Tag: education

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Not Just a Walking Club

I’ll come clean.  My enthusiasm for country walking is what caused me to join the Friends of the South Downs in the first place.  Yes, I was at that stage vaguely aware of the other work we do around the broader issue of conservation but it was definitely the extensive programme of walks and strolls which drew me in.  And, on joining, I quickly learned that the connection between the FSD and putting one boot in front of another on the South Downs was present at the very beginning of the organization, with the legendary walk near Peacehaven in 1923 undertaken by Robert Thurston Hopkins and Capt. Irvine Bately. But it’s not just a walking club.

Not just a walking club east meon george stride
East Meon Stroll / photo by George Stride

In my defence, starting from that narrow base, my increasing involvement with the Friends did result in me better understanding the range and scale of the work undertaken by us to make a reality of our objective of being ‘the only membership organization dedicated to protecting the South Downs’.  But, goodness, since I am a trustee who has just recently been re-elected, it would be more than somewhat embarrassing if I had not significantly improved on my initial ignorance.

However, knowledge sometimes isn’t sufficient to drive home a key realization; it needs to be reinforced by personal experience.  For me, this happened very specifically at Truleigh Hill YHA, just north of Shoreham-on-Sea, in May 2023.  On that day I was privileged to be present at a field trip made by schoolchildren from Herons Dale special needs primary school, and arranged by So Sussex, a company specializing in outdoor educational experiences on the South Downs. 

It was very humbling to observe the excitement and stimulation experienced by the kids, and to understand that this could not have been achieved inside a classroom.  Humbling also to know that this event, and other such trips in So Sussex’s ‘Explorers of the South Downs’ project, would not have happened without funding from the Friends, made possible by a recent legacy left to us.

One of the major themes in our Centenary celebrations is education and understanding, since the FSD believes that one of the key ways we can safeguard the South Downs in the future is to encourage the interests of children and young people.  As a result, Explorers of the South Downs is just one of a number of similarly themed projects we are supporting.

So not just a walking club!  

The Friends of the South Downs is owned and run by its members and there are many ways in which you can help.

We have many volunteering opportunities for people of all ages, abilities, skills and fitness levels; so, if you are able to give up some of your time to help us, you’ll meet many interesting and sociable people who really care and work hard to help protect the landscape and heritage of the South Downs.

We are almost totally reliant on our volunteers in helping us achieve our aims and objectives so anyone offering to become a volunteer is always made very welcome. Here are some of the typical activities you can help us with.

Paul Wilkinson

Trustee

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A Year in the Life of the South Downs

The Friends of the South Downs are appealing to young people in Sussex and Hampshire to write about the South Downs, either as a short essay or a poem. Chris Hare, project manager for ‘South Downs for All,’ a project funded jointly by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Friends of the South Downs, aimed at teaching school students about the heritage of the South Downs, is currently working on a lavish picture book, A Year in the Life of the South Downs, that will show the landscape in all its different forms and moods over a twelve month period.

a year in the life of the south downs
Chris at Cissbury Ring

As Chris explains: “We photographed the downland landscape under the influence of the four seasons, from snow dusted hill tops, through bluebell woods in spring, to summer wheat fields and the red and golden leaves of autumn. We also photographed human activity across the year, such as the World Marbles Championship at Tinsley Green at Easter, to Lewes Bonfire celebrations in November. We have the photographs, all we need now are the words!”

As ‘South Downs for All’ is focused on working with schools, the project team felt that it is the children who should provide the words for A Year in the Life of the South Downs, rather than being written by Chris or other adults working in the field of heritage.

“I could write about the history of the downs for A Year in the Life of the South Downs and the traditional activities that take place there,” Chris explains, “as could many other South Downs authors, but the children are our future and they will be custodians of this wonderful landscape in the years ahead, so we want to know what the feel and respond to the South Downs – landscape and people.

Sheep Fair

Chris says that they are primarily looking at responses from children aged 8 – 12, but they will consider submissions from any school-aged children. Essays and poems should be no longer than 300 words and can be on any theme that has a South Downs connection. To help inspire young writers, the South Downs for All website has a gallery section of photographs, set out under seasonal headings. It is hoped that looking at these photographs will act as a prompt to imaginative thoughts.

Any young person whose work is included in the book will be fully acknowledged, including their name and town or village of residence. They will also receive two free copies of the colour, hard-backed book and an invitation to the launch event which will probably take place in late November this this year.

The photograph gallery can be found here

All entries should be submitted to Chris Hare by 31 May 2023 at chris.hare@friendsofthesouthdowns.org.uk All enquiries about the project should be mailed to Chris at the same email address.

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Explorers of the South Downs

An exciting initiative has been launched for schoolchildren to explore the nature, history and culture of the South Downs. Schools across West Sussex are being invited to take part in ‘Explorers of the South Downs’, which offers a range of fun activities for young people to connect with the natural world and learn about the National Park.

Children will enjoy an outdoor adventure and learn new skills, such as building a shelter, bushcraft, tree identification, bug hunting, mindfulness activities, environmental art, team building and photography – all focused on the landscape, culture and history of the South Downs.

The Explorers of the South Downs project is a partnership between So Sussex, a Sussex-based outdoor education organisation, the South Downs National Park Authority, and Friends of the South Downs, whose generous donation has made the project possible. The aim is to support schools with a significant number of disadvantaged pupils and/or SEND places (Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities).

Emma Bruce, Youth and Community Engagement Officer for the National Park, said: “It’s really exciting to be launching this brand new initiative to help connect young people with nature.

“We recently surveyed over 200 schools in the area and all of them believed outdoor learning was good for mental and physical health, while more than three quarters said it raised attainment in children. With Children’s Mental Health Week coming up in February, we couldn’t be announcing this initiative at a better time.

“The National Park is an education resource we want schools to use and enjoy. There are so many opportunities to learn in the great outdoors and that’s what this scheme is all about – giving young people that connection with the environment that will hopefully last a lifetime.”

Andrew Lovett, a trustee of Friends of the South Downs, said: “We are delighted to be able to fund this excellent project. Helping children to understand and love the Downs is one of our top priorities. 2023 is our centenary year and this project is a great way to celebrate.”

Caroline Fleming, who helps to run the Schools Without Walls programme for So Sussex, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for children and young people to discover and explore the South Downs, to connect to nature and learn about their own local environment.

“At a time when schools are facing increasing financial challenges and school trips are becoming increasingly expensive, this funding for Explorers of the South Downs offers much-needed support and opportunities to ensure equal opportunities for pupils to experience what the National Park has to offer.”

The scheme will run until September and has a range of options, including working with a single class or a year group, as well as activity days and trips in the National Park. Funding is also available to pay for transport if needed. The initiative is open to primary and secondary schools. Any schools interested should contact Caroline at schoolswithoutwalls@sosussex.co.uk or visit www.schoolswithoutwalls.co.uk for more information.