Local children will be taking part in an exciting project to create work inspired by the wildlife in our urban green spaces.

They will be encouraged to make 2 bug hotels in a bid to conserve nature; these will be placed Ellenborough Park East and the Milton Road Cemetery. The mini hotels will be created with the help of Play Wild C.I.C Forest School, an outdoor education provider.

The learning team at Weston Museum have been awarded funding from the Art Fund through the Wild Escape project to lead sessions exploring the creatures on our doorsteps and how we can help them. 

Children at Westhaven, a local SEN school, will be sent a Teacher's Pack of information and activities to encourage everyone to join in and examine the natural world around them. These sessions will be extended to home-educating families.

The final creations will be shown on Ellenborough Park East on Earth Day (Saturday 22nd April 2023). This will be a free family friendly event where people can come along to the park to see one of the bug hotels and take part in free hands on activities that explore our urban wildlife.

Katherine Bell, Learning and Events Officer, stresses the importance of appreciating the wildlife around us: "Whilst we might not think it, we are surrounded by pockets of green space in our town, from back gardens to open parks and woodland.

"These spaces are home to all sorts of wildlife from butterflies and beetles to badgers and foxes. We’re excited to be exploring these creatures and creating some work inspired by them."

The Wild Escape is made possible by lead support from Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grants, with additional support from Art Fund.