Project Announcement: Stepping Stones to Nature
David from Sylvan Lore delivering a tree identification activity at Grangetown Primary School in May 2024.
We are excited to announce the latest project from the North York Moors Trust, Stepping Stones to Nature.
The project is designed to support children to grow up well through a connection with nature, focusing on children attending schools in some of our local areas' most deprived communities.
Through a tailored programme of sensory, nature-based, and curriculum-enriching activities, the project promotes good health and wellbeing, sparks creativity, supports development, and enhances communication, concentration, and learning.
Starting in April 2024, the project has engaged 80 children, aged 7 to 8, along with teaching staff across two schools in Grangetown, Redcar and Cleveland.
Grangetown, a proud community, is one of the most deprived areas in England, ranking in the bottom 1% (55 out of 32,844). We chose to focus our efforts here, recognising the pressing need for initiatives that support children here.
The project has so far delivered 25 term-time sessions, helping children build nature knowledge and skills through activities such as tree and plant identification, natural dye making, shelter building, creating natural water filters, and producing natural cordage and knots.
These hands-on experiences allow children to interact, investigate, create, play, and learn with and in nature, enriching the curriculum while supporting their health, wellbeing and development.
Sessions not only strengthen children's connection to nature but also nurture a love and motivation to protect it.
The children will apply their newfound skills and knowledge during upcoming visits to the North York Moors National Park.
We are thrilled to report that the first phase of the project at Grangetown and Caedmon Primary Schools, has been a resounding success.
Early in the new year we will share evaluation results and findings.
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Stepping Stones to Nature is a project developed by the North York Moors Trust, delivered on our behalf by Sylvan Lore.
In 2024, the project received funding from Ryedale and Whitby NFU Mutual, through the Agency Giving Fund.