Beale
Park|
Education in the Environment at Beale Park offer a flexible package of study programmes for primary and secondary schools designed to provide students with exciting practical experience, as well as a better understanding of the physical world around them. Facilities include a well resourced classroom with specialist field study equipment and tailored courses delivered by a team of experienced teachers with extensive knowledge of the local environment. Additionally there are many other activities for parents and young children throughout the year but, due to their popularity, they get booked up early. The Centre itself has an enviable location on the banks of the River Thames near Pangbourne and can offer a "complete experience". Besides its bird sanctuary of native and exotic species, water meadows, woodland, large reed beds and an organic farm lie within its 400 hectares. Follow the trail around Church Farm and learn at first hand how organic farming methods are important in preserving and sustaining valuable wildlife habitats such as the flower meadows. No need to book first as there's free access. Visit now at www.bealepark.co.uk Enquiries and further information from: Alison Marshall, Education
in the Environment Tel: 0118 984 1500 |
Council for Environmental Education|
The Council for Environmental Education provides a national focus and voice for those committed to education for sustainable development and aims to ensure that the principles of sustainable development are at the heart of education policy and practice. CEE works through a series of partnerships with its members, central and local government, business and industry, professional associations, educational institutions, other organisations and individuals. CEE's work is co-ordinated by a team based in Reading. Support and advice, seminars and events and a comprehensive collection of environmental education resources is available. Contact: Christine Midgley, Council for Environmental Education, 94 London Street, Reading RG1 4SJ. Tel: 0118 950 2550 or e-mail enquiries@cee.org.uk |
Energy and Waste|
Groundwork Thames Valley's partnerships with companies Esso and UK Waste have enabled schoolchildren to learn about important local and global issues. Young Energy Savers shows children how energy is used and how it can be used efficiently at school and in the home whilst the WasteSavers project encourages the study of waste issues. Contact: Isabel King, Business Manager - Sutainable Development, Groundwork TV, Tel: 01895 832662 CREATE, the Centre for Research, Education and Training in Energy, provide information on energy efficiency for schools including grants. Visit their website at www.create.org.uk. Also worth a visit is www.eco-schools.org.uk West Berkshire Sustainable Technology Group disseminate information, education and enablement of domestic and small business users of renewable technology. They are involved in promoting the Berkshire Solar Clubs and development of organic growing and food technology. Contact: Barry Flisher Tel: 01488 72291 |
Kennet Valley and Pang Valley Countryside
Projects|
The Kennet Valley Countryside Project offers environmental education aimed at the National Curriculum. A new Education Pack for primary schools on "Key environmental issues in the Kennet Valley" is now available to local primary schools. Further information from Sally Wallington. Tel: 0118 930 5336. The Pang Valley Countryside Project offers environmental education in partnership with the John Simmonds Trust, based at Rushall Farm. Contact the Project's Education Officer, Colin Esrich for full details. Tel: 0118 974 5196 |
Learning for Sustainability
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Nature Centres|
Nature Centres throughout the county offer extensive programme of walks, talks, training days and special events of interest to the general public. In addition, the Countryside Services run tailored activities aimed at children, school groups and people of all ages wanting to learn more about our native wildlife and local habitats or wishing to take a more active part in nature conservation. For further details contact your local Countryside Rangers at: Braywick Nature Centre in the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead Dinton Pastures Country Park in Wokingham District The Look Out Nature Discovery Centre in Bracknell Forest District Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre in West Berkshire |
Organic Network for Schools|
Why not establish an organic garden in your school grounds and teach children how to grow their own healthy and tasty food? The HDRA Organic Network for Schools website www.schoolsorganic.net currently has over 90 member schools all over the country, from Inverness in the north, to Devon in the south. Here students and teachers can find information, advice and resources to help them garden using organic methods in school grounds. Whether you're just starting or have an established school garden, this is the site to visit.
