Winners of Discover Farming 500 word writing competition 2023

All local primary schools were invited to take part in Discover Farming’s very first  writing competition.  There were four categories Upper  Key Stage 2,  Lower Key Stage 2, Key Stage 1 and Reception.   Pupils were asked to produce an original piece of non-fiction writing that was connected to Food and Farming and focused on one of following topics:  Why does farming matter and what does it mean to you? Why is it important to eat healthily and to eat seasonal foods? Why is farming the biggest job on earth? My favourite farming season and why?   The competition was kindly sponsored by Chesters Harcourt.

Entries were received from June to November 2023 from seven schools:

Broadwindsor C of E Primary
Greenford C of E Primary, Maiden Newton
Powerstock C of E Primary
Salway Ash C of E Primary
St Mary’s C of E Primary, Bridport
St Mary’s C of E Primary, Thorncombe
Symondsbury C of E Primary

The judges for the competition were the Melplash Agricultural Society President, Michael Fooks and his wife Pam, and Gemma Harvey from the National Farmers Union (NFU).

Results

Year 5

Winner:                Franklin Laszlo-Bushrod, Symondsbury

Runner-up          Edward Keen, Salway Ash

Year 3 & 4

Winner:                Joe Cox, St Mary’s School, Bridport

Runner-up:         Harry Rhodes, St Mary’s School, Bridport

Year 1 & 2

Winner:               Theo Cox, St Mary’s School, Bridport

Runner-up:          Max Benyon, Greenford, Maiden Newton

Reception

Winner:                Joseph Dare, Symondsbury

Schools with the best entries:

Winner:                St Mary’s C of E Primary School, Bridport

Runner-up:         Symondsbury C of E Primary School

The winners of each category were awarded with a certificate and book voucher from Bridport Book Shop for £30 and the runners-up a certificate and a book voucher for £20.

The overall winning school received a certificate and cheque for £500 and the runner-up  a cheque for £250.

Each of the schools that entered received a certificate and the award winning family board game ‘The Good Life‘ which aims to teach farming and sustainability to a new generation!

Presentation at St Mary’s School Bridport  – Harry Rhodes, Theo Cox, Head Teacher Mrs Kate Batorska and Joe Cox
Presentation at Symondsbury School:  Joseph Dare, Head Teacher Mrs Emma Roberts and Franklin Laszlo-Bushrod

Presentation to Edward Keen at Salway Ash Primary School

Presentation to Max Beyon at Greenford Primary School, Maiden Newton

“We congratulate all of the schools and pupils that entered.   The aim of the competition was to produce a piece of non-fiction writing that would get children thinking about the importance of food and farming, it has certainly succeeded in doing that!   We had some excellent entries.  The judges were very impressed with the standard and the thought and effort that went into all the work.   We thank the judges for their support and generous time given, and Chester Harcourt for kindly sponsoring the competition.   We look forward to running the competition again in 2024.”  said Discover Farming Education Co-ordinator, Katie Vining.