Local Councils Partnership

The Wildlife Trust partnership has involved the Trust working in partnership with Coventry City Council, Solihull Metropolitan Council, and Warwickshire County Council with funding of £321,500.00 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to develop Forest School across the three areas.

Each council has also contributed funds towards the development of Forest School provision on a local level; this funding has contributed towards the three local coordinators who have been supporting and helping students to develop their School grounds and complete their Forest School leader qualifications.

The Wildlife Trust has also been developing its level 3 Open College Network Forest School leader training course; this has meant that over 100 teachers, teaching assistants and nursery nurses have now received local Forest School leader training delivered by three local Co-ordinators.

Now more children in the West Midlands can take advantage of an alternative learning experience in the outdoors.

The main focus for the co-ordinators has been to provide Forest School Leadership training for teachers and practical support in setting up projects, so schools can benefit directly from this new exciting scheme on a long-term basis.

Phil Dickin, Director of people & Wildlife at Warwickshire Wildlife Trust commented, "This is a fantastic opportunity for the Wildlife Trust and partners to offer a programme that will encourage young people into woodlands learn new skills gain an understanding of the countryside and help in their health and wellbeing."

Anne Jenkins, Heritage Lottery Fund regional manager for the West Midlands, commented; "If we are to protect the Earth and our future, we need to equip today's students to be tomorrow's environmental stewards. They need a deeper understanding of the relationship between our society and the environment itself, and Forest Schools will do exactly this".