Page last updated at 13:55 GMT, Tuesday, January 10 2012
News from Itchen Valley Country Park
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15,000 people Go Ape in 2011!
It’s now been a year since Go Ape opened their new course at
Itchen Valley Country Park, and what a year it has been! 15,000
people have enjoyed the thrill and exhilaration of this tree top
adventure with tree-top wires, crossings (using ladders, walkways,
bridges and tunnels made of wood, rope and super-strong wire) and
wind-in-your-face zip wires.
Before embarking on the course, people are
kitted out and given a safety briefing and training before they are
let out into the forest canopy, free to swing in the trees. Of
course, experienced instructors are always on hand. The result is
spectacular!
The Go Ape experience gets people outdoors in the fresh air in
beautiful surroundings and above all, it’s just great fun. Even
those who have a fear of heights could give this a go – many have
tried it and have conquered their fear, giving them a new lease of
life.
So what are you waiting for? Give adventure a try at Itchen
Valley Country Park! Book now: http://www.goape.co.uk/
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New Play area opens at Itchen Valley Country
Park
The popular High Hill Field adventure play area has had a
makeover and been re-named "Little Monkeys" play area.
Generations of children enjoyed playing on the
old equipment before it reached the end of its life. Now, thanks to
funding from Eastleigh Borough Council’s Community Investment
Programme, the play area has been given a new lease of life. A
public consultation was carried out at the play area and the
majority of people voted for a design that incorporates a large
climbing rock as the centre piece. The well-loved zip wire has been
retained, along with the ever-popular swings and slides. Two large
climbing structures have been added to help make the play area even
more exciting for active children, whilst a special swing has been
installed for children with special needs.
The play area was formally opened at the
beginning of October half term.
 
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Itchen Valley Country Park Forest
School
It is now nearly two years since a Forest School was launched at
Itchen Valley Country Park with a £50,000 grant from the Heritage
Lottery Fund. In this time, the project has proved highly
successful and popular with many local schools and nurseries, who
are able to bring groups of up to12 children to the Park on a
weekly basis for half a term.
Forest School is about children and young people building
self-esteem and independence through exploring and experiencing the
natural world in all weathers. It is suitable for all age groups
from nursery age children to teenagers.
Activities are built up through small achievable tasks to
improve confidence and these may include minibeast hunts, pond
dipping, natural crafts, shelter building, knots, using tools for a
purpose, fire building, cooking, nest box building and much more
(depending on the age of the students). As the students take part
in individual and team activities their social skills,
communication and motor skills improve alongside their knowledge of
the natural world and how to look after their environment.
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The natural environment provides a stimulus for all senses, all
areas of development and all learning styles; visual, auditory and
kinaesthetic. It prompts the student to think for themselves and
the learning becomes child-initiated.
Being outside also encourages children to take more risks than
the indoor environment. This is managed carefully by the
leaders and the children are taught to take responsibility for
their own safety by being shown how to do their own risk
assessments of their surroundings and the activities they will be
undertaking.
Some of the positive comments from schools which have taken part
so far include:
“We are so pleased we have an ‘outlet’
for our vulnerable less academic pupils to achieve success at
Forest School. The laid back approach of teaching outdoor education
clearly has a place in our curriculum here at Wyvern. Year 9
Pastoral Leaders have praised some of our students on return from
Forest School for their improved behaviour and new found
self-confidence.”
Wyvern
TechnologyCollege
The sessions were extremely well planned and
interesting. Each child was able to experience success at some
level. The sessions allowed the children to take risks whilst
understanding they have a responsibility to keep themselves and
others safe. It was a pleasure to witness such growth in the
children in so many ways”
Berrywood Primary
School
The two year Lottery funding has so far enabled schools to take
part free of charge. Now that this is coming to an end, in order to
continue the project we will be making a charge, but have kept the
fee as low as possible at £360 for a school to take part with up to
12 children for half a term (£5 per child per session).
If you are a teacher, or a parent with a child at a local school
and think the school may be interested in taking part, we’d love to
hear from you. Please contact Kim Peters on 023 8047 5082
(Wednesday – Friday only) or email kim.peters@eastleigh.gov.uk.
In addition, There is an opportunity for
parents with their pre-schoolers (age 3/4) to join at a cost
of £30 for 6 sessions on Wednesdays starting 18th April
2012 .
New Trail at the Park
There is a new trail available for children and adults to follow
around the park. It is called the Totem Trail and
you walk from one to the other of the four totems to find the
answers to questions on a sheet.
The trail costs 50p and is available from the Visitor Centre
during normal opening times.
The local artist who carved the totems is Nicola Henshaw and she
can be seen in the picture standing next to one of them.
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