HCF grant to boost local children’s confidence and learning opportunities

A class of Stevenage based primary school children will be given an opportunity to spend a night in ancient Britain thanks to a £4,875 grant.

The children, from Bedwell School, will attend a Prehistory Explorer Residential Trip at Celtic Harmony Camp, an award winning hands-on cultural heritage education venue.

This is a special pilot project, driven by Celtic Harmony aiming to help children who may not have had the opportunity to attend a residential camp before. The trip will allow the children to gain a greater appreciation for the outdoors and life in ancient Britain, whilst developing skills and confidence.

Clare Holt, Chief Executive of Celtic Harmony said: “Our visitors experience first-hand how the people of the Celtic Iron Age, who lived over 2000 years ago, made food, clothes and shelter from the natural environment, whilst protecting natural habitats by harvesting in the traditional way. Over the years we have witnessed how a night away enables children to take the first steps towards independence, from organising their belongings including finding their own torch or pyjamas to tying their shoe laces. We want to help more children to experience this and thanks to a grant from Hertfordshire Community Foundation we can run this pilot project.”

Helen Gray, Foundation Director for Hertfordshire Community Foundation says: “Residential trips provide wonderful experiences and opportunities that can’t be replicated in a classroom. This grant will directly help children from disadvantaged backgrounds develop life skills and this is why we are so pleased to support this pilot project.”

The residential stay will take place in Summer 2019 and the impact of the experience on the children will be measured in partnership with Richard Hazenberg and his team at the Institute for Social Innovation and Impact at Northampton University.