The children came to us on Monday and Tuesday for two days of outdoor activities. We built dens in the woods, swung around on hammocks and played loads of outdoor games including Swedish Kubb! The children made their own healthy bannock breads with natural ingredients and we made pancakes for lunch too, all cooked over the campfire. We spent as much time as we could exploring nature and interacting with it, and even our lunches had a foraged theme – some of the braver children tried eating a stinging nettle!

Then on Wednesday night everyone came for an overnight camp, with sleeping bags and teddies in tow. The weather was a little wet but nobody seemed to care! The highlight of the overnight camp was the amazing night walk where we found traces of deer in the woods, a fresh sparrowhawk kill, and listened to the sounds of bats echolocating as they swooped above our heads.

This camp was possible thanks to Social Farms and Gardens, a fantastic organisation who encourage communities to get outside and grow together. They have partnered with the Hilden Fund to get more children outdoors and enjoying nature together, and they kindly provided the funding to allow this camp to go ahead. We are very grateful for the support.

Thank you also to Yuliia and Ash from Torbay Community Development Trust for all their help in co-ordinating, making lists of children, finding spare sleeping bags and organising transport; the amazing Karina and Anya who came as volunteers, we couldn’t have done it without you; our own team Rich, Jo and Elaine who worked so hard throughout the camp; and finally to Freddie and Alex who took on the role of peer helpers and made sure all the children felt happy and safe.

What a great camp!

Our session leaders are experienced SEND professionals, and our camps aim to give every child the opportunity to spend quality time in nature. We aim to give as many children as we can a wonderful experience that they will remember for the rest of their lives.

Available Dates:

19th-22nd August (7-16 years)

Our four day programmes generally run as follows:

• Monday (10am-3pm): Meeting with the children at Treacle Valley for some fun outdoor games, and some sensory activities to switch on our senses and learn about some of the creatures we might find in the outdoors. Lunch is our special bannock bread, cooked by the children over the campfire!
• Tuesday (10am-3pm): Exploring the woods and taking part part in environmental activities and games, with some creative and artistic activities thrown in as the day goes on. Today is pancake day, don’t miss the spectacle of Rich attempting to toss a pancake without either burning it or flipping it into the fire.
• Wednesday/Thursday (5pm-midday, overnight camp): What an experience! Sunset games, fireside storytelling, a walk in the woods at night, marshmallows, breakfast around the campfire. For many children this is their first experience of camping and being away from home and they are always so excited and happy to join us. Children are accommodated in our giant bell tents and will only need minimal camping equipment – a sleeping bag and a torch – everything else is provided.

The format for young people aged 11-16 is similar but the activities are more mature and have a bushcraft/conservation focus. We generally include activities such as firefighting, knife and axe work and tracking with this age group.

The full programme costs £120 per child for the full four days. We can offer sibling discounts if you are booking places for more than one child. Our holiday clubs run at a small loss each year and we do not currently receive any external funding to provide them, but we want to be able to offer these experiences to as many children as possible. We understand that times are tough for lots of families, so if you would like your child to join our Treacle Valley Adventures but cost is an issue, then please let us know and although we can’t promise we will see what we can do.

For more information, please contact Rich at rich@taleblazers.org.uk or to book a place please complete the Microsoft Form below.

We have also ‘twinned’ our new toilet with a toilet in Nepal through Tearfund’s Toilet Twinning scheme, so a Nepali village has also benefitted from the installation of our loo! Rich and Elaine have a soft spot for Nepal, having spent some time out there in the early 2000s, so we loved to be able to support this brilliant scheme.

Mental Health Benefits

• Stress relief: Crafting can be a great way to relax and de-stress. The repetitive nature of many crafts can help to calm the mind and body.
• Improved mood: Engaging in creative activities can boost the production of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. This can help to improve mood and reduce anxiety.
• Increased self-esteem: Completing a craft project can give you a sense of accomplishment and boost your self-esteem.
• Cognitive stimulation: Crafting can help to keep the mind sharp and improve cognitive function.

