HRH The Prince of Wales meets Cumbria’s farmers of the future at launch of The Prince’s Countryside Fund.

HRH The Prince of Wales meets Cumbria’s farmers of the future at launch of The Prince’s Countryside Fund Land Rover Bursary Scheme

HRH The Prince of Wales met with a group of Cumbrian young farmers learning practical flood resilience driving skills at the Rookin House Activity Centre near Penrith. The visit marks a renewed three-year partnership between his charity, The Prince’s Countryside Fund and Land Rover with this year’s launch of The Prince’s Countryside Fund Land Rover bursary scheme.

This valuable bursary seeks to award up to five inspiring young people aged 21 to 35 the use of a Land Rover Discovery Sport for a year to support the development of their countryside careers.

The UK countryside is in desperate need of talented young people. The average age of a British farmer is 59 and only 4% of the UK’s farmers are under 35. Environmental conservation requires an estimated 30,000 new entrants by 2020 to maintain and protect our countryside, while in forestry, 53% of the workforce is over the age of 40.

During his visit to Cumbria, HRH The Prince of Wales joined the young farmers in their vehicle training as they developed skills in driving and reversing trailers in and around obstacles, learnt how to check water depth and flow of flooding before carefully driving through the water, and navigated their way around an off-road driving circuit. 

He also met Mark Curr, Helen Rebanks and her son Issac, the first recipients of the Land Rover Bursary in 2013, to find out how it benefited them. Mark runs a sheep enterprise and is the Chairman of Cumbria Young Farmers; an association that supports young farmers in the region. Helen and her husband James Rebanks are hill farmers at Racy Ghyll Farm, Matterdale. Helen used the Land Rover to transport school children to their “Herdwick School” on the farm, educating the next generation about life and farming on the fells.      

HRH The Prince of Wales joined the young farmers in training, getting behind the wheel of a Discovery Sport and drove through a beck experiencing the techniques of how to drive in water and negotiate the rocky river bed under the guidance of a Land Rover Experience Instructor.

Jeremy Hicks, Jaguar Land Rover UK Managing Director said, “Land Rover is synonymous with the countryside and we’re looking for the UK’s most enterprising young people who would benefit from the use of a Land Rover Discovery Sport. Access to a 4x4 vehicle can be crucial to getting a rural business off the ground. By providing a vehicle with capability to tackle the most challenging of rural terrains, space for seven and excellent towing capacity, we are aiming to help five ambitious young people to further their rural careers.”

Claire Saunders, Director of The Prince’s Countryside Fund said “There’s an acute need for young people to be supported to enter farming and related careers and a multitude of opportunity waiting for them. Whether you’re new to farming, starting a “field to fork” food business or keen to bring new technologies and your skills to the countryside, The Prince’s Countryside Fund is here to support you. That’s why we’re delighted to be working in partnership with Land Rover to provide such practical and valuable support to young people starting out in their rural careers.”

HRH The Prince of Wales visited Nissan’s Sunderland plant

HRH The Prince of Wales visited Nissan’s Sunderland plant on Tuesday to see production of the 100% electric Nissan LEAF and to learn about the Nissan Skills Foundation, a job-creation programme.

His Royal Highness has a relationship with the plant that dates back almost 30 years.

During a trip to Japan in 1986, the Prince of Wales took part in a traditional Japanese Daruma ceremony to mark the start of production at the newly constructed Sunderland plant and rode in one of Nissan’s ground-breaking electric vehicles at the company’s Zama plant.

During today’s visit, The Prince of Wales was shown how a further 29 years of electric vehicle technology have helped make Nissan’s electric LEAF the best-selling electric car in history. He also met apprentices and employees involved in the project.

The LEAF, which went into production at the plant in 2013, was the world’s first mass produced 100% electric vehicle and with sales of 33,000 vehicles in Europe and over 158,000 vehicles globally.

Paul Willcox, Chairman, Nissan Europe who hosted The Prince, said:  “We were honoured to receive a visit from The Prince of Wales.

“With a keen, lifelong interest in sustainability, His Royal Highness was interested to see LEAF production as well as hear about Sunderland’s achievements as one of the UK’s most successful car plants.”

Following the tour of the production line, the Prince of Wales visited Nissan’s Global Training Centre, which is part of Gateshead College’s Skills Academy for Sustainability, Manufacturing and Innovation. Nissan Vice President Manufacturing Kevin Fitzpatrick introduced him to some of the schools engagement activities which form the Nissan Skills Foundation.

Fitzpatrick said:  “Nissan launched the Skills Foundation last year with the aim of using everything from electric vehicles to Formula One to encourage young people to take up careers in manufacturing and engineering.

“As one of the region’s largest employers it’s important that Nissan take a lead role. I was delighted for the opportunity to show The Prince of Wales just some of the activities that we offer the region’s schools.”

The Prince met with pupils from Gillas Lane Primary School in Sunderland, St Cuthbert's in Newcastle and the Venerable Bede, Sunderland who were taking part in Nissan Skills Foundation activities which include the Industrial Cadets program.

Inspired by His Royal Highness back in 2010, the Industrial Cadets program helps to raise the awareness of the job opportunities that exist in the manufacturing sector.  So far over 100 local secondary school children have already completed the course at Nissan with another 100 due to take part during this academic year.