I visited Whirlow Hall Farm which has just launched a ‘transformative outdoor classroom’ learning space
Children and young people across Sheffield are set to benefit from a brand-new ‘outdoor classroom’ at Whirlow Hall Farm Trust
Do you remember the last time you visited Whirlow Hall Farm? For many Sheffield people it was somewhere they would go for school daytrips and even residential stayovers, giving inner-city children the opportunity to experience life on a working farm, alongside other fun activities and educational experiences.
On Thursday, June 24 a special launch event took place to officially open the new outdoor classroom which has been designed and constructed to be a transformative learning space, with a direct connection to nature.
Various donors, trustees and contributors spoke about how the new learning space will have a positive impact on both children and young people. There was also a celebratory ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the moment.
As I observed from the periphery, it was genuinely interesting to hear the repeated intent on providing an educational experience that is both safe, nurturing and beneficial. Too often when it comes to anything related to education you can feel the overwhelming weight of bureaucracy and red-tape which burdens a project before it can prosper.
Like many of the young people who experience this working farm, either through the educational pathway or residential visits, I too grew up an inner-city child. Although I was fortunate to have Heeley City Farm on my doorstep and the benefits of its summer playschemes and so on to take part in.
It is really nice to see through the corporate speak and actually hear the underlying passion and consideration being expressed by people who genuinely care about providing a safe and positive future for the city’s children, experience or otherwise.
The outdoor classroom itself is a solid and sturdy wooden structure, complete with an eco roof that will provide a habitat for wildlife and also blend in with its surroundings.
It may look simplistic initially but its function and uses will be multi-faceted and beneficial as a means of providing a direct contact point with nature and nurture. In sync with the trusts’ intent on ‘empowering young minds through nature’.
It is within this outdoor learning space that children and young people who struggle due to health issues, learning disabilities and trauma, will be able to build confidence and develop vital life skills outside of the traditional classroom setting.
This project is the result of the input and collaboration from a number of key partners who not only helped to finance learning space, but also helped in the development and construction of a new area that will hopefully benefit many young people for years to come.
B. Braun has been a supporter of the Trust for over a decade and it was the first organisation to embrace the vision for the Outdoor Classroom, and also became the project’s leading partner.
Significant funding was also provided by Graham and Susan Royle and GRI Group, whose combined contribution helped make the project a reality.
In addition to this, Galliford Try further aided the project conducting the extensive groundwork and access path works, making a substantial in-kind contribution to the development of the site.
Together, their support has helped create a lasting resource that will benefit children and young people for many years to come.
Speaking about the launch of the new outdoor classroom at Whirlow Hall Farm Trust, Karina Windle, senior projects assistant at B. Braun said: "We are incredibly proud to have supported the Outdoor Classroom project at Whirlow Hall Farm Trust. It has been wonderful to see that vision become a reality, and we look forward to seeing the difference this space makes for many years to come."
Sarah Kerrigan, corporate and community fundraising manager at Whirlow Hall Farm Trust, said: "The Outdoor Classroom represents much more than a new learning space. It is an investment in the future of the children and young people we support. By providing a dedicated, all-weather environment for outdoor learning, we can help more young people build confidence, develop new skills and experience the benefits of connecting with nature. We are incredibly grateful to all of the individuals and organisations who have helped bring this vision to life."
Located on the outskirts of Sheffield, Whirlow Hall Farm Trust is an educational trust based on a working farm that provides farm-based activities for children and young people facing complex medical and mental health conditions, learning disabilities, and/or trauma.
The charity has been providing young people with life-changing experiences since 1979 and it continues to welcome schools and groups on pre-booked days and residential visits.
For more information on Whirlow Hall Farm Trust, visit: https://www.whirlowhallfarm.org/