This week’s good cause is a project focused on bringing together families for active, creative, open-ended play in a natural environment.
So, what’s the problem?
A lack of good quality, affordable, child centred, nature-based, whole-form education in our local area.
How does your organisation set out to solve it? What makes your approach unique?
We want to start a network of independent ‘micro-school’ classes, sharing ideas, funds and resources. We want to inspire other parents so that, like us, they can organise locally and hire a teacher to give full attention to a small group of children, teaching in a style that they choose, as often as they feel is needed, using whatever methods they see fit.
We want our class to be in a beautiful location and the environment to be an extension of the classroom, in all seasons of the year. We imagine that even classes using different methodologies could share and be connected, perhaps encouraging new innovations in teaching or rediscovering old ways in the process.
Can you give us an example of how you’ve made a difference in an individual life?
We have been running a very popular woodland based parent and child group for six years, giving many local families access to very high quality affordable support for themselves and their children. We provide a strong and much needed community for both first time and experienced parents in our rural area.
What can people do, right now, to help?
We are currently crowdfunding to build our first beautiful wooden mobile classroom in the woods, and need to raise £12,500 by the end of this month. We have had an incredible response so far and have raised £5500, but we still have a long way to go. By contributing even a little you can help us a lot.
We already have an amazing woodland clearing for the class and have found a lovely teacher, we have several children for the class too, and we also want to let other parents in our area North Norfolk know that there is a new and exciting class starting for 6/7 year olds in September.
If someone donated £20 today, what would that be able to pay for?
£20 would be a great help towards the cost of building materials. It would buy a tin of paint, a lot of screws, or some beautiful cedar shingles for the roof. If 350 people gave £20 or more we would reach our goal! We want to provide the best for our children and the children in our community so that they grow up to be wonderful human beings – confident, creative, wise, generous with others and caring for the environment.
Where can we find more information?
Website – http://www.mightyoaksgroup.org
Email – red@mightyoaksgroup.org
Phone – 01263 861159
Twitter – @mightyoaksfoxes
Instagram – @mightyoaksgroup
Facebook – Mighty Oaks Group
Our crowdfunding campaign ends on June 30th. Full details can be found here
Sounds like a fab charity cause. ANY forest school is a great thing. Have loved each and every one I’ve been to.
wow love this! There is a forest school near us that I’ve never attended just because the day it’s run clashes with nursery but I really want to make an effort to go as I think W is the perfect age for it and it’s so important to let children get involved in nature x
Oh wow this does sound like an amazing initiative and it would love to see more nature inspired groups and micro schools like this pop up all over the UK
Laura x
Looks FAB! Things like this are so important for kids x
Micro classes and forest schools sound like an excellent idea. A lot of kids would benefit from something like that, in fact I really wish they were available to all.
Yeah…!!! I agree with other commentators that Micro classes and forest schools sound very amazing.