One of the best ways we can safeguard the South Downs for the future is to encourage the interest of children in the hope that when they grow up, they will get to know and treasure the landscape and culture. We want to make sure that children have access to the countryside: no child left behind.
Some groups however have restricted access to our National Park, especially currently owing to the cost of living crisis, coupled with the pressures on school funding. Many children will miss out on a summer holiday with their family and others will miss those schools trips, which are so important for a child’s development.
Accordingly, we are making a donation of £5000 to the YHA programme known as No Child Left Behind, to give a short two-night break in the YHA South Downs Hostel near Lewes.
YHA is a national charity working across England and Wales and believe in the power of travel and adventure. Their aim is to connect people to each other, to nature and the outdoors, to culture and to heritage. This should improve physical health, mental wellbeing and life skills through the hostel experience. This is all in line with the recommendations from the Glover Report and nicely supplements our other work with children. This may not be ‘a night under the stars’ as Glover mentioned but a shared experience in a new environment with classmates in the natural world of the Downs.
A school has been selected near Hastings and 56 Year 6 children with six leaders will enjoy this short holiday in mid-July. The school is in an area of social deprivation where parents are unlikely to be able to contribute to the cost and any gaps in funding are to be bridged with matched funding from the YHA.
Apart from fun activities such campfire singing, beach combing and shelter building, there will be sessions about the history and geology of the South Downs and Heritage Coast provided by So Sussex. We hope for some this will spark a lifelong love of the South Downs.
If you’d like to support the work we do, please consider donating to our ongoing schools projects.
Patrick Haworth
Trustee
