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7 April 2022

New forest school provides outside learning for children

With the Summer fast approaching our colleague volunteers joined together to help build a forest school area at St James Primary School in Okehampton this week as part of a drive to encourage outdoor learning and play
LiveWest volunteers at St James's Schools new forest school area

Geraldine Carter, Associate Principal of St James Primary School said: “Having this outdoor learning area will be a fantastic resource for the children where they can grow vegetables, learn about nature in the forest school, play in the mud kitchen and listen to stories in the outdoor seating area. We are so grateful to LiveWest and their team of volunteers for creating these features and more besides.”

St James Primary School in Okehampton is part of the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust and has fundraised for the new forest school area. 

Melissa Trudgill, Community Engagement Manager for Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust said: “The children of St James Primary School will be amazed by the transformation of this previously, unused area into an outside creative learning space, where they can enjoy the outdoors and learn from nature. This is a collaborative project where the Trust worked with the School’s PTFA, DMAT estates team and volunteers from LiveWest and after a lot of planning created a new, much needed space on one day! Thank you, LiveWest.”

Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust’s AWE (Awe, Wonder & Engagement) Projects rejuvenate school facilities, with the help of willing teams of staff, governors, older students and the wider community. It was initially designed as a continuation of the strong community spirit which had been evidenced during lockdown and has seen numerous local businesses pledge their support. 

Vickie Norris from the PTFA helped create the plan for the space and helped to coordinate materials and apply for donations. She said: “We had an ambitious plan for transforming the area into a useful and exciting space for the children, but LiveWest volunteers took on the challenge and very successfully achieved all we planned. We couldn't have done it without their hard work, and the donations we received from them, Okehampton Rotary and Eden Tree Care. I can't wait for the children to start using the space!”

12 volunteers from  LiveWest helped to install a seating area with firepit, mud kitchen, archway and wildflower bed in a dedicated outdoor learning area at the school as well as LiveWest’s supplier Jewsons donating £300 funding as a social value contribution for equipment for the new site.

Alison Knight, Community Connector at LiveWest said: “Our customers’ wellbeing is important to us. We were delighted  to support the installation of the forest school area for children to spend time outdoors providing space for recreation and education opportunities.”

“During the past months of lockdown, many people have taken to engaging with nature but for those without access to green spaces, communal garden areas and shared green spaces have been a blessing. The green areas in our communities are really important to residents, allowing them to socialise outside and enjoy the fresh air.”

The Trust’s community team of Derrick Brett, Executive Director of Civic Leadership and Melissa Trudgill, Community Engagement Manager facilitated the project bringing partners together from the community, the school and the PTFA. Vicki Norris, member of St James PTFA worked tirelessly with her PTFA team to raise funds, plan the space and negotiate materials to make the event a success. 

LiveWest are the biggest social housing provider in the south west and have substantial housing in Okehampton within the catchment area of this school. LiveWest plans to build around 6,500 new homes over the next five years and will invest £2billion into the region over the next 10 years.

The protection and improvement of green spaces across its geography is part of its drive to build thriving communities. 

Managing over 38, 000 homes across the region LiveWest is one of the first housing associations in the country to have launched an environmental blueprint with measurable targets.  

Central to its energy efficiency drive, LiveWest is targeting that all of its existing homes reach an Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) rating of band C and above by 2028 – two years ahead of the proposed government target of 2030.

The increased EPC rating will reduce carbon emissions and support the government’s ambition for the nation to become carbon neutral by 2050.  This runs alongside LiveWest’s core ambition to provide homes, support its customers and address fuel poverty.