Saturday, 15 September 2018

New film shows off city's 'wild' children

A new film is being launched this week which features the success of a local charity in its efforts to get Exeter’s school children out of the classroom and into a very different, wilder place to learn.
‘Wildlife Champions’ is a short film, but in its five minutes it packs a lot in. It features children, teachers, parents and classroom assistants from the city who have all been helped by Devon Wildlife Trust to take their learning beyond the confines of the classroom and into the great outdoors.
The film explores the work the charity has done since 2016 with over 5,000 children in 26 of the city’s schools. It follows Devon Wildlife Trust’s Emily Bacon and Paul Martin as they inspire a generation of Exeter pupils through school assemblies, wildlife gardening sessions, outdoor craft activities, lessons in wildlife exploration and  all round fun. The project has been generously supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.   
The film shows the positive difference being made to local wildlife. However its main focus is the transforming influence wildlife and ‘wildness’ has had on the children and adults involved in the project. This story is told through a series of uplifting interviews with the people who have taken part.
Devon Wildlife Trust’s Paul Martin, said:
“Classrooms are great, but all children come alive outdoors. The Wildlife Champions project is about showing children and teachers that there is another way to learn. We have loved introducing this wilder, outdoor element into tbhe lives of the schoomls we’ve worked with and I hope this comes across in the film.”
Sharran Singh, classroom assistant at Stoke Hill Infant School, Exeter, said: 
“I work with children who don’t have English as their first language and that have never had much outdoor learning. [through the Wildlife Champions project] They’ve come out of themselves. That’s the part I love the most. Devon Wildlife Trust have just brought a whole world alive for them, it’s just been amazing.”
Gary Speiss, Deputy Science Lead at Isca Academy, Exeter said:
“I found a woodland area at the back of the school. It was overgrown and unused. As a science teacher I wanted to use it as a resource for our students. I needed help so I contacted Devon Wildlife Trust and they encouraged me to join Wildlife Champions. I recruited a team of students and over the course of a year we opened up a woodland area, established a nature trail, we also established wildlife habitats. As the time has gone on the students have become increasingly independent, they are starting to make their own decisions and making progress, clearing paths, picking up litter. Week on week we’re making progress.”
Sarah Mackay, Headteacher at Stoke Hill Infants School, said:
“They [Devon Wildlife Trust] have been amazing, absolutely inspirational. They’ve come in to support the curriculum and what started as a small partnership has really grown and grown. I’ve noticed a huge difference in children’s attitudes, behaviour and learning, and the children’s sheer enjoyment at coming to school. We were described as a bit ‘outdoorsy’ once and I thought that was one of the biggbest compliments we’ve had about our school!”  
Earlier this year it was announced that Wildlife Champions has received a further two years of support from Players of the People’s Postcode Lottery. This good news means that the project will continue to inspire, bringing wildlife and wild places into the lives of hundreds of Exeter’s school children until 2020.
To watch the Wildlife Champions film go to www.devonwildlifetrust.org/what-we-do/our-projects/exeter-schools-project or search on YouTube under Wildlife Champions Exeter
http://www.devonwildlifetrust.org/what-we-do/our-projects/exeter-schools-project


Thursday, 6 September 2018

Changing the ring TONE of the iconic RED telephone box

Ringing the changes for the iconic RED telephone box aka Kiosk No 2 and K6 are as British as cream teas and the royal family. Now in decline due to mobile phones they are being converted to house defibrillators and to charge those mobile phones which is great but do you think changing the ring TONE is a step too far! 

Shot of the recently painted box at Horns Cross between #bideford and #clovelly on the A39. If you know if this one contains a defibrillator or mobile phone charger leave a comment.

Photo copyright Pat Adams.North Devon Focus (All Rights Reserved)
Photo copyright Pat Adams.North Devon Focus (All Rights Reserved)

Tuesday, 21 August 2018

Clovelly Lectures: "Responding to Russia" Speaker Rt Hon Sir Michael Cathel Fallon KCB MP

The former Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon MP has been Member of Parliament for Sevenoaks since 1997 and for Darlington from 1983 to 1992.  In his business career, he was director of a number of companies controlled by Dragons' Den star, Duncan Bannatyne, and is currently Chairman of London property developer Avanton Ltd.

Sir Michael has served in the governments of four Prime Ministers. He was Schools Minister under Margaret Thatcher and John Major, and was Industry Minister at the Department for Business under David Cameron before becoming Minister for Energy in 2013.

In 2014, he was promoted to the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Defence; he was reappointed to this post in May after the 2015 General Election, and again by Theresa May in July 2016 and after the June 2017 General Election. In this role, Sir Michael had overall responsibility for our armed forces, the defence of the UK, and relations with allies around the world.

He was a member of the National Security Council from 2014 until his resignation in November 2017. Sir Michael continues to take a strong interest in all his areas of former responsibility and now makes regular contributions to Government policy from the backbenches in Parliament.
Clovelly Lectures: "Responding to Russia"  Speaker  Rt Hon Sir Michael Cathel Fallon KCB MP

CLOVELLY LECTURES 

MICHAEL BURTON KCVO, CMG 

 DIRECTOR : THE HONOURABLE MRS ROUS

RECEPTION-LECTURE-DEBATE-DINNER
Saturday September 29th 2018

"Responding to Russia"

Speaker

Rt Hon Sir Michael Cathel Fallon KCB MP

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For tickets and further information please contact:
or
Tel: 01237 431200