• High Speed 2 – have your say
• Outdoor learning should be a part of every child’s education
• Career opportunity at the Countryside Alliance
• The Countryside Alliance AGM
• The Tam Tod fund
• A message from Linda Hinds at Vauxhall City Farm

High Speed 2 – have your say

The Government’s public consultation on the proposed high speed rail link (HS2) between London and the Midlands is coming to an end – there are 35 days left to respond. The consultation is a valuable opportunity for all interested parties to have their say on the project. You can respond to the consultation here. http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/
The concerns of rural communities, especially along the proposed route, have already been well documented. Indeed the concerns of the local communities along the proposed route are being used, rather cheaply, as justification for HS2 by the pro-HS2 lobby: hunting, it seems, is not the only subject that inspires class warfare.

Our position remains the same – we believe the proposals offer very few economic benefits to offset the social, economic and environmental costs to the communities and countryside near or on the proposed route. We are campaigning against the project because the so-called national benefits of HS2 – the national benefits that the Government say are reason enough for the people along the route to support the project – are, we feel, exaggerated. Similarly the costs are underestimated.

An independent report released to the transport committee at the beginning of the week concluded that there is a "degree of uncertainty" around the financial benefits of the Government's HS2 high-speed rail project. More worryingly the report also stated regeneration benefits of areas in the vicinity of high-speed rail hubs may be offset by "economic losses in other areas, including locations not served by the high-speed line".

We maintain that such an expensive national rail project has to serve everyone not just the few, yet with no stops proposed outside of London or Birmingham it is clear that this is an urban-centric project. Furthermore the opportunity cost associated with HS2 means lines that do serve rural communties – West Coast Main Line and Chiltern Line – will undoubtedly suffer.

The Countryside Alliance will be responding to the consultation, but it is vital that the communities affected by the proposals come forward as well, so that their views are understood at every level of the debate. Our countryside and our wildlife habitats must be conserved and those living on, managing and enjoying that land must make their case - or they may lose it.

Below are some useful resources which will enable anyone concerned about the rail link to get involved. The Government is keen on community spirit, involvement and people power, and this is a perfect opportunity to spring into action.

Alice Barnard, Chief Executive

High speed rail - what you can do. What you can do if you are concerned about HS2:

1. Respond to the Department for Transport consultation here
2. Sign the petition opposing the proposal here
3. Write to your MP about your concerns. If you are not sure who your MP is click here. Copy your letter to The Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, Secretary of State, Department for Transport, Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DR.
4. If you live along the proposed route you can join a local campaign group - find contact details for your local group here.

Outdoor learning should be a part of every child’s education

We have welcomed the ‘Living Classrooms’ scheme from the RSPB and Field Studies Council and have again called for outdoor learning to be placed on the National Curriculum. You will recall that our own proposals were unanimously adopted by the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee on Outdoor Education in 2010.
With 92 per cent of parents wanting their children to have more opportunities to get into the countryside to learn about farming and nature and 85 per cent of children wanting to take part in countryside activities through school, we strongly believe an entitlement to outdoor learning should be created within the National Curriculum.
We recognise that learning outside the classroom not only gives children the building blocks for life, it gives them a practical understanding of the world around them, builds self-confidence and develops a sense of responsibility.

Learning outside the classroom is as vital to a child’s education as learning times tables. Alongside the considerable health and well-being benefits of spending time in the natural environment, there is also evidence that today’s children are becoming dangerously ignorant of rural issues.
The recently published Natural Environment White Paper has made some promising commitments to increase outside learning for school children. The Countryside Alliance welcomes the Government’s recognition of the importance of this issue and calls on the Secretary of State for Education to endorse the proposals for outdoor education contained in Defra’s White Paper.

The Countryside Alliance Foundation launched its report ‘Outdoor Education: the countryside as a classroom’ in 2010. The report highlighted the strong desire for outdoor learning among teachers and children, but also the continuing concerns about health and safety which can limit children’s access to the countryside.
Three quarters of teachers say that health and safety is the main barrier to school visits, but only 364 legal claims were made between 1998 and 2008 for injuries sustained by children, with under half resulting in payouts. On average only £293 of compensation was paid out each year by local authorities.
 

