Schools across the UK are being given the opportunity to access free online workshops on the importance of sustainability by The Prince’s Foundation — and pupils from Wales to the Western Isles are already benefiting.

The workshops will educate secondary school pupils about sustainability in both fashion and textiles as well as food and farming, while pupils continue to learn from home amid the coronavirus pandemic. Teachers from across the UK have already registered to take part, with pupils from as far as Stornoway and Cardiff already set to engage.

Typically, The Prince's Foundation welcomes thousands of school pupils to the Dumfries House Estate each year to participate in hands-on workshops related to food, farming and horticulture. While in-person programmes are currently paused to help restrict the spread of coronavirus, we have developed a number of online workshops that aim to make the concept of sustainability in food relevant and relatable to secondary school pupils at a time when it is more important than ever.

“The workshops will enhance their understanding of the impact of different food processes on both themselves and the environment and we hope that, in turn, this knowledge will encourage them to make more considered food choices." -Arianne Knowles, Food, Farming & Horticulture Manager

The Field To Fork workshop will enable pupils to explore the impact of food miles and learn how to interpret the information on food packaging to help them make considered food choices. The Farm To Fork workshop will provide pupils with an insight into food standards and what they mean for our health, the animals involved and the planet.

“Our Future Textiles Programme was launched six years ago in an effort to breathe new talent into the country's fashion and textile industry" - Ashleigh Douglas, Future Textiles Manager

Currently, more than 350,000 tonnes of used but wearable clothing goes to landfill in the UK every year. One of the Foundation's workshops aims to help pupils understand the negative impact the industry has on the environment and encourages them to make small changes to reduce their contribution to this.

We are also offering a practical online workshop which will teach pupils the basics of how to knit using items they can find around the house such as chop-sticks, pencils and parcel string.

School teachers interested in registering their classes for The Prince’s Foundation’s online workshops can do so by emailing education@princes-foundation.org