Land-based educational charity to buy Newton Rigg farm

A land-based educational charity has offered to buy one of Newton Rigg College’s farms and maintain it as a crucial learning centre for Cumbria.

The undisclosed offer from the Ernest Cook Trust for Low Beckside Farm, Mungrisdale, has been accepted by Askham Bryan College.

See also: Plea for government to save Newton Rigg 

The trust plans to get more people learning from the land by operating the farm alongside training schemes, apprenticeships, demonstrations, educational visits, workshops, seminars and open days.

Andrew Christie-Miller, Ernest Cook Trust’s chairman of trustees, said: “We have been looking for a suitable place to support land-based learning in the north of England.

“We are really excited about the opportunities that Low Beckside will offer to so many young people.”

The Trust already runs training and apprenticeship programmes through its work with Lowther Castle and Gardens Trust in Penrith.

Newton Rigg Ltd (NRL) – a not-for-profit organisation led by experts in land-based and further education and backed by major Cumbrian employers – has been fighting to save Newton Rigg since Askham Bryan College announced in May 2020 its decision to close and sell the historic campus, land and farms.

NRL has since laid out a plan to rebuild land-based education in Cumbria beginning with industry-led training and apprenticeships, while campaigning to protect the college’s campus, land and farms for educational use.

Positive step

NRL welcomed the news of the Ernest Cook Trust takeover of Low Beckside Farm, which had a sale price of £1.725m when it was listed by Savills Estate Agents in May.

A NRL spokesperson said: “We are pleased to hear that the Ernest Cook Trust have been successful in their bid to purchase Low Beckside Farm, which, as the National Centre for the Uplands, has a key role to play in the future of farming and upland management.

“The Ernest Cook Trust already has a valuable presence in Cumbria with the Learning from the Land programme at Lowther Castle and Gardens.

“Their charitable aims align with those of Newton Rigg Ltd and we hope to work closely with the Trust to maximise the continued use of Low Beckside for education and skills development.”

The spokesperson added it was a “very positive step” in the movement to rebuild land-based education in Cumbria.

NLR said it was optimistic that its ambition to continue land-based education at the Newton Rigg site and Sewborwens Farm in Penrith will be fulfilled.

It is planning the launch of a new training initiative, starting with courses in horticulture and advanced dairy management.