Over the summer I have been able to get out and about across the Brentwood and Ongar constituency to start meeting people face to face again for the first time in more than a year.
I’ve been able to spend time with local farmers, who were trying to make what their could of the disappointing weather to get the harvest home before the darker nights drew in too far. One of the concerns raised was whether children, and their parents, still understand the Countryside Code. It seems some groups of children have been trespassing on local farmland and putting themselves in dangers by rivers, ponds and ditches, either by playing with the safety equipment, or pulling down warning signs.
It’s great our children get out and enjoy the countryside, but do encourage them to understand what helps, and what harms the countryside. Fortunately, the Government issued an update to the 70 year old Countryside Code earlier this year ( https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-countryside-code-launched-to-help-people-enjoy-the-outdoors) so you can brush up your memory of the guidelines and find out why it’s now the done thing to ‘be nice, say hello, share the space’
Written for The Ongar News
