Education award for Rand Farm Park

They have been named ‘Best in Education’ by the National Farm Attractions Network (NFAN).

NFAN is a member body, which supports Farm Attraction owners and operators throughout the year and culminates with an annual conference in January, where independent judges choose which attractions have excelled in their fields.

Rand Farm Park was also finalists in the Jim Keetch Best Farm Attraction over 75,000 visitors.

A spokesman for Rand Farm Park said: “These two are perhaps the most fiercely contested awards and we are delighted to have been crowned winners.”

The judges were impressed by how ‘passionate’ the team at Rand is to promote British agriculture.

Comments included: “They are keen to provide all of their 100,000 visitors with unrivalled access to all aspects of agriculture.

“They offer bespoke educational packages which are well-rounded and fully comprehensive.

“It is clear to see why their residential experiences are booked up into 2020.”

The tireless work of the Rand team is spearheaded by director Kay Waring, who has personally pioneered a residential program, growing from humble beginnings in 2005 when the Usher Junior School in Lincoln went to stay on the farm in borrowed Duke of Edinburgh tents.

Since then, they have created a purpose-built dormitory to sleep 32 children and five adults.

Programs are very popular and they are fully booked for all of 2019 and most of 2020.

Kay said: “It’s not just about our overnight visitors though.

“Every year, we welcome around 6,000 school day visitors for educational day trips and Christmas visits.

“Our action-packed itinerary includes a personal ranger and private sessions of small animal handling, bottle feeding and a tractor ride, as well as unlimited access to our farm and extensive play facilities.”