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Plants|
Flora Locale promotes good practice in the sourcing and use of native plants for wildlife schemes. They run a training programme in growing and using plants and offer technical advice and specification for native plants. More information on their website www.floralocale.org or contact Sue Everett on tel 01635 550380 Flower Farms near Hungerford run half-day workshops in restoring wild flowers to gardens and countryside, propagation of wild flowers as well as full-day workshops on hedge laying and tree and shrub planting and pruning. To find out more visit website at www.wildflowerfarms.com or phone 01672 870782 for a brochure and order form for wide range of seeds of native plants. Herbiseed, based at Twyford, are producers of wild plants, weeds, pharmaceutical plants and other unusual species from around the world. They also offer technical advice and other related services. Full information at www.herbiseed.com |
Thames Water Education|
Thames Water, the largest water and waste water company in England and Wales, has a strong policy of responsibility to the communities in which they operate. The education programme supports nearly 8,000 schools within the Thames Water region and with resources which provide both core and extra curricular material to the national curriculum. Materials are developed in partnership with teachers and education consultants to ensure their high quality and relevance to the curriculum. Contact Thames Water Customer Centre, P O Box 436, Swindon SN38 1TO Tel: 0845 9200 800 and ask for a copy of the publication Education Resources for Schools and Colleges which includes an order form. Alternatively you may like to visit the website www.thames-water.com/education first. |
UK Wolf Conservation Trust|
In 1999 four European wolves were born at the UK Wolf Centre in Berkshire, the first to be born in this country for over 700 years. The Trust aims to educate the public about the grey wolf, now reduced to only a very few places in Europe, through opportunities to help in their conservation in the wild and interact with them at the centre. The Trust runs an educational programme and visit schools and local shows. To find out more contact the Shows Co-ordinator at: UK Wolf Centre, Butlers Farm, Beenham, Reading, Berks RG7 5NT. Tel: 0118 971 3330 |
Visit a local organic farm|
Modern day living means that for many the connection with the land and food production has become remote. Most of our food has now fallen into the hands of "agribusiness" whose scale and methods have caused widespread losses of once familiar landscapes and a massive decline in once-common farmland birds. However, a few farms prefer to work with nature rather than against and produce food in a more environmentally benign manner. Berkshire is fortunate in having a number of working "demonstration" farms with a strong educational programme. The farms listed below welcome visitors to see for themselves that productive farming and agriculture does not have to be detrimental to land and our native creatures. All have special open days and run an educational programme: Church Farm, Beale Park, near Pangbourne Waltham Place Organic Farm, near Maidenhead Elm Farm Research Centre, West Berkshire Rushall Manor Farm, near Reading Sheepdrove Organic Farm, West Berkshire Groundwork Thames Valley organise visits for schoolchildren through its Farmlink project. Tel: 01895 832662 Applied Rural Alternatives, affiliated to the S E Berks United Nations Association, raise awareness of farming and food issues and organise visits to organic farms for which advance booking is required. Contact: Olwen Fordham, tel 01344 421912 |
WWF|
WWF's Education Department has been developed over 17 years and now provides a wide range of teaching and learning materials for schools. The resources available help teachers to deliver the curriculum, address key skills and help young people to develop greater understanding of environmental issues. The WWF dedicated web-site for teachers brings together the latest information on environmental education with interactive features such as Internet debates and on-line resource material. More information on www.wwf-uk.org or phone Education Department on 01483 426444 for a copy of the latest Education Catalogue. |
Wyld Court|
Wyld Court Living Rainforest situated at Hampstead Norreys near Thatcham recreates the rainforest environment with the aim of helping conserve this threatened habitat worldwide. Special schools education programme, children's workshops and many other activities organised. Contact Judith Cox-Rogers, Education Officer on 01635 202444 or via e-mail: wyldcourt.rainforest@lineone.net Website: www.livingrainforest.org |
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ManagEnergy is an initiative of the European Commission
Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, which aims to
support the work of actors working on energy efficiency and
renewable energies at the local and regional level. As part
of its activities it has created the ManagEnergy
KidsCorner which
has three separate parts: a site for 7-11 year olds, a site
for 12-16 year olds and a site containing teaching
resources. You can access all three parts from: 
