Ambassadors in the Making

Local young people are being given the opportunity to get out and explore local areas and understand the natural world that surrounds them as part of a £50K Heritage Lottery supported Heritage Ambassadors project led by the Field Studies Council at Nettlecombe Court near Williton. The year long project is funded by the Heritage Lottery, the Field Studies Council, Exmoor National Park, The Somerset Wildlife Trust and Quantock Hills AONB.

Already over one hundred young people have been involved including groups form the ReCreation Centre on the Hamp estate in Bridgwater and the YMCA in Taunton and the YMCA in Bridgwater.

The aim of the project is to encourage young people (13-20) who do not normally have the opportunity to engage with and explore the rich natural heritage on their doorstep. These experiences will help them to become ‘heritage ambassadors’ for their local community. It will offer opportunities to show the importance of our heritage by understanding how and why landscapes are protected. Then, by engaging with local environmental enhancement projects and working with environmental education teams from the partner organisations, the young people will link their own urban environments with the wider natural heritage.

Project officer Simon Hewitt-Avison says ‘The young people from ReCreation are thriving on every opportunity that is presented to them and have really enjoyed the sessions on pond dipping, green woodworking, walking and fossil hunting. The high point in the autumn was an overnight camp on Exmoor which happened to coincide with 12 hours of continuous rain! Despite the soggy conditions it was a success and something the group will always remember.’

As part of their work within their community the young people have also helped organise a nature week for their Centre that included a woodcraft day, small animal day, Exmoor pony and bird of prey displays and culminated in a visit for 40 young people to a rare breads farm on Exmoor. The group have also designed and commissioned a chainsaw sculpture of a phoenix which has taken pride of place at their Centre.

Simon continued ‘So far the project has been a great success and the comments received from parents, youth/community workers and teachers are all positive. The work and time being invested in these young people is having a positive effect on their behaviour not just whilst on activities but at home and at school as well. It is also giving the community a chance to see these ‘disaffected young people’ in a different light and to see them contributing and benefiting their local area. I look forward to working with our partners and developing the project with new groups.