Connecting families with nature

Connecting Naturally is an exciting and innovative project that will, over 3 years connect more than 24,000 children and families in Oxfordshire with nature and green spaces.

Funded by Natural England (through its Access to Nature programme, part of the Big Lottery Fund's Changing Spaces programme),  the Patsy Wood Trust and the Earth Trust, we are working with children, families and communities living around and accessing 10 Children’s Centres in Oxford, Berinsfield and Banbury.  The idea for the programme was inspired by Oxfordshire County Council’s Without Walls pilot, working with children’s centres to develop their outdoor areas and family learning.  

Engaging local communities

We will be working with families to engage and excite them about nature and the outdoors, while looking at what currently prevents them from being out and enjoying the natural world. Children’s Centres work primarily with families with children under five, we will therefore be focusing our work on this age range, to engage directly with over 4000 children and carers. Through establishing local community connections with nature, we will reach a wider audience (including siblings and extended family) of over 24,000 people over the 3 years.

Interesting fun activities and events will engage and excite children and families about nature and being outside. Families will determine their own learning with things to do and reasons to go out, explore and discover.

First six months

We have been very busy already and with help and discussion, with the children, families and staff at the Children’s Centres, wildlife gardens are being created in each of the 10 Centres. These will become havens for wildlife, close to where people live as well as learning and playing environments.

Next Steps

The next phase of the project is all about getting out into the outdoors to explore and have fun. A seasonal calendar of outdoor events and activities, will introduce, grow and develop long lasting connections with nature. Families will have the opportunity to work with artists to create environmental art and drama, specialist outdoor learning teachers to learn about campfire cooking and eating, and local wildlife groups amongst many others, to provide inspirational activities. Over the next 3 years, events and activities will start off small and very local, in the Centre wildlife gardens for example, then move further afield to local green spaces such as parks  and nature reserves, including Earth Trust sites such as Little Wittenham Wood and awe inspiring landscapes further away.

Funding

The ‘Connecting Naturally’ project is funded by Natural England, through its Access to Nature programme, part of the Big Lottery Fund's Changing Spaces programme, and the Patsy Wood Trust. The project is run in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council, building on the successful and innovative Without Walls programme which was developed by Oxfordshire County Council working with the School Grounds Charity: Learning through Landscapes .  Links with other local partners include the Oxford City Asian Families Project and nationally with the Black Environment Network (BEN).