Skelton Grange centre gets ready for Climate Week 2013

The Conservation Volunteers at Skelton Grange Environment Centre in Leeds are gearing up for Britain’s biggest climate change campaign: Climate Week is a supercharged national campaign which aims to inspire a new wave of action on climate change. It culminates with thousands of events and activities taking place throughout the week of 4th to 10th March 2013. Showcasing real, practical ways to combat climate change, the campaign aims to renew our ambition to create a more sustainable, low-carbon future.

During the week Skelton Grange will be playing host to two local primary schools as part of the Access to Nature programme which aims to help people access and enjoy nature, particularly in less advantaged areas of the city.

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Children from Hunslet St Mary’s will use the habitats found at Skelton Grange to discover how animals and plants depend on each other and their environment and how they are adapted to live successfully in the places they do.

Middleton Primary School pupils are there for a hands-on day, where the children get the opportunity to handle lots of rocks and soil, to find out about where they come from and to carry out some scientific tests.  They will also examine the process of composting, learning how to use compost bins and discover the importance of minibeasts to the process.  Throughout both days the children will talk about the interconnectedness of life on earth. They will also discover what practical actions they can take to try to combat climate change.

Ralph Walker from The Conservation Volunteers said “The children will have a fantastic day out and learn a lot from first hand experiences. There’s plenty to explore across the ten acre site, including woodland areas, ponds and at this time of year the meadows will be pushing through to signify the beginnings of Spring. The children will have time to discuss climate issues important to them and raise a lot of questions along the way!”

Another special event will include the Friday Green Team meeting. The team will be running workshops in green woodworking and coppice crafts to celebrate Climate Week as well as the undertaking their usual work getting the site looking amazing for the visiting children. If you would like to join them for the craft workshops and a range of practical conservation tasks across the site, then get in touch with the centre by visiting their website. On there you’ll also find loads of other ways to get involved with the centre, from making a donation to booking onto one of the many exciting training courses on offer to kids and adults.

To find out more about Climate Week at Skelton Grange Environment Centre go to www.tcv.org.uk/skeltongrange, email skelton@tcv.org.uk or telephone on 0113 243 0815.