There are just eight days remaining in our fundraising campaign in support of Forest Schools via our Love Trees Love Wood campaign.
The Forest School movement is the single most powerful vehicle for environmental education in Britain today. With partners the Forest School Association we have been raising money to support more Forest Schools around the country. We are particularly keen to support new Forest Schools in urban sites and in areas where deprivation is high.
We have used a crowdfunding site Indiegogo, which provides ‘perks’ in return for donations. This has been our first fundraising effort using this method. We have been delighted to receive over £1000 in donations over the Summer but the amount raised to date is falling short of our target of £30,000. Not only do we want to raise more money for children to take part in Forest Schools, but if we exceed our target, the fundraising cost of using Indiegogo falls from 9% to 4%.
Thank you to every one who has support the campaign so far. If you are able to donate we would love your support. If you are unable to donate, please help us by promoting the campaign.
What exactly do forest schools need money for?
The forest schools leaders that i have met are teachers on salaries, and running forest schools lessons within their school site.
I have met other independent people who have trained up to level 3 in the hope of developing a business model around the forest schools ethos, though have not heard of anyone who has actually taken this forward to a self sustaining level.
For 9 years i have offered my ancient woodland site for the use of developing environmental education, free of charge, to forest schools practitioners, including norfolk county councils outdoor education team, but have had no interest at all. It seems a pity that they do not wish to avail themselves of the facility at no cost, if fund raising is so vital to the continuation of forest schools.
It remains available, and we do host some private workshops and environmental study/discussion group days, which are productive and successful in terms of engaging young people in outdoor and ecological awareness.
However we continue to track the progress and development of the scheme, and wish it well.