from and maybe even inspire future careers in farming or food production. It’s always a pleasure to welcome Tunstead Primary, and we look forward to planning more visits with them in the future.”
Visit Place UK.
Featured images supplied by Plain Speaking PR
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