Kathryn Kavanagh
WildChild Officer
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust
Lead Organisations
Project Summary
The WildChild Project will work with families and children across the Transforming the Trent Valley Landscape Partnership Scheme area through informal education activities that encourage them to understand, visit and want to take care of the heritage of the Trent Valley Washlands. This will be achieved through a range of activities including Wildlings and Nature Tots (aimed at pre-school children), Wildplay and Forest Schools as well as working with schools to refer them on to the Big Washlands Watch project. The project aims to influence future generations by engaging with families we have the opportunity, not only to influence the next generation, but also to increase the use of natural open spaces for recreation, learn about and value the heritage on their doorstep.
As well as delivering activities we will also offer taster and training days for parents to provide support and ideas for family days out throughout the project area.
A project officer will be appointed to co-ordinate and run the activities, with occasional sessional support where required.
Legacy
Families engaged will have a greater knowledge of accessible sites and strategies for engaging with nature. They will have learned about appropriate use of wildlife & heritage sites and their use will continue past the life of this funded project.
Some elements of this project will be able to continue past its initial funded term, Wildlings, Wildfamilies and Nature Tots all run in other parts of the county on a charged-for sustainable basis. Often we find that when something has been offered for free for many years, introducing a charge is almost a death blow. This project will be offering greatly subsidised fees for sessions, with attendees clear that they are being subsidised by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The school engagement will also be able to continue on a paid for basis, as we do elsewhere in the county. The level of delivery will no doubt reduce as the need to cover staff time may divert the focus away from this area, unless we find a new source of funding to continue subsidising the role.
Wild Child Blog Posts
Lets make a butterfly feeder by Kathryn
02 June 2020
by Kathryn Kavanagh
Transforming the Trent Valley's WildChild Officer show us a great craft idea for all the family to enjoy making. Why not have a go yourself at making a butterfly feeder.
Share your creations on social media using #thetrentvalley.
Lets make a mini den by Kathryn
02 June 2020
by Kathryn Kavanagh
Transforming the Trent Valley's WildChild Officer show us a great craft idea for all the family to enjoy making. Why not have a go yourself at making a mini den.
Share your creations on social media using #thetrentvalley.
Lets make a dreacatcher by Kathryn
02 June 2020
by Kathryn Kavanagh
Transforming the Trent Valley's WildChild Officer show us a great craft idea for all the family to enjoy making. Why not have a go yourself at making a dreamcatcher.
Share your creations on social media using #thetrentvalley.
Lets make a spiders web by Kathryn
21 May 2020
by Kathryn Kavanagh
Transforming the Trent Valley's WildChild Officer show us a great garden craft idea for all the family to enjoy making. Why not have a go yourself at making a really wild spiders web?How difficult can it be?
Share your creations on social media using #thetrentvalley.
Nature prints and textures using leaves by Kathryn
20 May 2020
by Kathryn Kavanagh
Following this weeks Lockdown BioBlitz using the theme of texture, shape and form, Transforming the Trent Valley's WildChild Officer Kathryn shows us hot to take imprints of the textures and shape of leaves found in our gardens or during a walk in the countryside. Have a go yourself or you could try making leaf prints or sticking different leaves onto a sheet of paper to make a leaf collage?
Share your creations on social media using #thetrentvalley.
Let’s make a hanging flower feeder!
20 April 2020
by Kathryn Kavanagh (WildChild Officer)
After spotting a few butterflies flying through the garden, I thought it would be nice to make a butterfly feeder. So here is my version of the classic butterfly feeder.
Egg Box Challenge!
20 April 2020
by Kathryn Kavanagh (WildChild Officer)
Like many people at the moment I've been baking cakes and now have an empty egg box!
There are many great ideas that you can use an egg box for including…
Share a Nature Moment!
20 April 2020
by Kathryn Kavanagh (WildChild Officer)
On one evening in particular as the sun was setting I was surprised to see a small shadow flying above.
It moved very quickly, soaring through the sky...
Clay Creations!
20 April 2020
by Kathryn Kavanagh (WildChild Officer)
I found some clay and decided to mould some creatures, and use natural materials to add features. My go-to clay creation is usually the hedgehog because I can make the spines from sticks but I wanted to do something more challenging and since it is Spring...
Spot ‘n’ Sketch Challenge!
20 April 2020
by Kathryn Kavanagh (WildChild Officer)
I decided to look out my window and whichever bird I spotted first I would draw.
I sat and looked out my window for 10 minutes before I spotted a lovely House Sparrow and here is the result…
Let’s make a Stick Roman!
20 April 2020
by Kathryn Kavanagh (WildChild Officer)
For this post I am inspired by my colleague Rod’s recent blog about the Romans. The Romans have made their mark on the Trent Valley Landscape leaving behind remnants of their roads.
Let’s spin a spiders web!
20 April 2020
by Kathryn Kavanagh (WildChild Officer)
For this post I am taking inspiration from a spider and spinning a web. It’s something straight forward and very relaxing to make. When you weave the circles around the web you get into a calming groove (if you’re also able to sit outside and listen to nature in your garden added bonus!).
Let’s plant some seeds!
20 April 2020
by Kathryn Kavanagh (WildChild Officer)
Its Springtime! You can feel it in the air and there are signs everywhere, from yellow flowers sprouting up to blossoms falling from trees. So, I am not surprised that the first nature-themed activity I could think of was planting seeds.
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