Children to help Wiltshire Wildlife Trust improve river habitats
The charity's got funding for a national initiative
Wiltshire's Wildlife Trust is to get the next generation on board to help protect the county's river habitats - including the Nadder, Avon and Wylye around Salisbury.
They've got £20,000 of funding a year for the next three years, towards a Blue Influencers Scheme.
That'll pay for a mentor to be employed, who'll recruit young people aged 10 to 14 to be part of local projects.
The Blue Influencers Scheme was set up by UK outdoor education charity The Ernest Cook Trust, with the ambition to support young people from underserved communities and those living in deprived coastal, estuary and riverside locations, by empowering them to tackle environmental and climate issues.
The aim is to engage more than 4,000 young people across England as ‘Blue Influencers’, as well as over 15,000 other community members.
Ed Ikin is Chief Executive of The Ernest Cook Trust:
“Young people are often the most passionate about the environment and are very aware of the issues we face with climate change. The Blue Influencers Scheme will give them the funding, platform and tools they need to make positive changes to benefit their entire community.
“We were pleased to select Wiltshire Wildlife Trust to join the Blue Influencers Scheme and are excited to see just what the young people come up with.”
Joanna Lewis, CEO of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, said:
“We are delighted to have received funding via the Blue Influencers Scheme to help young people in the Trowbridge, Salisbury and Swindon areas to create deep, lasting and meaningful connections with the natural environment and their communities via their local blue spaces.
“Through our Blue Mentor, they will learn and build skills which will help contribute to the local community and build a sense of pride by taking care of the natural world that surrounds them. Our expert Water Team will also be on hand to offer their in-depth knowledge and advice as well as delivering projects that young Blue Influencers can take part in, to help develop their passion and knowledge of river and wetland habitat conservation.”