Wakelyns is delighted to welcome Natural Habitat, a local environmental NGO. Not quite an ‘enterprise’, in the way of our other stacked enterprises, but definitely a partner project and collaborator which we are delighted to host.

Natural Habitat

We are a new environmental education charity that uses creative and collaborative approaches to bring land and people together, to improve access to learning from land, build hope and support biodiversity.

Our work currently engages schools and refugee organisations with the local landscape, collaborating with diverse practitioner including foragers, ecologists, chefs, filmmakers, farmers and artists, to support understanding and build connection.

Over the past few months, we have been lucky enough to start sharing the wealth of learning from Wakelyns with local primary schools.

Showcasing some of the skill and knowledge from the resident stacking enterprises, to share insight and ideas with children on the varied ways we can learn from the land.

Our director, Carrie has been working with Willow Phoenix Harry Read and Contemporary Hempery at Edgar Sewter Wenhaston and Ilketshall Primary Schools. Sessions have introduced the farm, explored agroforestry and conservation and provided access for children and their parents, to engage with some of the varied roles that can support the health of our land.

Activity has explored everything from willow as a crop that benefits people and wildlife, land mapping and sensory surveying to finding out about our local ancestor’s links to the long forgotten Hemp trade. ‘I learned what Hemp is, it is a plant that used to grow everywhere around here many years ago’ Pupil after a session with Contemporary Hempery

Our pupils have enjoyed learning about supporting biodiversity via hands on activity. ‘This is so great you coming in. I have learnt so much – I didn’t know soil was alive or about all the cool stuff willow helps with.’

Harry even shared the wonders of parabolic microphones for surveying birds with Wenhaston ‘I enjoyed learning about birds and using the device to listen to them from far away’.

All practitioners have shared skills the children can share with others in their school and at home. ‘This has been amazing! I can’t wait to show others how to do this!’ Pupil after weaving a willow bird table

We can’t wait to do more with Wakelyns and it’s wealth of expertise very soon.

‘This is so great you coming in. I have learnt so much!’ Edgar Sewter pupil.

To read more about our work and to keep up to date with developments, head over to our main website or to our instagram @naturalhabitatcommunity here.

We are continuing to develop ideas and funding bids to expand outreach work sharing learning from Wakelyns with more people. If you are interested in supporting our educational and engamentd work with Wakelyns, please do get in touch, or you can donate directly via our website. We are very excited for the new partnership and can’t wait to see where things develop.