Outdoor skills boost for community champions in Preston
Community leaders, volunteers, and professionals from a broad range of backgrounds have been given the chance to learn new skills to help the groups they are involved with enjoy the benefits of getting outdoors.
The 13 participants from Blackburn, Preston and Lancaster communities joined in a three-day Community Leaders Training Course held in and around Preston to help them explore opportunities available for people to get outdoors and connect with nature.
The delegates - many of whom work directly in the community sector, including those focused on children and young people - represented various organisations committed to making a difference in their local community.
Hosted at The Hub on Grange Park, Ribbleton, and Beacon Fell Country Park, the course was part of part of the three-year Connecting People and Nature project. This is being delivered by UK educational charity the Ernest Cook Trust and the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Its focus is on promoting nature, wellbeing, and outdoor learning.
Alison Cross, Outdoor Learning Leader with the Ernest Cook Trust, commented: “We had a lovely diverse group of participants who each brought a wealth of knowledge and experience. The course built on these strengths of community engagement and empowered participants to think about taking their groups outdoors into parks and nature reserves in the future.”
The aim of the training was to help people develop the skills and confidence necessary to lead and engage people in their communities. Participants also learned how to take their sessions outdoors, plan and organise simple and engaging outdoor activities, and increased their understanding of opportunities available to get people outside and into nature.
Abbie Hampshire, Community Engagement Officer with Forest of Bowland National Landscape, said “It was great to see some of the leaders in local communities coming together, and sharing a passion for nature, and wanting to bring their communities closer to nature.”
Martin Sadler, director of Move2Change and facilitator of the course, added: “The Community Leaders course is a great way for people to develop their skills and confidence in working with groups outdoors. The group were really enthusiastic and got stuck in to all the tasks. It was a privilege to be working with them all.”