An environment group for young people
The Saplings was set up in the autumn of 2019 as an Environment Group for young people.
Membership of the group is free and offers young people opportunities to take a closer look at their natural local environment, have opportunities that they wouldn’t normally have, go places they wouldn’t normally go and enjoy asking questions and finding out.
At the moment The Saplings meet on the first Saturday of the month in the Youth Centre, behind the Primary School, between 10.00 – 12.00 and often spend part of the session indoors and part of the session out of doors.
They are quite an intrepid group and generally don’t let the weather interfere with operations, however the leaders always have a Plan B for indoor activities just in case the weather is really bad.
Visitors with particular skills, interests or expertise are often invited to lead sessions and the Saplings also receive invitations to visit local places of interest. Parents and guardians often stay to enjoy the session.
For more details contact us at : aeg@addingham.info
What the Saplings do
Here is a taste of some of the activities that the Saplings have enjoyed.
They studied hedgehogs with Stephanie from the Hedgehog Rescue in Bingley when she brought a hoglet for them to meet.
An autumn study involved finding where local fungi grow and looking at them in detail back in the Hub.
Maggie from the West Yorkshire Bat Group spent a morning in the Hub and brought two tiny rescue Pipistrelle bats for the group to study.
Visitor, Ann, showed the Saplings how to dissect owl pellets and use microscopes to identify the bones of tiny mammals that the owls had eaten.
Late winter saw the group out and about in the village counting the resident birds and making bird feeders for their gardens.
In early Spring The Walking Photographer joined the group and spent the morning sharing his knowledge about taking good quality wildlife photos.
The Saplings had an invitation from local farmer, Michael Flesher, to visit his farm to see the lambs and a new litter of piglets – all great fun
Membership
If you would like to apply for membership contact the Environment Group at: aeg@addingham.info
Here is some of the more formal information:
Organisation:
- Adults: Leader Debs Griffiths plus up to 6 team members . A minimum of two adults to be present at indoor sessions, and three at outdoor sessions.
- Adult: Children Ratios: Ratio adults to children Indoors 8 children: 1 adult, Outdoors 5 children : 1 adult
- Parents/grandparents welcome, but must join in as a volunteer.
- DBS checks With any group of children there must be at least one adult with a DBS check.
Registration
All those interested in joining the group must complete a registration form giving:
-
- Name and Address of carer/s
- Name and Age of child/children
- Home contact details
- Mobile contact details
- Email address
- Emergency contact details
- Allergies and Medical conditions of children
- Photography permission
- Permission for use of photographs on AEG Facebook page. No children named.
If you would like a registration form please contact us at aeg@addingham.info
Training for leaders
- Health & Safety
- First Aid
- Safeguarding
Children
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- Number of children – 12
- Age of children 5 – 15 years of age
- Children with additional needs (accompanied by carer)
- Visiting children or groups (by arrangement)
- Clothing suitable for activities and weather conditions.
Health and Safety
-
- Allergies, medical conditions
- First Aid
- Venue
- Outings – High viz jackets for children and leaders, Children will be allocated to named leader, bracelet tags may be required to be worn.
- Separate arrangements for proximity to water bodies.
- Photography – permissions see membership form
- Safeguarding
Venue The Youth Centre
- Sessions to coincide with AEG adult volunteer sessions
- Frequency of sessions – Monthly
- Length of sessions – Saturday 10.00 – 12.00
Policies
-
- Safeguarding
- Health and Safety
- Weather conditions
- Ratio of adults to children. Club for 5 years and above ratio 1:8 indoors 1:5 outdoors. Children with additional needs 1:1
The Saplings adult: children ratios are more stringent that the Department of Education which states 1:15 for 5 year olds and above.
Insurance
Cover is provided within the Addingham Civic Society Access insurance policy
Communication
-
- Communication between organisers and carers about organisational issues is via email in the first instance.
- We hold telephone contact numbers for all members
- A WhatsApp Group is also used to share information about our activities
Weather conditions
Decision regarding outdoor activities to be made on the day.
Risk Assessment
Risk assessment for indoor activities to include the venue and the activities.
Risk assessment for outdoor activities generic plus specific for each venue.
Attendance
- Attendance of the young people and adults will be registered at the beginning of each meeting.
- Copies of registers will be kept.
Funding
- Membership is free of charge.
- The use of all equipment and resources is free of charge.
- Funding is provided by AEG.
- Should significant funding be required AEG Steering Committee would consider funding sources.
Sample annual timetable Each session to be planned as optional outdoor or indoor
|
Month |
Outdoor |
Indoor |
Notes |
|
January |
Trip with the Ranger at Bolton Abbey |
Who is hibernating and where? |
|
|
February |
Frog spawn Bird watching through the seasons |
Prepare an indoor aquarium Make a bird feeder |
|
|
March |
Lambing live Create homes for insects |
Plant seeds Create homes for insects |
|
|
April |
Skim stones Otter/badger watching |
Make a hedgehog house |
|
|
May |
Nature trails Bird watching through the seasons bird migration – maybe sponsor a bird called Sapling! |
Fun quizzes Treasure map |
|
|
June |
Pond dipping |
making a paper boat Float it indoors |
|
|
July |
Butterfly watching Inner city children to one of our sessions in the Summer – maybe a nature trail followed by a Teddy Bears picnic Roll down a hill |
Cut out/draw key local bee and butterfly species Design our own nature walk |
|
|
August |
Collect leaves Cook (adults) outdoors/make a den Bird watching through the seasons |
Leaf rubbings Make a salad veg or fruit from allotment |
|
|
September |
Blackberry picking Bat watching bird migration – maybe sponsor a bird called Sapling! |
Make a hedgehog house Follow a sponsored bird’s migration route |
|
|
October |
Plant a sapling Fly a kite Astronomy |
Make a kite Astronomy |
|
|
November |
Bird watching through the seasons |
Try blackberry jam Bat talk |
|
|
December |
Nature walk |
Leaf skeletons, Tree shapes |