Hampshire News
Diamond visitor
11:00am Tuesday 14th February 2012
IT WAS a celebratory and special occasion when a royal guest visited a famous farm to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and officially open an education centre.
HRH The Princess Royal met schoolchildren and guests at Laverstoke Park Education Centre, where she unveiled a plaque and helped to plant a cherry tree outside, to honour her mother’s 60 year-long reign.
Her visit on February 6 came on the 60th anniversary of the death of her grandfather, King George VI, in 1952.
Princess Anne, who was due to land at the farm in a helicopter, but instead arrived by car because of the bad wea-ther, met children from Overton Primary School, who spent the day in the Education Centre, planting salad herbs and holding tiny chicks. She then chatted to guests, including celebrity chef Raymond Blanc and Dame Mary Fagan, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire.
Clare Scheckter, who founded the centre which is in the grounds of Laverstoke Park – owned by Clare and her husband Jody – said: “It’s an incredible honour to have Her Royal Highness with us today to open the education centre.
“When I had my daughter’s reception class to visit the farm to find out where food comes from, never did I believe that nine years later I would be standing in this wonderful education centre with Her Royal Highness.”
Princess Anne then unveiled a special plaque, made from 200-year-old oak at the farm.
She thanked the Scheckters, and added: “Together, you have produced quite an exceptional facility.”
The Princess Royal was then taken to the farm’s cookery school, where students studying food technology and social care at Testbourne Community School, in Whitchurch, had created various dishes using ingredients from the farm.
Princess Anne spoke to the Year 10 pupils, and even sampled a chicken tagine with squash and almonds which they had cooked that day.
Mitchell Ferris, a 14-year-old student at Testbourne, said: “It was quite nerve-racking. She said she liked the tagine and asked me a couple of questions about what I eat at home. I was nervous, but it was quite special.”
Princess Anne then headed outside, walking past Overton Primary School children waving Union Jack flags, to place some earth around the Woodland Trust Jubilee cherry tree, after which the schoolchildren led three-cheers.
The education centre, which is run by volunteers, was the idea of Mrs Scheckter in 2003, after her daughter’s reception class visited the farm. It offers free educational visits for school pupils of all ages.
She told The Gazette: “I was really disappointed about how little they knew about where food comes from. They named a supermarket chain, if asked, and they had no idea why farmers exist.
“We had just over 3,000 schoolchildren last year and we have had 10,000 in total. There are very few people going into land and food-based careers so we are trying to open their eyes.”
She added: “I think we are overwhelmed by Her Royal Highness coming. It’s given me an opportunity to say thank you to all the volunteers and those who have supported me.”
Her husband, former Formula 1 racing driver Jody, said he was “very proud” of his wife, and added: “It’s her occasion and I’m going to let her be the boss today.”
Chef Raymond Blanc was full of praise for the facilities at the farm, and said he has worked with Mr Scheckter since the beginning.
He told The Gazette: “I was very curious to see what he was doing here.
“He was a man with a vision – he was a Formula 1 racing driver and now he’s a farmer.”
Mr Blanc said he learned valuable lessons about growing vegetables from a young age, and added: “What they learn here is very important. I was seven years old and helping my father dig a huge garden and he scooped out a handful of earth and he said ‘look at it, smell it and taste it.’ You have very different soil that will grow different food. Until I smelled and tasted it, I didn’t understand.”
Fiona Wyeth, headteacher at Overton Primary School, also praised the centre, and said: “It’s a wonderful resource to have. The children have been to see the buffaloes and have bottle-fed some of the calves and this afternoon they are doing classroom activities so there’s a real variety in what they can do here.”
Princess Anne is the second royal to visit the farm in recent months, following HRH Sophie, The Countess of Wes-sex, who paid a visit last September.