Students from North Hertfordshire College hosted a day of activities for children at Standalone Farm in Letchworth last Wednesday.

The Comet: The students performed for the children at Standalone Farm. Picture: North Herts CollegeThe students performed for the children at Standalone Farm. Picture: North Herts College (Image: Archant)

In the year that The Very Hungry Caterpillar celebrates its 50th anniversary, NHC childcare students aged 16 to 17 performed a play based on the popular children's book, followed by arts and crafts activities for the children visiting the farm.

The initiative is part of a national youth action campaign, called #iwill, which North Hertfordshire College has been selected to participate in along with hundreds of organisations from across the country.

Its purpose is to encourage young people to participate in a range of social action such as volunteering, campaigning and fundraising to make a positive difference in their local community.

The intiative is coordianted by the Step Up and Serve charity, which aims to encourage social action among young people and empowering them to become more active citizens into adulthood.

The Comet: Childcare students from North Herts College volunteered to entertain the children at Standalone Farm as part of the #iwill social action campaign. Picture: North Herts CollegeChildcare students from North Herts College volunteered to entertain the children at Standalone Farm as part of the #iwill social action campaign. Picture: North Herts College (Image: Archant)

Entry level childcare student Shannagh Cockerton said: "It's been a great experience for us and to see the reaction from the children has given us all a real buzz."

Children from The Glebe Nursery in Letchworth visited the farm and watched the college students' performance.

Teacher Samantha Cragg, who brought along 31 nursery school children to Standalone Farm, said: "This has been a brilliant opportunity for the class to come out and visit the farm and see the students perform a much-loved children's classic. They loved every minute of it!"

Childcare lecturer Karen Hyland said: "Our students really excelled themselves. They worked so hard coming up with the ideas and then rehearsing over several weeks to bring it all together."

North Herts College has campuses in Stevenage and Hitchin.

For more information on courses, go to nhc.ac.uk.

Standalone Farm, in Wilbury Road, is run by the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, and is currently promoting its May half term Creepy Critters roadshow, which will run from May 27 to May 31.

The Ameyzoo Roadshow will return with two shows a day - which is included with the cost of entry and will operate on a first come first served basis.

For more information about Standalone Farm events and ticket prices, go to standalonefarm.com.