Surrey Homes | SH97 | February 2023 | Education Supplement inside
The lifestyle magazine for Surrey - Inspirational Interiors, Fabulous Fashion, Delicious Dishes
The lifestyle magazine for Surrey - Inspirational Interiors, Fabulous Fashion, Delicious Dishes
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<strong>Education</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
istockphoto.com/ Roman Kybus<br />
Creature Comforts<br />
From rugby-loving donkeys to an immortalised duck, we’ve enjoyed<br />
hearing all about Saint Ronan’s school farm<br />
“<br />
We opened our school farm with the aim to have a few rescue chickens<br />
– modest and easy to maintain. Our first batch of chickens were<br />
bald, squawky and reluctant to part with their eggs! Nothing would<br />
persuade the children to pick them up (or the chickens to allow them to). Today,<br />
we have lustrous and robust chickens who deliver the yellowest of yolks and run<br />
to be cosseted by little Ronians, and many other creatures besides.<br />
“First, we have the escapologist pygmy goats who are taken for walks on leashes,<br />
for which the children bring leaves to be nibbled enthusiastically. Then there are<br />
our two sports-enthusiast donkeys, who love watching school matches and bray<br />
approvingly when the home team score a point, knowing that a carrot may soon<br />
arrive from an overexcited child.<br />
“Next on the list are the rabbits and guinea pigs, and two imperious peahens,<br />
along with three adopted underweight hedgehogs to nurture through hibernation.<br />
We also have a herd of Ryland sheep known for navigating their public shearing in<br />
front of excited children with no sense of embarrassment in their nakedness.<br />
“The democratically elected ‘President’ of the animals, Basil the Duck, shot to<br />
fame in lockdown, and remains immortalised in a brass effigy, after sadly being<br />
eaten by Mr Fox (not the Director of Sport – the wily sly one who expectantly<br />
saunters past the chickens with a twinkly glint). Lastly we have three large, well<br />
fed, and friendly pigs, Ivanka, Winnie and Clemmie – the latter two of which were<br />
gifted to us by the Dean of Canterbury who needed a loving home for them when<br />
he retired. We were only too pleased to step in, and now these piggies are washed,<br />
brushed, fed and pampered. In return, they are positively brimming with affection.<br />
“Pre Prep children alternate their weekly trips to the Farm with the Forest<br />
School, so they get plenty of time outside. In the Prep School we run an active<br />
and popular weekly club, as well as participating in the local County shows.<br />
The farm has come a long way since those first bald, squawky, egg-free days<br />
saintronans.co.uk<br />
”<br />
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