Nominee Summary
In 2010 two friends identified the need for high quality outdoor childcare in East Lothian. One of those friends also identified the need to continue diversification on the family farm. 15 years later, Fenton Barns Nursery operates as a successful and popular outdoor nursery based on the farm at Fenton Barns. The Nursery ethos is firmly based on outdoor learning and healthy living, and it provides healthy homecooked meals to the children every day. Much of the produce is sourced locally, and the connections between food and farming are integral to the children's learning.
What makes your nominee stand out?
The ongoing partnership between Fenton Barns Nursery and the farm at Fenton Barns is built on a shared commitment to healthy living, farm to fork, outdoor learning, young people and the local countryside. The children love their walks around the farm, learning about seasons, different crops and where their food comes from. The farm at Fenton Barns has embraced diversification, adapting from turkey and pig farming to game farming and arable. Alongside this, many old buildings on the farm have been adapted and house over 100 tenants offering retail, gyms, workshops, storage and many other small businesses.
Supporting the local community
Over 30 people work in the Nursery offering childcare, cooking and gardening. The farm and property company employs 12 people - and the range of businesses at Fenton Barns must provide employment for over 200 people. It is a hub in the local area - the farm shop and antiques and interiors provide a busy focal point, and the nursery brings in over 50 families a week.
Maintaining high ethical/environmental standards
Fenton Barns Nursery is committed to providing superior care in a high quality location with an emphasis on the outdoors, the environment and healthy living. Educating the next generation about food, farming, healthy living and the environment is central to daily activities. The children grow their own veggies in the eco garden and go on to eat them for lunch in healthy soups, salads and stews. The Nursery also has been awarded the Eco Schools Green Flag Award for the past 6 years - which is a visible indication of a school's commitment to Learning for Sustainability and an internationally recognised accreditation for excellence in sustainable education. Alongside its diversification, the farm at Fenton Barns is committed to promoting biodiversity through green spaces, wild areas and hedgerows.
