Knights Care Farm, in Fluxton near Exeter, won this year’s the South West Farmer Diversification Award, which we sponsored, after judges recognised its significant benefit to the local community. The Devon livestock farm which provides alternative education for schoolchildren, including those with special educational needs – is celebrating after winning an award which recognises the huge impact it is making.
Run by husband-and-wife Luke and Emily Knight, the farm gives youngsters, who may not thrive in a classroom environment, practical experience on a working farm, challenging them to solve real-life farming problems such as putting up fencing, weighing newborn lambs, and shearing sheep.
Students use this practical work to boost their teamwork and communication skills, as well as improving their maths, science, and English. The farm works with young people, many of whom may have special educational needs or who have fallen out of the traditional schooling system, across Devon, Dorset, and Somerset.
Emily said: “We felt the provision for alternative education across Devon and the wider West Country was lacking for those who might not get on with typical educational environments. This can include those with special educational needs, individuals living in social care, or those who have been removed from traditional education.
“We felt a working farm was a great place for children to learn in a practical way, giving them real-life applications for the maths, science, and English skills they may not have absorbed in a classroom, while also boosting their confidence and their employability prospects.
“Our education is not just for show either – the tasks they perform at Knights Care Farm are genuine farming jobs that need completing depending on the season, such as lambing in spring, sheep shearing in summer, and bringing cattle into the barns during winter. We’ve had incredible feedback from students and teachers so far. We even had one teenager who knocked on our door personally to thank us after he secured a job following a course here.”
The couple decided to enter the South West Farmer awards as a way of boosting the farm’s profile in the area, but did not necessarily expect to win.
“We were incredibly humbled when we found out we had won the award,” Emily added.
“The other nominees all had really strong diversification projects, so we knew we were up against some tough competition. To be recognised in this way is just fantastic, and it gives us great confidence that we are doing the right thing for youngsters across the West Country.”
One of our partners and Head of Sustainable Energy, Darren Edwards, who is based at our Exeter office, presented the award to Emily and Luke.
Darren said: “I was privileged to be able to visit the farm and present the award last week. It’s amazing what Emily and Luke have been able to achieve for young people at Knights Care Farm. Diversification is such a key part of modern-day farming. It can not only provide farms with alternative income streams but can also double-up as an invaluable resource to the community when it is done like this. Emily and Luke’s story is inspirational, and we wish them all the best as they continue to grow their alternative education provision on the farm.”
