A Gloucestershire-based charity has appointed Ian Pigott OBE as a trustee.

The Ernest Cook Trust is an educational charity and extensive landowner across six counties.

Ian has 25 years' experience managing a diverse family farming business at Harpenden, on the border of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

He founded the UK's national farm open day - Open Farm Sunday - in 2006. He also runs his own charity, The Farmschool, which since 2014, has been reconnecting children and young people with food, farming and the environment, by enabling them to visit and experience a working arable farm, as well as take part in the farm's innovative programmes. Ian also set up a business park in the farmyard, catering for microbusinesses.

In 2015, Ian was awarded an OBE for his services to agricultural and countryside education.

Ian Piggott OBE said: "Having been fortunate to be involved with two charities that have benefitted from The Ernest Cook Trust, I have always had a keen interest in its work.

"As a hands-on tenant farmer, I am looking forward to the opportunity to liaise with the trust's tenants and to help deliver positive economic and environmental progress across its farming portfolio."

The Ernest Cook Trust is one of the UK's foremost funders and providers of outdoor learning. It runs learning opportunities for children, young people, their families and communities on its own land, as well as with partner estates. Every year, it also gives out hundreds of thousands of pounds in grants to further outdoor learning.

Andrew Miller, chairman of trustees, said: "We are pleased to welcome Ian to our board of trustees. We were looking for someone with first-hand farming experience, whose values align with ours in supporting young people and communities to learn from the land.

"In Ian, we have found just the right person, who will also help us to address the ongoing challenges of agriculture, diversification and conservation. He will be an excellent addition to our hardworking board."