Connecting people and communities to nature
Children and young people
Children today spend half as much time playing outside as their parents did. This difference is even starker for children living in low-income areas. We want to change that, by supporting children and young people to connect with and cherish nature both on their doorstep and in the Peak District.
We work with the Peak District National Park Authority, schools and community groups to fundraise for targeted schools programmes, travel grants for schools, youth volunteering, apprenticeships and traineeships. Through this, we are inspiring more young people to take an active role in championing and protecting wild places, whether in the Peak District or their own community.
Our flagship nature education programme, Ambassador Schools, works with schools in low-income areas surrounding the Park to give teachers and pupils the resources, confidence and support needed to access the countryside and nature as part of their primary school education. Since its launch in 2022, 16 schools have taken part in the programme, reaching over 5000 pupils. We are now working with the Authority to fundraise for the programme’s expansion.
Under-represented communities
Nature can make a huge difference to our mental and physical health. Having a connection to nature is proven to have a beneficial impact on both people and on the natural world itself, by growing respect for and care of wild places.
Yet access to nature is not enjoyed equally by all; people from Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) populations and those living in the most deprived areas are less likely to spend time in nature than the total population. At the same time, for those living in deprived areas, physical and mental health is getting worse and health inequalities are increasing. The cities that surround the Park include some of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the country. Manchester is one of the 20% most deprived districts in England, while half of Stoke on Trent’s neighbourhoods are in the 20% most deprived areas.
We are working with the Peak District National Park Authority and partners to understand and help to overcome some of the barriers that people may face in accessing the countryside. We fundraise for targeted programmes with under-represented communities, and green social prescribing in partnership with health providers. We provide grants for community groups and schools in low-income areas to visit and benefit from the Park, along with bespoke volunteer opportunities to increase engagement in conservation.
1. ‘Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment’ survey, Natural England, 2018
2. Health Equity in England: The Marmot Review 10 years on’, Institute of Health Equity, 2020