Chatburn schoolchildren enjoy the great outdoors

Following a year of online resources, Zoom lessons and home learning, pupils from Chatburn CE Primary School have enjoyed an activity day organised by River Ribble Trust and supported by Clitheroe-based business, OceanClear.

OceanClear, who supply sustainable products for all of life’s adventures, raised money for RRT’s education programme through an online film screening of Brave Enough.

Thanks to OceanClear’s generosity, Class 3 from Chatburn took part in a full day of river-related activities.

The pupils hiked through the fields all the way to the River Ribble where they learned essential water safety and rescue skills before diving into freshwater invertebrate sampling and identification.

From stonefly larvae to stoneloach, pupils had the opportunity to view a variety of creatures that live under the surface of their river and became ecologists for the day as they identified the species they had discovered.

Using the interactive river table, pupils also learned about the water cycle and river formation, watched erosion and deposition in fast-forward, and saw the impacts of climate change and pollution. Pupils were able to discover the best ways of conserving rivers before racing to restore the Ribble.

The day ended with each pupil making a pledge to the river, a promise to do at least one amazing thing to help conserve our river environments for wildlife and people.

RRT’s education and engagement officer, Christi Lloyd, said: “It is so important, now more than ever, that we get young people outside and reconnecting with nature which is linked to positive wellbeing as well as increased ‘green thinking’.”

“We are excited to work with our future Guardians of the River again.”

For further information about Ribble Rivers Trust, visit www.ribbletrust.org.uk or contact Ribble Rivers Trust on 01200 444452 or via [email protected].