A Sunshine Grant from Burnham & Weston Energy has enabled 20 home-educated children in Weston-super-Mare to take part in a series of hands-on outdoor learning sessions with Play Wild CiC, a community group specialising in outdoor education.
The £1,683 grant funded two five-week courses, starting in the summer. Demand for the sessions proved to be strong, with the first course booking up within an hour. Small group sizes ensured that children, including those with additional needs or anxieties around new environments, could take part comfortably and build confidence week by week.
Sessions introduced children to safe fire lighting, woodcraft, biodiversity and ecology, while giving plenty of time for exploration and child-led play. Each child received a high-quality fire strike and materials to make their own tinder pouch. The first course also included a visit to the local solar farm, which families described as both enjoyable and informative.
Each weekly session blended environmental education with practical skills. Children learned:
- Safe and effective fire lighting
- Different fire types and uses
- How to extinguish fires responsibly
- Woodcraft and tool use, including whittling
- Biodiversity, habitats, and ecology
- Bug hunting and applied natural sciences
Feedback from parents and children alike was very positive, with all respondents saying their children loved attending. Several noted the nurturing approach of staff and the value of learning together outdoors. Most families said they would not have been able to afford the full cost of places without the grant, highlighting the importance of funded sessions in ensuring access.
Play Wild CiC said the courses were a success and that the support from the Sunshine Fund enabled children to experience high-quality outdoor education they otherwise would have missed. The organisation hopes to offer similar opportunities again if funding becomes available.
There was lots of positive feedback on offer, one attendee said: “It’s been great to be part of a group where adults are encouraged to join in too; learning together in nature has been such a joy.”
One of the parents in attendance said: “The mix of structured activities and freedom to explore was perfect for our home-educating”
If you you know of a community project in the local area looking for funding, head to our Sunshine Grant page to learn more about of funding criteria.