BFSN Members Lobby Local MP

15th March 2021

In February, following a Twitter conversation, Ruth McBain & Annie Berrington (Get Out More CIC) virtually met with their MP for Keighley & Ilkley, Robbie Moore (Cons), to raise his awareness of learning in nature (including Forest School). They highlighted the growing need and relative safety of it, with a particular focus on the impact of Covid 19, lockdown and school closures on children and young people in their constituency. Joining them were Anne Hunt (CEO, Council for Learning Outside the Classroom) and Fiona Groves (Education & Policy Manager (UK), The Wildlife Trusts) who stated the incredibly strong evidence-base for the positive impacts of learning in & connecting with nature and the amazing projects and practice being delivered already.

The team requested support for the Nature Premium campaign and the Turning Learning Inside Out Consortium . Robbie Moore agreed to lobby for the role of contact and connection with nature as part of Covid-19 recovery planning with the aim of making school-based experiences mandatory (& thus funded), to lobby Select Committees (including EFRA which he sits on, Education & Health), to talk about the subject in chamber (when allowed) and to regroup to provide feedback.

Thanks go to FSA Directors Sara Collins and Sarah Lawfull for their support throughout the whole process. Any feedback will be reported back here, in due course. In the meantime, please feel encouraged to make contact with your own MP and become advocates for nature connection (eg through Forest School) and the Nature Premium. Please also highlight the Nature Premium petition through your own spheres of influence (social media, local press, friendship groups, clubs, schools etc) because we all have an important message to share about the need to facilitate nature’s role in nurturing ALL children.