51AVÊÓÆµ

Helen Rebanks becomes ambassador for rural education petition

Helen Rebanks, best-selling author of The Farmer's Wife, is passionate about education and joined Farmers Guardian's joint petition to get farming into schools

Emily Ashworth
Digital Editor
clock • 1 min read
Helen Rebanks
Image:

Helen Rebanks

The petition, founded by sheep farmer and former teacher Olivia Shave, aims to put food and farming at the heart of education.Ìý

With nearly 9,000 signatures, to be considered in Parliament the petition needs 10,000 signatures by May.

Helen Rebanks, Lake District hill farmer and best-selling author of The Farmer's Wife, is now an ambassador of the campaign, and says there is a lack of understanding about where food comes from.Ìý

She says: " There is still a massive gap between producer and consumer in terms of understanding food and farming in the UK.

Farming in schools

"Getting children out of classrooms and onto farms is essential in helping them learn where real food comes from and what it takes to grow it.

"We have been hosting school visits on our farm for more than ten years - it is exhausting but incredibly rewarding work.

"Every child in the country should have an understanding of the different kinds of farming that we all rely on for our three meals a day. And helping teachers and parents to learn more about land use and food systems is key too, because when people know where and how their food is grown they can make informed choices about what they eat, and better support our children's learning."

Other ambassadors include Scottish shepherdess Emma Gray, and Irish farmer Becky Cole.

Visit the for more information

Ìý

More on Young Farmers and Careers

Opinion: "We are raising a generation that knows nothing about farming"

Opinion: "We are raising a generation that knows nothing about farming"

Writing from his family's farm in Cumbria, Farmers Guardian online content specialist Tom Ryder reflects on why British food, farming and local communities are increasingly being taken for granted

Tom Ryder
clock 15 June 2026 • 3 min read
Cereals: Clarkson's 51AVÊÓÆµstar Kaleb Cooper says farmers must talk about mental health

Cereals: Clarkson's 51AVÊÓÆµstar Kaleb Cooper says farmers must talk about mental health

In a panel hosted on the first day of Cereals 2026, the TV star spoke about the opportunities, the pressures and what farming might look like in the future

Emily Ashworth
clock 10 June 2026 • 1 min read
Opinion: What Jeff and Katie Aiken reminded me about farming

Opinion: What Jeff and Katie Aiken reminded me about farming

Writing from his family's farm in Cumbria, Farmers Guardian online content specialist Tom Ryder reflects on what Jeff and Katie Aiken's story says about resilience, opportunity and building a career in agriculture

Tom Ryder
clock 08 June 2026 • 3 min read