Children connect with nature

SIX pupils at Badgemore Primary School in Henley are completing a new educational programme designed to support their social and mental health.

They have teamed up with the town council’s parks services team, immersing themselves in nature at Mill and Marsh Meadows to learn about ecosystems and habitats.

Every Tuesday for six weeks the children take part in a range of activities, including planting and litter picking. All tasks will help Henley’s entry to the annual Britain in Bloom contest.

During their first week, 105 native hedgerow plants, such as the dog rose, were planted on the borders of the adventure playground at Mill Meadows. It is hoped that about 200 more plants will be added by the end of the programme.

Once the children have finished the hedging project, they will carry out other activities, such as exploring conservation areas and completing surveys of what they can see in the parks.

Caroline Jacob, 51, of Simmons Road, Henley, is a teacher at Badgemore and has been guiding the pupils. She said the programme provides the children an opportunity to connect with nature and build their self-esteem and confidence in and out of the classroom.

Mrs Jacob said: “A lot of the children we bring out are usually quieter in class and don’t always feel like they can speak up because there are so many children in the class.

“It’s about immersing them in nature because a lot of them don’t get a chance to make that connection and also to give back to the community. They know now that whenever they come down here, they can say to whoever they’re with, ‘we planted that, and the birds are going to love it’.”

Mrs Jacob said that she would like to use the litter collected to create an art installation that showcases the environmental impact. She added: This will show what we found and the impact it’s having on the environment and encourage people to use a bin.”

Lilah-Rayne Presley, nine, who is in Year 4, said she would like to plant more flowers, specifically daisies, as part of the programme.

“The planting was my favourite”, she said. “We planted hazel plants, dog rose plants, blackthorn and crab apples.

“Mrs Jacob made the holes with a dibber and we did the planting. A lot of us also did the bamboo sticks and put the guards on.”

Tom Bayley, 47, from Shiplake, a volunteer and parent of a pupil at the school, said the programme will provide the children with “long-term benefits”.

He said: “The programme is directed but it has pupil-led involvement with long-term benefits. When they come back, the plants will be here for years so they will realise that their actions can have real positive and long-term repercussions and it builds up a sense of ‘I can make a difference’.

“If you’re always herded around and told to do things, you might not think you are important and you might not observe your environment. When you and the environment interact and you can actually change it, it makes you take ownership. It’s so amazing.”

Kyle Dowling, the council’s assistant parks manager, said it has been a good opportunity to educate the pupils by giving them the tools and advice they need.

He said: “It’s been really good because we like to educate and let the kids know what we do around the town but it also instills a bit of pride in them from a young age, which is really good. They learn how to take care of things, what we do in the parks and it’s really nice having them on board.

“We enjoy working with various schools around town, as they’re really helpful with different projects that we do. It’s good to get them involved in anything to do with planting or wildlife, especially with the open spaces that we maintain. It’s ideal with the schools being in walking distance so they can come and utilise the areas.”

The programme has been created in collaboration between a North Devon charity, the Wave Project, and local organisations to revolutionise environmental, educational and community involvement for young people.

In the Henley area, the charity works with Wokingham Borough Council and academies, such as Badgemore primary, which belong to the Circle Trust.