Local Community - Family Learning Days

Since 2003, we have endeavoured to work closely with the communities that surround NHGS. The aim was to provide opportunities for local residents and their children to experience a learning environment as a family which is non-threatening and enjoyable. Learning should be fun. In partnership with the Mixenden Parent’s Resource Centre, we started by taking families out to places of scientific interest. The first trip was to Chester Zoo, with 70 residents of the Mixenden Estate. In the following years we visited the Sea Life Centre in Scarborough, Lightwater Valley Bird of Prey Centre, Magna and Cannon Hall Farm near Sheffield and Eureka Museum for Children in Halifax.

As a means of reaching more people, the next phase of the family learning days was to bring the families into school. They had the opportunity to see examples of biology, chemistry and physics activities all designed to be engaging and fun. Creepy crawlies, snakes, eagles, explosions and a mobile planetarium have all found their way into school during the three family learning days held in school.

Most recently, in July 2009, our most ambitious project saw us in partnership with Calderdale Countryside Services, Ogden Water Countryside Park, The Environment Agency and the Ovenden and Mixenden Initiative. Ogden Water was the venue, and a team of over 30 people were ready to give as many people as possible a taste of the countryside around Calderdale. Mask making, kite building, insect box making, self guided walks, insect hunts, wild flower planting and rain were the order of the day. Feedback from the couple of hundred visitors we had suggested that this was a fantastic idea which we hope to repeat as an annual event.