Career opportunity at the Countryside Alliance

Events and Fundraising Assistant – Permanent, part time, based in London
We are looking for an Events and Fundraising assistant to work in our office in London to help with the smooth running of our national events and fund raising operations. The position would suit a school or college leaver who is self confident, outgoing and a team player. Applicants must be sympathetic to the activities and campaigns of the Alliance and wish to pursue a career in fundraising and organising high quality, high profile events.

Interested applicants must be able to work in London, be willing to travel and possess professional IT skills, have a current driving licence and ideally should be available from the end of July or sooner. Remuneration will be dependent on experience. Interested applicants should send their application to kate-horseman@countryside-alliance.org

Countryside Alliance AGM

The Countryside Alliance Annual General Meeting took place on Tuesday 21st June. The results of the members ballot to elect two members to the Board of the Countryside Alliance were as follows;

• Bannister, Nick 2,335
• Cowen, Joe 1,153
• Firth, Mark 1,478
• Wilson, Charles 1,232

Nick Bannister and Mark Firth are therefore elected to serve a three year term on the Board of the Countryside Alliance.
Rosie Vestey and Edward Leigh Pemberton each stood down having completed two consecutive terms as elected members of the Board and we would like to thank them for their outstanding and unstinting work and efforts in support of the Countryside Alliance and its activities.

The Tam Tod fund

In August 2008 Tam Tod died sadly only months after his retirement from a lifetime of gamekeeping in Scotland. Those who knew him wanted to celebrate his life and ensure his name lived on, and thanks to a few key individuals, the Tam Tod Fund was born.

In a year the group raised almost £10,000 in his name. Since then, the Tam Tod Trophy for a young person who has excelled in country sports has been presented twice, and money from the fund has allowed hundreds of school children to take part in educational activities in the countryside.

The fund is managed by the Scottish Countryside Alliance Educational Trust (SCAET), a registered Scottish charity which exists to reconnect young people with their countryside. SCAET does this through introducing youngsters with country sports in a safe and responsible way, encouraging them to take up rural employment and set up new businesses in the countryside, and most importantly, inspiring a respect for the countryside.

For more details about the Tam Tod and other similar funds, please contact Nicola Chalmers-Watson on Nicola@scaet.org.uk or 01620 850 977, or write to: Scottish Countryside Alliance Educational Trust, Fenton Barns, North Berwick, East Lothian, EH39 5BW

A message from Linda Hinds at Vauxhall City Farm

You may remember that the Countryside Alliance supported Vauxhall City Farm Riding Therapy Project a few years ago. The Project provides access to horses and riding for people who would not otherwise be able to access this sport because of financial or logistical reasons. Since the Countryside Alliance last supported us the Riding Therapy Project has gone from strength to strength providing 1,319 riding for the disabled lessons last year and 1,127 subsidised lessons for children who cannot afford or are unable to access riding at stables in the country.

We bought Pimms, a lovely 4 year old skewbald cob, last October and after a period of training she has become one of our most loved riding school ponies, having a lovely temperament and really looking after all her young riders. However, we noticed that Pimms was gaining weight so we put her on a diet, but to our dismay her ribs, hips and back bone started sticking out, but her belly got bigger, so we called our vet and he confirmed my suspicions, Pimms was pregnant, due to foal in the next couple of weeks. We immediately took her off lessons and sent her to Parley Brook Rehabilitation Centre in Surrey (home for unmarried mothers!) to have her foal. Unfortunately, the farm and its busy surrounding environment would be unsuitable for a young foal and we have very limited space.

On 27th May, Pimms gave birth to a gorgeous chestnut filly named Saphie. (Pimms is a gin-based drink, Bombay Sapphire is gin, hence Saphie!)
Although the farm is a charity, which places immense importance on effective management of projects, budgets and financial forecasting (evidenced by winning the Lambeth Business of the Year Award in 2011), it is still susceptible to the odd unplanned expense!

So, Vauxhall City Farm, Pimms and Saphie would now like to ask for your help. We cannot afford to support the mother or the new arrival long term, so we are looking for a home for the mother and foal until the foal is weaned and then a permanent home for Saphie. If you can help by offering a home to Pimms and Saphie, please call Linda on 0207 582 4204 or 07767 820604 or email Linda.hinds@btconnect.com Linda, Pimms and Saphie would be really grateful for your help!