An education charity that provides outdoor learning experiences for disadvantaged children has been awarded £5,000 from the Country Land and Business Association Charitable Trust.
The trust is funded almost entirely by subscriptions and donations from members of the CLA, an organisation representing thousands of farmers, landowners and rural businesses.
It provides grants to charities and community organisations who share its vision to help connect young people who are disabled or disadvantaged with the countryside and nature.
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Inside Out for Children is among the groups to successfully apply for funding recently, receiving all £5,000 it asked for. The grant will go towards its ‘Magical Days Out Schools Project’ providing outdoor learning experiences for disadvantaged and underperforming children with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Activities will take place at Checkendon Equestrian Centre in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in 70 acres of woodland. Local primary school children from Berkshire and Oxfordshire will practise mindful breathing/sensing and how to express their ‘weather inside’.
Inside Out Founder and CEO Stephanie Weissman said: “We are very grateful to the CLA Charitable Trust for their grant. Mental health issues among young children in the UK have become a massive problem.
“The CLA’s generous support will help us to transform the life chances of children, helping them to deal with life’s difficulties and to reach their full potential.
“There is a global movement to rebalance the education system where the mental health and wellbeing of children are as important as their academic achievement. We want to do all we can to help make this happen.”
The funds from the CLA Charitable Trust will be spent to part-fund the 30 Magical Days Out and will restart the initiative for children in spring 2023, after being postponed for three years because of Covid-19.
The ‘Magical Days Out Schools Project’ will be delivered directly to 300 primary school children from Reading and Oxford. It will benefit a further 2,000 back in schools through Inside Out’s website of digitised resources.
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Bridget Biddell, chairman of CLACT, said: “This charity is delivering important work for children struggling with school. The Chilterns are to provide the backdrop for 30 Magical Days Out in the countryside, and the trust is pleased to be able to support this crucial work with its positive outcomes.”
Since its foundation in 1980, the trust has given £2m in grants to a wide variety of organisations and projects.
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This story was written by Andy Ffrench, he joined the team more than 20 years ago and now covers community news across Oxfordshire.
Get in touch with him by emailing: Andy.ffrench@newsquest.co.uk
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