I'm delighted to share that all of the preschools and schools I've been working with were given an 'In Touch with Nature' grant from the Disney Conservation Fund, awarded to them from Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots education programme for young people. Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots is the global youth education programme, which inspires and empowers young people to take positive action on behalf of the planet and its inhabitants.
It has been a pretty unusual year as a result of COVID-19, so things haven't been able to move at the planned pace, which has been expected. Thankfully, I can now share some lovely photos with you depicting how funds have and are being used in such wonderfully creative ways, to help encourage more wildlife into the outside play areas of each preschool and school. These additions will only enhance how the children are learning about, appreciating and respecting the beauty of nature.
Greatham Village Nursery has built an incredible bug hotel and added new shrubs and trees to the front and back of the preschool.
Mad Hatter's Nursery built a hedgehog house and planted more hedgerow to encourage hedgehogs into the play area. A couple of willow trees and shrubs are also now growing in the garden which will, in time, make a den area for animals and insects, as well as creating an exciting and peaceful place for the children to explore gently, whilst learning not to disturb the wildlife.
Liphook Infant School is using the grant money to add more equipment to the roundhouse area, which is used for forest school activities; where they create fire pits, for example, and watch birds and insects at play.
Hollycombe Primary School situated in the rolling Sussex downs were adding some apple trees to the backfield where the children enjoy sports. Alongside the trees, the plan was to have a plaque dedicating them to Jane Goodall and the 60th Anniversary of her arrival in Gombe.
Each establishment was thrilled with the gift of grant money and excited to be able to use it in ways that would benefit and help grow the children's knowledge of the wonders of nature, of which we – humans - are an integral part.
For further reading, visit https://www.rootsnshoots.org.uk/blog/2020/12/01/our-roots-shoots-disney-grant-recipients-are-putting-their-exciting-plans-into-action/?ref=email_newsletter&mc_cid=e99120eae6&mc_eid=42d370cd7a
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