From little acorns, mighty oak trees grow
Picture yourself in the heart of an 800 year old ancient woodland. Dappled sunlight dances across a carpet of bluebells. What better place to explore and learn about nature and environment.
Working side by side with the local community, a unique learning environment has been created for children and adults to enjoy.
When imagining a substation in Hampshire, would you associate it with a valuable space for school children to learn about the local environment?
Perhaps not, but the unexpected is often the most exciting.
Bramley Frith, in Hampshire, is an ancient woodland owned and managed by National Grid. The Woodland surrounds our 400kV substation, initially constructed in the late 1960s.
In early 2016, local resident and Forest School leader Linda Valenti approached the substation team leader Peter Draper to explore the possibility of using part of the ancient woodland for educational activities.
Peter explains why and how a new partnership and wider approach came about.
Initially I was hesitant however I was really keen to support National Grid’s sustainability strategy and felt that we had a great opportunity to enable regular and controlled use of this unique setting.
So we agreed our aims and ambitions, carefully considering the needs of everyone involved. Core to the success of this idea was to grow slowly, engage with community groups, spread the word and cultivate local interest.
We worked with the woodland manager to create two educational areas, linked by a network of paths and rides, we also repurposed historical features and site buildings.
The forest leader engaged with local schools, business, and others community groups to identify their needs and hence forth Frith Forest school was born.
Regular outdoor education sessions are now held at site. These cater for a range of community groups and ages, and they’ve also teamed up with ‘The Muddy Puddle Club’, another local outdoor education provider which increases the use of the site and our wider contribution.
Weekly events range from Scout group sessions to children’s birthday parties. All of them share the same ethos; learning in a beautiful outdoor environment is beneficial for young people.
Over 300 visitors from the surrounding communities have been to the site over the last year.
Pete says: “Personally I am really pleased how this initiative has matured, it is great to see children and young people enjoying this beautiful place.”
The collaborative and community driven approach we’ve taken at Bramley is an example of working differently to create value that can be shared by local people. Effectively managing our land in new sustainable ways is realising social, economic and environmental benefits both for our business and the communities we serve.
If you would like to get in touch with National Grid’s sustainability team, or have any questions about this project at Bramley, please contact us via box.ssr.sustainabil@nationalgrid.com.
