Countryside Alliance - love the countryside

Signals from Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Communities, that the coalition Government intends to drop ‘pay as you throw’ bin taxes will head off a wave of fly-tipping according to the Countryside Alliance.

The Countryside Alliance is calling for an entitlement for every child to experience outdoor education to be in every party’s election manifesto following the latest report of the Children, Schools and Families Committee published today.

The Countryside Alliance Foundation has published a new report: "Outdoor education – the countryside as a classroom," showing unprecedented demand for learning outside the classroom as research shows that 92 per cent of parents think their children should have more opportunities to get into the countryside to learn about farming and nature. Download the report from www.countrysideclassroom.org.uk

Countryside Alliance Chief Executive Simon Hart writes: In a significant boost to the Countryside Alliance’s campaign to improve outdoor learning experiences for all school children, the organisation was called to give evidence to MPs during a session held yesterday by the Children Schools and Families Select Committee.

Following a feature in The Times on 11th February Countryside Alliance Education Officer Charley May has blogged on the issues raised by the demise of Marcus, Lydd Primary School's sheep, and the subsequent resignation of Headmistress Andrea Charman. Charley writes: "At the Countryside Alliance we have been campaigning for outdoor learning to be part of the curriculum, as we believe teaching children about farming and the countryside is an important step in re-connecting them with the realities of where their food comes from and how it is produced." Read Charley's blog here.