Where to Start?

What a roller coaster ride over the last few weeks.

Where to begin!

We could start with the news that Pat Pimlot of Park Hill Farm winning the Countryside Alliance National award for enterprise last month.  A subsequent trip to the House of Lords and a stint on Alan Titchmarsh show where pat talked about the importance of engaging with children and using the farm as a learning resource. The celebrations culminated in an open day at the farm where we were treated to fabulous farm reared food, Bucks Fizz (for the grownups not driving-which counted me out on two counts) and a visit to the piglets, lambs and chickens.

We could also have started with Shropshire Children’s University membership of The European Children’s Universities Network . The ECUN.net is a network of Children’s Universities right across Europe. Most are run by Universities and Shropshire is the first UK CU to be invited to join and the only CU not aligned to one particular University. We are hoping that this will help develop work on funded cross country projects (including summer schools, exchanges, etc.) that we can offer to are partner schools.

Maybe we should start with Graduation ceremonies taking place at the following schools:

Saint Peter’s CE Primary School, Wem: Wednesday, 23^rd May – Evening.

Lower Heath CE Primary School, Prees : Thursday , June 14^th-Evening

Whixall CE Primary School: Monday, 18^th June-Evening

Award winning author Pauline Fisk (Shropshire CU Chancellor) will be presiding over the ceremonies. Parents, school staff, local businesses and members of the community will be coming together to celebrate the children’s achievements. We are looking at compiling video footage and montages for the BBC Big Screen in Birmingham.

We hope to arrange a small VIP visit to the University of Birmingham over the summer for our gold graduates.

I think that is where we will start: celebrating the dedication and success of the most important part of Shropshire CU-the children. After all that is what it is all about.

Stop press -New Provider

SnailbeachLeadmine situated at the foot of the Stiperstones is an often overlooked site.

The site is open throughout the summer on Sundays and Bank Holidays or by arrangement for group and school visits.

The following activities are vailidated: 

Complete the ground level workings Trail- 1 credit

Visit underground workings (Day Level) -1 Credit

Whilst you can visit the site anytime (and weather permitting it is an ideal site for a picnic!), CU Credits are only available when the visitor centre is open.

See website for information on opening and special Heritage Days. 

Lower Heath Assembly

This morning I had the great privilege of delivering an assembly at Lower Heath Primary school.

I would like to thank the pupils, staff and parents for making me so welcome (and laughing at my awful jokes. The pupils now have their passports and are on the hunt for validated learning destinations. Pupils, staff and parents furnished me with a ‘hit list’ of those activities they think I should be validating…so the phone will be getting pretty hot next week.

Cleobury Mortimer Primary School Summer Fair

Bavita Williams Head at Cleobury Mortimer has kindly invited us to the Summer Fair on Friday, May 25^th in the early evening. We have some providers making the journey but there is room for some more. Any validated providers wanting to exhibit or provide activities...please let us know asap.

Over the last few weeks we have been engaged in meetings with a lot of schools, potential destinations and providers across the county. Hopefully, we will be announcing more destinations and providers over the next few weeks.

As well as bring more providers on board we may also have some very special activities on the horizon. I am sworn to secrecy, but if plans come to fruition there maybe something rather special on offer to participating schools.

and that is where I will leave it for now!