Save Outdoor Education

OUTDOOR CENTRES IN THE UK ARE CLOSING EACH WEEK

Over 5 million children visit outdoor centres like Ufton for formative educational experiences every year. At the moment much of our work across the country has paused due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Covid has changed the landscape for all children but disadvantaged children have been especially harmed because many children do not have access to IT for online learning or outdoor spaces for exercise and play.

This is what Britain’s unique outdoor centres in beautiful settings offer our nation’s children:

A chance to:

1. To bring the outdoors inside themselves, to enhance mental and physical wellbeing
2. To accept personal challenges, broaden horizons and push boundaries
3. To build friendship skills and form better relationships

Sadly centres are closing and may never re-open

In order for the sector to survive the pandemic we need the Government to step in and provide a support package for outdoor education centres, as they have in Scotland and Ireland.

Please support the #SaveOutdoorEd campaign

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Government are quite rightly placing restrictions on everyone to stop the spread of the virus. These restrictions mean that many centres will close forever. Please ask the government to offer financial assistance to help this sector to survive the pandemic.

• Sign the petition – https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/552754   

• Write to your local MP  find your local MP’s details here

• Share this blog post on social media, via email or WhatsApp to your friends and family asking them to take action. On social media use the hashtag #SaveOutdoorEd and tag @UftonCourt so we can share/retweet your posts.

• Set up a fundraiser or make a donation to your local outdoor education centre

THE IMPACT OF UFTON

Ufton is a specialist outdoor activity centre which provides residential and day opportunities for children of all abilities including profoundly disabled and disadvantaged young people.

Learning in nature is memorable. We reflect on achievements and progress to ensure children understand trying it, getting it and finally got it!

Ufton is a special, peaceful, spiritual place, a chance to take a deep breath and reflect on life away from the city scape and noise. Children come to find out so much about themselves.

We teach children to enjoy and respect nature, we leave no trace and we all feel wonder and awe as we see fresh footprints and glimpse deer and red kites

We work with all children to raise aspiration and attainment and unlock ambition.

We don’t know how long it will take for the world to get back to normal, but we do know that the impact on children will be long lasting. Ufton will be at the forefront of the period of renewal and action to improve the lives of all the children we work with.

We have taken our team into schools and are still working with children from special schools onsite. The Adventure continues……!

Ufton enriching lives