Having concluded our South Downs for All project with Sussex schools last year, we are now delighted to bring the same heritage learning opportunities to seven partner schools in Hampshire.
These schools struggle financially and have many pupils with special learning needs or from homes classed as being low income or with issues of family stress. With a grant of £70,700 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and £15,000 contribution from Friends of the South Downs, the aim of the two-year South Downs for All (Hampshire) is to engage with these children and introduce them to the wonderful heritage of the South Downs.
To do this, we have also partnered with three living heritage museums, all situated in the South Downs, either in Hampshire or close to the Hampshire border. Butser Ancient Farm, Gilbert White’s House, and the Weald and Downland Museum are all outstanding centres of heritage conservation and heritage learning, celebrated for their achievements in the UK and internationally. All three have dedicated education officers and run learning programmes tailored for children and the requirements of the National Curriculum, particularly Key Stage 2.
The funding we have secured means we are able to offer our partner schools the opportunity to send their pupils to each one of these centres of heritage excellence. Not only does the funding allow us to cover entry costs and hands-on workshops, it also covers the cost of transport, which will generally mean the cost of coach hire (an ever increasing cost for schools). Without this funding, most of our partner schools would never be able to offer their pupils such wonderful learning opportunities.
Children will be able to visit Butser and see recreated homes from the Neolithic to the Saxon period in which our ancient ancestors lived. They will learn how these people lived, worked, and socialised. Weald and Downland at Singleton, takes up where Butser leaves off, offering children unique learning experiences from Saxon to Victorian times, in real period buildings, rescued from redevelopment and rebuilt at the Museum. To complement these historical experiences, Gilbert White’s House, the home and now museum of the great eighteenth century naturalist in Selborne, will introduce children to the exceptional flora and fauna of the South Downs.
Our Chairman, David Green, said, “The Friends of the South Downs are delighted that this generous funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund will afford more children the opportunity to experience and learn about the wonderful South Downs. The Friends believe that such opportunities are vitally important to instil in children an appreciation of the natural world and an interest in this nationally important countryside on their doorstep.”
We are delighted that we have again been fortunate in securing the services of Chris Hare of History People UK to manage this project, with his deep experience of researching local and regional history and teaching both children and adults. Chris feels there is something rather special about this project, saying, “The feeling of anticipation and enthusiasm, both from the schools and the museums is palpable and bodes very well for the progress of our work over the next two years.”
In addition to the visits to each of the external learning centres, the partner schools will benefit from in-school workshops as part of the project. As well coordinating all the activities, Chris will also be delivering heritage workshops tailored to the needs of each school e.g. an overview of South Downs heritage, from the earliest times to the present day, or specific presentations on the Romans or Saxons. Michael Blencowe, formerly of the Sussex Wildlife Trust, will be delivering workshops on South Downs flora and fauna and taking the children on field trips in the summer and autumn terms.
Hundreds of children will now be able to visit and enjoy learning about the heritage of the South Downs in outstanding learning environments, all situated within the heart of the South Downs. We will be updating our South Downs for All website, which will record all our activities with our partner schools. The website also records our previous work with schools in Sussex, and is well worth a look, www.southdownsforall.org.uk. We will keep members updated on the project’s progress as it develops this year and next.
Martin Small, Trustee Chris Hare, Project Manager
