Schools Challenge - Meet the Sponsor

20 December 2022, News from our friends

The Schools’ Challenge is a project-based competition for all schools across the county, where they can enter one of our fabulous ten challenges focused on food, farming, the local community, the environment and sustainability.

Branston Ltd are one of our six sponsors who are actively engaged in promoting the importance of education here at the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society.

Delve into the Schools’ Challenge sponsorship with a Q&A with Jackie Baker – Branston Ltd…

• What is your role at Branston Ltd?

I’m the Communications Manager, which covers lots of different things but is essentially about getting messages across to different audiences about what Branston is doing and how great potatoes are.

• Can you give us a little background into the company?

We started back in 1968 as a co-operative of local farmers. Over the years we’ve developed our expertise in potatoes and have grown into one of the largest suppliers of potatoes to supermarkets in the UK.

• Why have you decided to sponsor Schools’ Challenge?

Our roots are firmly in Lincolnshire and in supporting UK agriculture. We’ve sponsored the Schools’ Challenge for a number of years now as we see this as a fantastic way for the next generation to learn more about farming, agriculture and protecting the environment.

• What do you enjoy about Schools’ Challenge at the Lincolnshire Show?

It’s always so amazing to see how much enthusiasm the groups have put into creating their projects, as they get to showcase the results of all their hard work through the months and weeks leading up to the show.

I think the judges must have a very hard job sometimes to pick winners as there are so many very worthy contenders.

• Why do you think education into food and farming is important?

It’s easy for people to lose touch with where their food comes from and not appreciate all the hard work that farmers put in. We’re very lucky in the UK to have some of highest standards in the world for food safety and livestock welfare and we need to support our farmers so that they can continue to invest for the future.

It can also help to open the students’ minds to a range of potential future careers in the food industry – anything from farming and horticulture to technical or commercial roles. There’s a lot more to food and farming than people first realise and once they start to investigate, they can uncover a whole new world of possibilities.

• Where can we find you at Show and what will you be doing?

The Branston Spud Squad team will be in the Education Zone in the EXO Centre doing some fun, spud-related hands-on activities. Last year’s Sprouty Spud Head activity proved very popular with kids of all ages. We’ll be launching something new and exciting at the show this year.

The LAS thank you for your continued support and can't wait for the excitement of Schools’ Challenge at The Lincolnshire Show! For more details regarding sponsorship or how to get involved with Schools’ Challenge, visit Schools' Challenge 2023 | Wed 21 - Thu 22 Jun (lincolnshireshowground.co.uk)