The Melplash Agricultural Society has had a boost of more than £6,400 to continue its work of inspiring and educating young people.

The organiser of the Melplash Show was NFU Mutual Beaminster's dedicated charity to receive the donation from a national £2 million Agency Giving Fund launched by NFU Mutual

The donation has enabled Melplash Agricultural Society to further advance the Society's dedicated education programme – Discover Farming.

The Discover Farming programme is run by a small team of volunteers who are committed to helping the younger generation to understand the importance of farming, food production and the countryside to their lives and the economy, and to provide them with careers advice to attract new entrants into agriculture and its allied trades.

NFU Mutual's donation has allowed the Melplash Agricultural Society to maintain and enhance the Discover Farming classroom at Washingpool Farm with a new large screen display, new tables and the addition of a mobile kitchen. They have also been able to provide regular online activities, develop career guidance web pages and support their career ambassador programme.

The Society is also extremely excited to be able to hold a special Discover Farming Show aimed at under 12s at Vurlands Animal Farm, West Bexington on Thursday, August 26

Marcus Beresford, society director and chairman of Discover Farming, said: "We are enormously grateful to the Beaminster agency of NFU Mutual Agency Giving Fund.

"National emergencies always remind us just how important farming and the wider agricultural industry are. All of us in the Melplash Agricultural Society believe passionately that one of our most important tasks is to educate our local young people about food, farming and the environment and to inspire some of the most talented to take up careers in agriculture, and it is through our Discover Farming programme that we do this.

"Thanks to your generosity, we have been able to continue to actively connect with young people and schools, as well as maintain and enhance our Discover Farming offerings."

In light of the national emergency our country is continuing to face, NFU Mutual, the UK's leading rural insurer, announced this £2million fund in February to help local frontline charities during 2021. This follows £1million of support delivered by NFU Mutual's Agency Giving Fund in 2020, which helped charities across many sectors to keep their life-changing services going throughout the pandemic.

To ensure these donations reach all corners of the UK and are directed where they're needed most, NFU Mutual's Agents have been given the opportunity to nominate local charities to receive a share of the fund.

Jennie Greenwood, senior agent and NFU group secretary for the NFI Mutual in Beaminster, said: "Covid-19 continues to have a huge impact on everybody, including our customers and their local communities.

"Melplash Agricultural Society has been making a wonderful difference to our community during these challenging times and we feel extremely proud to hear how our support has made an impact."

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