Children's nursery farm shortlisted for award

A nursery which took on a working farm to help small children develop skills and confidence has been nominated for a national award.

Alderney Children's Centre took over the two-acre (1-hectare) farm in January, enabling youngsters aged six months to five years to care for animals, tend to crops and enjoy life outdoors.

Its team, which provides a nursery, forest school and farm, is now the only nominee from the bailiwick shortlisted for the Business Development Award at this year's Nursery World Awards.

The centre's chief executive Jennifer Heald said she hoped the range of activities on offer gave children "as many different experiences in as many different ways".

Heald told BBC Radio Guernsey: "The children have helped us zhuzh it up and they look after the chickens.

"They've planted all of the crops and they help us put it all on the farm stand to sell and they're really pivotal to the growing and harvesting."

The farm was a working market garden farm before the charity took it on, complete with chickens and commercial poly tunnels.

The farm was now used to help children build "resilience more than anything else", Heald added.

She said that included "getting the kids out in all weathers, getting them trying loads of different tasks" and "making sure they're familiar and confident with the animals".

Nursery World Award winners are set to be announced at The Brewery in London on 26 September.

Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.