Schoolgirl nature detective gets exclusive lesson from TV gardener Chris Beardshaw
Young environmentalist Caitlin Brown was treated to an exclusive nature lesson from campaigner and TV celebrity Chris Beardshaw, when they met at stunning Woodland Trust site Lineover Wood, near Cheltenham.
The 10-year-old Gloucestershire schoolgirl is a member of the Trust’s National Lottery-backed initiative Nature Detectives. It enables thousands of like-minded youngsters to learn about and observe the natural world around them and record their findings in a national database. Thanks to the scheme, schoolchildren like Caitlin can learn about everything from the changing seasons, plant and animal species, climate change and its impact on our environment.
Caitlin says: I love working and learning about the environment and I’m really glad that I have the opportunity to be a Nature Detective. It has taught me how to care for our environment and it is really fun and interesting.”
TV celebrity Chris Beardshaw is a key Woodland Trust supporter. He paid tribute to the Nature Detectives initiative and says it is a perfect example of how youngsters could take an active role in protecting and learning about their environment.
He adds: “From a very early age I knew that I wanted to spend my life working with plants so I think it’s fantastic that children and young people have the opportunity to further their environmental awareness. The National Lottery has funded many projects that are enhancing the lives of children and a project like Nature Detectives is a perfect example of how it is improving their lives and allowing them to take an active role in protecting the environment.”
Youngsters can find out more about becoming a Nature Detective, simply by logging on and registering their details at www.naturedetectives.org.uk
Notes to editors:
For media enquiries contact:
The Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121,
email: media@woodland-trust.org.uk
The Woodland Trust:The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s understanding and enjoyment of woodland. Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free. Further news can be found via this website.
The National Lottery:
For more information please contact Niall Cowley on 020 7299 8762 / 07906 203 113 or by e-mail to niall.cowley@geronimocommunications.com
This year The National Lottery is celebrating over £9 billion of National Lottery money invested in projects and initiatives that are benefiting children and young people in the United Kingdom. This represents more than half of the total investment the Lottery has made in good causes. These figures are comprised of funding awarded by the Lottery distributing bodies. They include both projects specifically for children and young people, as well as those with elements which are of benefit to them.
The National Lottery awards funds across arts, heritage, sport, environment, health, education, communities and charities. The National Lottery has funded over 200,000 projects in the UK - the largest programme of civic regeneration since the 19th century.
For every pound spent on The National Lottery, 28p goes to good causes. For more information please visit The National Lottery Good Causes website: www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk The Heritage Lottery Fund enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn more about our diverse heritage. From our great museums and historic buildings to local parks and beauty spots or recording and celebrating traditions, customs and history, HLF grants open up our nation’s heritage for everyone to enjoy. They have supported more than 15,000 projects, allocating £3.3billion across the UK. Website: www.hlf.org.uk. For the Heritage Lottery Fund Press Office, please contact Sam Goody, HLF Press Office, on tel: 020 7591 6033 mobile: 07973 613820.
