Popular lambing weekend at Moreton Morrell College set to go 'live' online for second year running

Moreton Morrell College farm manager Henry Dingle with some of his flock of sheep. Photo supplied

The popular lambing weekend at Moreton Morrell College will take place virtually for the second year running due to the pandemic.

A live ‘LambCam’ will broadcast the lambs’ arrival into the world on the college’s Facebook page over the weekend of Saturday March 13 and Sunday, March 14 between 11am and 3pm.

Henry Dingle, manager of the 750-acre farm, will host a live Q&A at 2pm on the Sunday, when members of the public can ask questions about the lambing process and find out more about careers in farming.

The two-day event will be supported by online educational resources, including a series of video guides that will explain the lambing process and how lambs adjust to life on the farm, a virtual tour of the countryside campus, and children’s activities, including a colouring competition.

Moreton Morrell College is part of WCG (formerly Warwickshire College Group). The campus has a working farm, equine and animal centres, and other specialist land-based learning facilities.

The farm has a flock of 500 North Country Mules and Texel cross ewes, some of which were been born there during previous lambing seasons.

The popular Lambing Weekend normally attracts around 2,000 people but last year it was held online for the first time as a result of the pandemic, when around 100 lambs were born.

Farm manager Henry Dingle said: “Lambing season is an important time of the year for us a commercial working farm and for our students, for many of whom it will be their first experience of this busy and challenging time so will be a crucial part of their practical learning.

“It’s also normally our opportunity to invite members of the public in to share this exciting time with us and to experience life on the farm.

"While the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions mean that can’t happen again this year, the live LambCam is definitely the next best thing and we hope that our new lambs arrive right on cue.”

The Lambing Weekend educational resources and more details about land-based courses offered at Moreton Morrell College will be available at wcg.ac.uk/lambing