Recently, two of our students who are completing the John Muir Award spent an afternoon at Churston Cove, a location frequently visited by the public where seals can often be spotted enjoying the tranquil waters brimming with life.

After gaining insights into the objectives of The Seal Project, the students developed posters to raise awareness about appropriate actions when encountering seals, highlighting what to do — and behaviours to avoid. We also learned about the small population of Common Seals that visit the Bay, and the subtle differences in their appearance.

The students independently designed their own posters and were given the option to focus on either an anti-litter message or cautioning the public against feeding seals. Litter can ensnare seals in plastic, hindering their ability to feed properly. Directly feeding them can also lead to excessive dependence on humans or expose seals and humans to potential harm.

This was an issue for Devon and Cornwall police as recently as last year, with a seal named ‘Spearmint’ becoming vulnerable to anti-social behaviour, dog attacks and physical harm after being habituated towards humans. In a report (ITV), a spokesperson from Devon and Cornwall Police said:

“We have received reports of seals being fed from boats within Brixham Harbour.

Feeding wild seals creates really big problems for seals and humans. Seals are quick learners and just one feed can develop habituated behaviour for life.

In their minds, food becomes linked with people and boats. This reduces their natural fear of humans and puts them at greater risk from humans and boats”.

The students did an outstanding job crafting informative posters, and we shared their creations with The Seal Project, who were equally delighted with the results. Well done!

If you are not sure what to bring, always check with your leader.

Bag

For your expedition you will need a bag like a rucksack that you can wear on your shoulders to carry all your stuff. Your kit might be heavy so it needs to be comfortable and have space for everything you need.

Sleeping bag

It’s a bag where you sleep so your not on the cold hard floor. Make sure is the right size so you can keep your toes cosy.

First aid kit

In case you or someone else gets hurt and you need to help out if no one is available to help. Plasters, bandage, disinfectant wipes, tape, safety pins, long plasters.

Torch

A light for you to see at night. If you can’t see it might be because you have your eyes closed or it doesn’t work. Check if it has a fresh battery before going out.

Food

No raw food most meat and eggs milk. It would be a good idea to take pot noodle, rice meals or pasta. Breakfast bars are small and easy to carry. Mentos hard candy because they won’t melt as quickly and they give you instant energy.

Don’t forget your water bottle!

Walking shoes, waterproof coat, waterproof trousers, padded socks

So if it starts raining you can keep dry and your feet do not hurt while you are walking lots and lots.

Emergency money

It is important to have some emergency money in case you need to make an emergency phone call or if there is something unexpected that you need to deal with.

Entertainment/cards

Cards for entertainment so you don’t get bored I think you can bring a small board game but make sure it’s not too heavy.

Foldable cup/mug

Cause bringing a glass or china cup/mug is not a good Idea it’s light small and easy to put away.

Hygiene/washing things

In case you get dirty or fall or touch something gross, you can clean up also before you eat. You don’t want to get ill on your expedition!

Sybil the Backpack Fairy

I have researched the story of Sybil the Backpack Fairy, a graphic novel written by Michel Rodrigue and drawn by Antonello Danela, Manuela Razzi and Cecilia Giumento.

This was a good story with a pretty nice storyline. The book I read was episode two and I would have liked to read episode one first. The story is about a girl called Nina who has a servant fairy who is supposed to protect her. She messed up during the morning by saying thank you which fairies are not supposed to do and then Nina nearly drowned because of Laurie but was saved by the water fairy. Nina later gets turned into a mermaid and goes on some underwater adventures.

I liked the storyline and and the friendly, colourful drawing style. I didn’t like some of the facial expressions of some of the characters. I have been inspired by the fairy story and it would be nice to write my own story in this style.

Gacha Club

Most weeks I have also created characters in the game ‘Gacha Club’ and here are a few examples of my work.

Thank you for having a look at my art!

The journey of connection with nature encourages students to slow down, observe, and truly engage with the natural world. They begin to notice the intricate details that often go unnoticed – the play of light on the sea, the gentle crunch of sand underfoot, the scent of seaweed; the texture of the rock that they are perched on. This connection cultivates a sense of awe, wonder, and appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the environment surrounding them.

With a concise structure and strict syllable count of the haiku (5-7-5), they have the opportunity to explore their creativity within defined parameters; the page is not an overwhelming blank space, but a series of sounds and rhythms to play with. By drawing inspiration from nature, students can experiment with language, metaphor, and imagery. This process nurtures their artistic expression and helps to develop fundamental literary skills.

I took two students to Churston Cove, and we both sat for a while amidst the quiet of a December day. I love taking older students to the same place on the same day and seeing how different or similar their haikus are, despite the environment being relatively unchanged. Perhaps on a grey and foggy day, the mist may seem all-encompassing; overwhelming, and difficult to ignore. On a sunny day, we may be able to pay more attention to the movements around us; the sound of gulls, or the children playing on the shore.

When students link the practice of writing haikus outdoors to the John Muir Award, their poetic expressions align with the award programme’s goals. The John Muir Award encourages individuals to discover, explore, conserve, and share wild places. Through haikus, students can document their encounters with the natural world, share their experiences with others, and contribute to the conservation narrative. This connection amplifies the significance of their experiences, deepening a connection with nature, and hopefully, that all-important mind-body connection too.

Using a printed image of a skull, we set to work hammering some nails into wood — the hammering was a really good stress release — although the nails were a little fiddly!

Next, we wove our string around our looms to recreate the features of a skull. This project required a lot of patience and our students did a brilliant job staying on task and creating a unique piece to take home.

Now we just have to wait until spring and hopefully we will have some baby trees!