Funds for learning, exploring and celebrating

Eleven different groups and organisations have received a small grant from the North Devon Coast AONB from this year’s Sustainable Development Fund. Some of the projects focussed on young people, such as Seize the Moment’s ‘Heaven and Hell’ which received £3,880 to support young people to explore the social and cultural history of local churches. Combe Martin Museum’s grant of £3,650 was to purchase an easy to use microscope, screen and binoculars for family beach safaris focussed on geology and wildlife.

Getting different communities engaged with the AONB was superbly achieved by North Devon Moving Image with £3,240 grant for their ‘Wild Shorts’ film competition about wildlife and the environment in the AONB, and Hartland Abbey’s grant of £3,500 for new displays about farming and use of the estate for TV and film productions to inform and thrill their visitors. Two grants were for projects linked to one of our rarest species, the Greater Horseshoe Bats in and around Braunton, with £500 for Braunton Parish Council to create a bat viewing platform and £950 for Braunton Countryside Centre to create an ‘audio bat trail’.

Looking after and understanding our local environment was the focus of a £2,000 grant to Tarka Country Trust to help local communities to manage their verges for wildlife and flowers, a grant of £281 to buy beach cleaning equipment for Croyde Community beach clean group and an £890 grant to Coastwise North Devon for a digital camera and microscope to increase understanding and awareness of the micro-life around our coasts.

The grant scheme is open now to applications for projects to start from April 2017 onwards and is available to individuals, groups, organisations or businesses. “Projects should help to look after the North Devon Coast AONB’s special landscape, special features, wild plants or animals,” said SDF Panel chair Caroline Leaver. “This may be through direct activities or through learning, increasing understanding and awareness. A particular focus of the scheme for 2017 is the historic environment of the AONB and projects related to health and wellbeing using the AONB landscape.”

Full guidance and applications forms are available on the AONB website www.northdevon-aonb.org.uk/our-work/grants or contact the scheme administrator Gigha Klinkenborg on 01271 388647 or gigha.klinkenborg@devon.gov.uk

Wild Shorts Film Making Competition,Wild Shorts Secondary School Category Winners, Hartland Abbey Exhibition,Combe Martin Museum Equpment Photos Copyright North Devon AONB (All rights reserved)

------ 

Tap link for North Devon AONB

Contact Scheme administrator Gigha Klinkenborg 

on 01271 388647 or Email: gigha.klinkenborg@devon.gov.uk

👀👀👀

• The Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) supports projects that bring environmental, social and economic benefits to the North Devon Coast Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The fund aims to support projects which demonstrate new methods of achieving a more sustainable way of life in this area of great beauty and diversity. North Devon Coast AONB receives this money from Defra because the area is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

• The work of the North Devon Coast AONB staff unit is guided by the AONB Partnership, which includes representatives from: Natural England, Devon County Council, Torridge District Council, North Devon Council, Environment Agency, National Farmers Union, Tarka Country Trust, North Devon Biosphere Foundation, Country Landowners and Business Association, National Trust, Taw Torridge Estuary Forum, Forestry Commission, South West Forest, North Devon+ and North Devon Biosphere Reserve Partnership.

“WHAAM JR” - Westward Ho! & Appledore Music Showcase 24th March

Get ready for “WHAAM JR” - Westward Ho! & Appledore Music Showcase on Friday 24th March at the Pier House, Westward Ho! The event will be representing North Devon’s youth bands, singers and choirs performing in aid of the Royal National Life Institution's Appledore Lifeboat Station.

Following the enormous success of “WHAAM” Westward Ho! & Appledore Music Showcase on 28th September 2016 there was a popular demand to showcase the talents of North Devon’s Youth Bands, Singers and Choirs featuring a broad spectrum of music from rock ’n roll bands to folksy bands and individual singers, from youth theatre groups, senior schools and colleges, pantomimes and interspersed with a few seniors so that young people may gain knowledge and experience from them.

This event is a great opportunity for young people to showcase their musical talents in front of a live audience, to gain experience, enhance their confidence in performing and confirm that “North Devon’s Got Talent!”  There will also be a Grand Raffle in aid of the RNLI.

