Junior Park Rangers recognised for their outstanding contribution to local nature
Pupils from Rickley Park School in Bletchley have won the 2022 Outstanding Ranger Award for their commitment to local wildlife and green spaces.
The children signed up to the Junior Park Rangers programme which has been run by The Parks Trust for over a decade and provides an outdoor learning club especially for young people aged 8-11. The Outstanding Ranger award is given annually to one school that excels in engaging their entire school in environmental education.
As well as getting their school on board with lots of fun and informative assemblies and activities, the children from Rickley Park went above and beyond the call of duty with a nature photography competition, citizen science projects, hedgehog surveys, recycling bottles into bird feeders and lots of local litter picks.
Rickley Park school won £200 worth of equipment to support ongoing outdoor learning at the school and maintain the fantastic momentum that they helped to create. Runners-up in the Outstanding Ranger Award were Giles Brook School in Tattenhoe and St. Mary Magdalene School in Greenleys, both winning free outdoor learning sessions for 30 pupils.
Commenting on the hard-earned accolade, Sarah Griffiths, Outdoor Learning Manager at The Parks Trust, said:
“Junior Park Rangers inspires primary school children to spread the word among their peers about the importance of understanding, and caring for, the natural world. Our young members are an incredible force for change and their passion for the environment is infectious.
“It is heartening to see these young people taking responsibility for the future of the planet. Congratulations to the pupils and teachers at Rickley Park for putting so much energy and enthusiasm into being Junior Park Rangers, and to our brilliant runners-up who came so close to earning the top title!”
Over 200 primary school pupils got involved with Junior Park Rangers in the past year. The scheme is free of charge and open to all primary school in Milton Keynes. Benefits to schools and their pupils include access to resources, workshops and events to support their environmental education, as well as plenty of inspiration to help young people enjoy the outdoors more often.
To register your school on the programme for this academic year, please contact jpr@theparkstrust.com.
