Calderdale Countryside Service
2nd Floor
Wesley Court
Halifax
West Yorkshire
HX1 1UJ
Find us on Google maps
Speak to:
Mrs Julie Swift
Tel: 01422 393273
Email me
At a glance
Type of organisation:
Natural environment
Opportunities:
Advisory, Family learning, Informal activities, Lectures, Outreach, Participation, Projects, Schools programme, Work placements, Workshops,
Areas of interest:
Workshops on offer to schools for 08/09 include: Minibeasts, habitats, stream dipping, pond dipping, trees, teddy bear's picnics, people's effect on the environment, sampling techniques for Key Stage 3, rivers, earth walks and food chains.
Calderdale Countryside Service is part of Calderdale MBC Community Services Directorate. The Service was formed following the demise of West Yorkshire County Council in 1986 and has been involved in the delivery of environmental education workshops since that time.
The Service operates workshops from three main sites. Ogden Water is an upland reservoir site surrounded by woodland close to the border with Bradford. Jerusalem Farm Campsite and Education Centre is an idyllic site in the Upper Calder Valley.
Shibden Estate comprises of a half timbered house which is open as a museum, parkland and woodland. All three sites are well used by schools from nursery through to Key Stage 4. Workshops are delivered by Countryside Service staff and volunteers. In 07/08, 2,600 children attended workshops with our staff. Feedback from schools is highly complimentary and many schools return year after year.
For more informal education, we run regular familiy learning events as part of our guided walks and events programme and work with a number of Children's Centres to run outreach sessions during the summer holidays. We also run a wildlife WATCH group at Ogden Water for children aged 8-14 once a month on a Saturday morning and are planning to start a second group in the Ovenden/Mixenden area in the next few months.