Doors open at 6.00pm and the entertainment will run continuously from 7.00pm to 11.45pm with a short break at 9.00pm for the Grand Raffle.

SPECIAL FEATURES 6.15pm – 7.00pm
YOUTH SESSION 7.00pm – 10.00pm
SENIOR SESSION 10.00pm – 11.45pm

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Contact:  John Barton Tel: 01237 476 068 - Email: noahsark@uku.co.uk - Facebook

“WHAAM JR” - Westward Ho! & Appledore Music Showcase 
Friday 24th March 2017 from 6.00 to 12.00pm
at the Pier House, Westward Ho!

Representing North Devon’s youth bands, singers and choirs performing in aid of the Royal National Life Institution's Appledore Lifeboat Station.

Charity hopes to open 'Nature School'

A local conservation charity has announced that it hopes to open Devon's first 'Nature School'.

Devon Wildlife Trust wants to open the Nature School as a combined nursery and primary school aimed at children aged 3 to 11 years using the free school model widely adopted elsewhere. The Nature School would be a 'mainstream' school, open to all, following the National Curriculum, but one which the charity says would put outdoor learning and the natural environment at the heart of a high quality education for local children.

Okehampton has been put forward as the proposed location for the school. The town has been identified by Devon County Council as an area where there is an urgent need for more primary school places to be provided. If the Trust's proposals are successful the Nature School would occupy new premises to be built on the north-east outskirts of the town close to Crediton Road.

Devon Wildlife Trust is now talking to local authorities, people and schools in the West Devon market town to gauge their support for the proposal. The Trust's Chief Executive Harry Barton said:

"We are seeking support from members of the community across Okehampton, in particular from parents whose children would be eligible to attend primary school in 2018 or 2019 and who live in the Okehampton area or nearby."

As part of this conversation the charity is holding a Nature School consultation day. Staff from Devon Wildlife Trust will be on hand at the Ockment Centre<http://www.ockmentcentre.org/>, North Street, Okehampton between 2pm and 7pm on Friday 24th February to discuss the proposals and answer questions. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Devon Wildlife Trust has established a long track record of working with young people since its foundation in 1962. Now the charity is keen to extend this work deepening the positive link between young people the natural world. Harry Barton explained:

"Each year Devon Wildlife Trust supports many thousands of school children to learn through nature. Our plan to open a Nature School is rooted in our experience that children thrive, are happier and their attainment improves when their learning is linked closely to the natural world around them. The positive feedback we receive from the teachers, students and parents we work with is supported by an impressive body of independent research. Ofsted has also reported that learning outside the classroom contributes significantly to raising standards and improving pupils' personal, social and emotional development."

Harry Barton added:

"We hope that Okehampton will become the first community in Devon to benefit from a Nature School. The town has a fascinating history and is surrounded by wonderful countryside, with rivers, parklands and woodlands, and all within a stone's throw of Dartmoor National Park.  I can't think of a better place for a Nature School, and I really look forward to working with teachers and the local community to make it a success."

"Our intention is not to compete with other schools. At Okehampton there is a need for more primary school places which we can help address. We want to work alongside existing local schools and become part of a thriving school community delivering high quality education."

Devon Wildlife Trust's plan for a Nature School is one of four being proposed by Wildlife Trust's in England. The others include schools at Chippenham in Wiltshire, Nuneaton in Warwickshire and Smethwick in Birmingham.

The Okehampton Nature School is still at the planning stage and success will be subject to an application to the Department of Education (DofE). This application is planned for spring 2017 with a scheduled school opening estimated as early as 2018.

However, plans for the Nature School will only proceed if Devon Wildlife Trust can demonstrate strong local support. So, as part of its application process, the charity is now asking the public for its backing.

People who wish to register their support for plans to establish Devon's first Nature School can do so at a dedicated website www.natureschools.org.uk/devon.html

People with questions about Devon Wildlife Trust's Nature School plans are being urged to email contactus@devonwildlifetrust.org & ;mailto:contactus@devonwildlifetrust.org using the message title 'Nature Schools'

Children working with Devon Wildlife Trust in an outdoor learning environment. Photo copyright Charlie Tyjas (All Rights Reserved)