Our February meeting heard Anthony Matthew talk about ‘Farming Community Network’.
This is a Christian based organisation and registered charity which has been working with the farming community since 1995.
Over three quarters of Britain is farmland and things do not always run smoothly. Flooding, foot and mouth disease and bovine TB are all problems we have all heard about. This is when Farming Community Network plays a vital role as a sympathetic listening ear to walk alongside the farmer to help solve the problem.
Also, other news; at Matravers School this spring term, trained volunteers from the Mothers Union are working alongside staff on the ‘Virtual Babies Project’ The aim of the programme is to help young people learn about the demands of parenting along with the choices and responsibilities they face as they journey into adulthood.
Virtual Babies are a life size baby simulator which is designed to imitate the behaviour of a real baby and needs looking after in just the same way.
After classroom training, students take home a virtual baby for the weekend. When returned the follow up includes downloading the computerised data to see how well the baby was responded to during in the students care and to hear how they coped and felt about the responsibilities of parenthood.
If you see a young student with a ‘Virtual Baby’ being carried in a sling harness, do stop and speak to them and see how they are coping.
