15/04/20 - Sky lanterns, Rural charities during Covid-19, Leeks

Farming Today

• Episode: 15/04/20 - Sky lanterns, Rural charities during Covid-19, Leeks
• Website: Farming Today
• Feed URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qj8q/episodes/downloads.rss
• Duration: 00:13:24
• Published: 2020-04-15 07:00

A campaign to light sky lanterns to show support for the NHS has been branded as "misguided" by The National Fire Chiefs Council. There are concerns lanterns could cause wildfires after days of hot weather has left vegetation dry and flammable. We hear from the company behind the campaign. Many vulnerable, isolated and elderly people in rural areas depend on small - often very local - charities as a lifeline. The government has pledged to support charities through the COVID 19 crisis, but Caz Graham hears concerns some small charities won’t survive without better, more targeted help. 40-50 thousand tonnes of leeks are grown each year in the UK and although they're known as the national symbol of Wales, they're actually mainly grown in East Anglia, the Midlands, Northumberland and the Scottish borders. We visit one farmer in Lincolnshire as he sows this year's crop. And our latest Farming Today Diary entry comes from County Antrim, where the Cole family have had a surprisingly quiet Easter. Presented by Caz Graham Produced by Heather Simons