by Alan Quick

THE Kingfisher Award Scheme has been involving primary school children in their local environment since 1992.

It was first launched in Devon by the late Poet Laureate Ted Hughes and friends.

The scheme is an educational initiative of the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West, a charitable organisation working to promote sustainable agriculture and wildlife on farms.

Each year it runs field days, where children visit a farm to study the selected theme of the award scheme for that year, after which the children return to their classroom and complete studies and projects which count towards the award.

A picnic and presentation of the classroom studies and projects from the Devon schools is held annually at Newton St Cyres Recreation Ground and this year there were many school entries on display.

This year the competition revolved around “poo”, the life cycle, and the ecological side, some schools choosing studies of the dung beetle, others looking at the work of worms, but each with a great deal of information, all presented with creative displays.

The judges included Mary Quicke, from Quicke’s Farm, Newton St Cyres and a representative from Devon Wildlife Trust.

Broadclyst Primary School was selected as this year’s winner with Cheriton Fitzpaine as runner-up and Thorverton Primary School in third place.

Each of the winning schools received prizes for each of the children and the winning schools also received prizes.

The Kingfisher Award Scheme operates in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Wiltshire and is run by a management committee.

Each county has a co-ordinator who plans field days, liaises with schools, farmers and volunteers and organises the picnic and award.