A special presentation is taking place in the Education Centre at Rushcliffe Country Park this morning after our local Wildlife Watch Group scooped a national award! Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust‘s Ruddington activities for 8 to 13 year-olds topped entries from across the country to win them the title of “Wildlife Watch Group of the Year”.
The judging panel praised their year of fun learning for local children whilst also helping wildlife – documenting dozens of their activities from building a minibeast hotel (above) and a fungi hunt, through to picking litter and making treats for birds in the park. Volunteer leader Sarah Jamieson from the group coordinated and submitted a yearbook summing up their learning out and about in the park and a ‘Mr. Hedgehog’s diary’ inspired by the group’s mascot, that wowed the judges.
The panel highlighted how the group is led by the activities the children want to complete including lots of time spent outdoors meaning a fun, creative and enthusiastic learning environment. They were also impressed the hedgehog diary of wild adventures carried on outside of the time the group meets. (Children take it in turns to take Mr Hedgehog on adventures, completing his diary over the course of the year.)
Leader Geoff East said: “The success of the group is not just down to us, but to all who have supported us on a regular basis. We love arranging the sessions for the children and it’s great to see how much fun they have. A Wildlife Watch group of the year accolade is the icing on the cake to a great year of learning that has also helped some of our local habitats.”
The awards also recognise the hard work of volunteers who dedicate their time to teach younger generations all about helping the environment. Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Cabinet Member Cllr Roger Upton – who represents the authority on the Rushcliffe Nature Conservation Strategy Implementation Group – said: “All credit to the volunteers on this wonderful group, I am really impressed by what they have achieved not just now with this award but all of their hard work of recent years. This is a shining example of an interactive learning environment in the borough that means children have fun and gain a better understanding of wildlife.”
It is Ian Johnston, Chair of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, who will present the group with its award just before today’s session, which has the theme ‘Spring has at last Sprung’, and starts at 11am.
To find out more about the group you can visit http://www.wildlifewatch.org.uk/watchgroups/rushcliffe-country-park. Also keep checking our RUDDINGTON.info Events Diary for details of its monthly activities.
{Top group photo courtesy of Rushcliffe Parish Council.}
