Staff and volunteers at Skelton Grange Environment Centre in south Leeds are gearing up for Britain’s biggest climate change campaign, inspiring a new wave of action to create a sustainable future.
Each year, half a million people attend over 3,000 events in Britain’s biggest environmental occasion. Events are run by schools, businesses, charities, councils and community groups and the organisers of Climate Week are always looking for ways to spread the word and expand the participation.
As part of Climate Week 2014, 3–9 March 2014, Skelton Grange will be encouraging all staff, volunteers and visitors to the centre to arrive by a non polluting means. Be it on foot, by bicycle or beast of burden. The centre will also be delivering school education days with a focus on habitats with pupils being encouraged to consider how a rise in average temperatures might affect these areas and what we can all do to try and reduce the effects of climate change.
Skelton Grange is also holding a practical training event for schools across Yorkshire during climate week, to show how teachers and students can make best use of their school gardens. The day’s aim is to give guidance, inspiration and practical support to staff who want to develop outdoor learning opportunities; looking at how to begin to grow vegetables with children, including planning for maximum productivity within the school term and fun, hands on, creative and curriculum linked outdoor activities.
Finally the week will be rounded off with a chance to get involved with the Green Team at Skelton Grange, which offers regular opportunities for everyone to come and help out with some practical tasks on the site. The Conservation Volunteers insist that no prior experience is necessary, just lots of enthusiasm! The Green Team will be focussing on hedge laying, providing vital habitats for garden birds and they’ll also be adding the finishing touches to the ‘megapond.’
Ralph Walker from The Conservation Volunteers said:
“We have a really busy week planned for Climate Week 2014 including teacher training, school trips and the ever popular Green Team on Friday. We are really looking forward to welcoming people of all age ranges to the centre throughout the week and we’re always looking for new ways to get people involved. By getting involved people can really help to support the centre and help to ensure that Skelton Grange is here for everyone long into the future.”
If you would like to find out more about getting involved in Climate Week at Skelton Grange or other ways to support The Conservation Volunteers and their work in Yorkshire then visit: www.tcv.org.uk/skeltongrange.
