Hull: Project aims to connect city children with nature

Colin Phillips said the children are able to "be themselves" outdoors

A project in Hull is working to encourage young people from urban areas to engage with nature.

The Rewilding Youth Project, is based at East Hull Community Farm, but holds sessions in parks and woodland areas across the city.

It teaches children skills from lighting a fire to foraging.

The organisation said it wanted to address a "nature deficit" and it was "passionate" about getting young people outdoors.

Colin Phillips, from the project, said the sessions they run have real benefits for the youngsters.

"They are able to learn through doing, just as we did for millions of years, it gives them confidence, opportunities to build their perseverance and just be themselves."

11-year olds Madeleine (l) and Pearl (r) both enjoyed the fire-lighting session

During the session the children are encouraged to forage for items that they can use to create a fire and how to identify plants that they could eat.

For 11-year-old Pearl her favourite activity was fire-lighting.

"Beacause it is really simple, it is really easy to put out," she said.

Mr Phillips said it was about showing them that the parks are full of stuff for "us to use and enjoy".

"We've learnt about birch trees and that the bark is a natural tinder so we can make fire out of them," said 11-year-old Madeleine.

She said the sessions also offer an opportunity to share things with the other children.

"We've been talking about some problems we have at school," she said.

Teaching the youngsters how to light a fire is just one of the activities on offer

The project aims to ensure young people can feel safe and confident in spending time outdoors and said it was especially important they realised there were plenty of open spaces even in a city.

"Young people aren't accessing the outdoors, there is a nature deficit, and we are really passionate about getting young people outdoors into the wild spaces especially in the city of Hull," Mr Phillips said.