People's Postcode Lottery Forest School projects

Thanks to the generosity of players of People’s Postcode Lottery, The Wildlife Trusts have received valuable funding enabling us to run Forest School projects across the country.

Working with children who have limited access to green space and wildlife, our projects have given thousands of school children the opportunity to learn about nature, build their confidence and experience wildlife in a safe environment.

During 2015 Wildlife Trusts in Birmingham, Leicester and Manchester ran a series of Forest School activities for over 2000 inner city school children and their families and in 2016, with the continued support of players, we are able to fund further outdoor learning projects across Bristol, London and Nottinghamshire.

Here's how players' funding is helping us connect children and their families with nature across the UK.

Avon

Linking to their My Wild City project, Avon Wildlife Trust are engaging with children and families in six community hubs located in green spaces around the city of Bristol, providing a safe place to play and connect with nature

Birmingham and the Black Country

Focused around EcoPark, an environmental education centre tucked away in an area with limited green space, Birmingham and the Black Country Wildlife Trust are encouraging families to spend time discovering the natural world on their doorstep.

Lancashire

Lancashire Wildlife Trust are working with Manchester City Council to establish outdoor forest classrooms in synergy with the Council's newly launched Green Infrastructure strategy, engaging local people with their green spaces. 

Leicestershire & Rutland

 Funding from players of People's Postcode Lottery is enabling the Trust to deliver a variety of forest school activities to children and families living in Leicester, focusing on areas where there are high levels of deprivation and lack of access to green space. 

London

London Wildlife Trust are delivering outdoor education sessions to 1,500 primary school children from inner city schools in east and south London where chances to explore nature may be limited, and who will benefit from regular outdoor opportunities. 

Nottinghamshire 

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust are providing opportunities to school children and young families to experience the benefits of actively engaging with nature through their Woodland Workshops. 

Lucas' Marsh Wild Forest School - Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust

Children from Leicester schools met well-known naturalist and TV presenter Nick Baker as part of a special event arranged by Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.

Organised to celebrate the Trust’s Wild Forest School project, more than 60 children enjoyed a variety of fun outdoor activities. The children, aged between 4 and 11, took part in a range of activities including a minibeast hunt, natural crafts, including leaf collages and making minibeast models out of wood.

Moston Fairway nature reserve Forest School - Lancashire Wildlife Trust

Manchester's Moston Fairway nature reserve, home to one of Lancashire Wildlife Trust's Forest School projects, has flourished over the last century as an urban wilderness. This site has quiet woodland walks, open grassy vistas, and an amazing vibrancy of wildlife. There is even a unique urban marsh that acts as a haven for abundant smooth newts.

This short video gives a fantastic flavour of what there is to discover at Moston Fairway and how players of People's Postcode Lottery are supporting the Lancashire Wildlife Trust in a flagship Forest Schools project during 2015. 

EcoPark, Small Heath - Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust

Watch Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust's fantastic forest school work at Ecopark, Small Heath, supported by players of People's Postcode Lottery.

Nick Baker came to see what it's like and lead some children in activities to explore wildlife there. More than 150,000 of our members belong to our junior branch, Wildlife Watch.

Northumberland	Scotland	Wales	Yorkshire
Northumberland Wildlife Trust is delivering education opportunities and events for local communities and schools, as well as maintaining reserves and wildlife sites around the region	Scottish Wildlife Trust is educating thousands of children about Scotland's fantastic variety of wildlife, and providing protection for wildlife including threatened bird of prey, the peregrine, at Falls of Clyde.	Wildlife Trust Wales delivers a wide range of conservation and education projects and events for local communities and schools across six local Wildlife Trusts.	Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is inspiring the next generation of wildlife-lovers through environmental education programmes.

Looking to the future

Nick Baker shares his delight on how, with continued support from players of People's Postcode Lottery, we are extending our outdoor learning projects across 3 more cities: London, Nottingham and Bristol.