Physical Health Benefits

• Improved hand-eye coordination: Many crafts require fine motor skills, which can help to improve hand-eye coordination.
• Reduced pain: Crafting can be a distraction from pain and can help to reduce its intensity.
• Improved sleep: Engaging in relaxing activities like crafting can help to improve sleep quality.
• Strengthened social bonds: Crafting can be a great way to socialise and connect with others.

Additional Benefits

• Creativity: Crafting can help you to tap into your creativity and explore new ideas.
• Productivity: Crafting can help you to be more productive by providing a focus and outlet for your energy.
• Mindfulness: Crafting can help you to be more mindful and present in the moment.
• Sense of community: There are many crafting communities online and in person where you can connect with other people who share your interests.

Why not come along to a Taleblazers session and try some of our crafting activities for yourself? 

The big task of the day was the tarp line and Karl and I arrived early to get the rope in place. We harvested some saplings from the newly-levelled car park area and the team got to work sharpening these into points to use as stakes. Chris meanwhile was salvaging some boards to build a raised fire pit, removing old nails and screws and working with Hollie to cut them to size. It was an amazing team effort with everyone chipping in and showing the children how to use the knives!

The results are fantastic, I can’t believe that this overgrown patch of woodland has become such a wonderful space in such a short space of time and I am so grateful to everyone for all their efforts.

Our lovely team also busied themselves in clearing a pathway between two big tress so that we could move the slackline into a better location. It now has a lovely long run and when the children came back from Tim’s session they loved bouncing and balancing along it!

Thanks to everyone who came, it was a lovely fun morning! Our next Earthworks event is on the evening of Tuesday July 4th when Doorstep Arts will be putting on a special session for us.

Our modern world simply doesn’t require the study of basic survival knowledge; knowledge that was once essential to our ancestors. Yet this understanding of the world around us equips us not only with ways to survive, but it gives us a sense of the interconnectedness of all things, and their mutual interdependence. It starts by learning the name of things, and then the whereabouts of those things, and then the properties of those things. What they might thrive near to. What they might need to grow. And gradually, a relationship develops along with an understanding.

Bramble can be used for cordage.  King Alfred’s Cakes can be used to keep an ember. Dried fern is good to catch the first light of a fire.    

This is where bushcraft comes in – a set of skills and techniques that enables individuals to live and survive in the wilderness, using only natural resources.

Bushcraft also offers numerous benefits to our students and young people, from building confidence and self-reliance to developing leadership skills and fostering a sense of community. So, what are some of the other benefits that we have seen from facilitating bushcraft skills?

Developing Self-Reliance and Problem-Solving Skills

Learning bushcraft skills encourages young people to think critically and develop their problem-solving skills. For instance, they might learn how to find and identify the right of wood to use for a fire, how to start and maintain a fire safely, and how to build a shelter using natural materials.

These skills require a deeper understanding of the natural environment and the resources available. By learning how to work with what nature provides, young people develop self-reliance and the ability to solve problems creatively, which can be applied in many areas of life.

Building Confidence and Resilience

Bushcraft can be challenging and requires determination and perseverance. As young people overcome obstacles and master new skills, they build confidence and resilience, which can help them to tackle challenges in other areas of their lives.

Bushcraft activities also require teamwork and communication, which helps to build social skills and a sense of community. Young people learn to work together to achieve common goals, which is a valuable lesson in any setting.

Connecting with Nature and Learning Environmental Stewardship

Bushcraft provides an opportunity for young people to connect with the natural world and to learn environmental stewardship. As they learn about the plants, animals, and resources in their environment, they develop an appreciation for the natural world and often cultivate a desire to protect it.

This connection with nature can also have positive effects on mental health, reducing stress and anxiety and promoting overall well-being. Once students understand more about a wild place, they often begin to feel a sense of safety there.

“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks” – John Muir

Developing Leadership Skills Outdoors

Bushcraft requires young people to take responsibility for their own safety and well-being, which helps to develop leadership skills. By learning to navigate the natural environment and work together as a team, young people can develop the confidence and skills to lead and direct others.

By developing self-reliance, problem-solving skills, confidence, and resilience, young people are better equipped to face the challenges of life. By connecting with nature and learning environmental stewardship, they can develop a greater appreciation for the natural world and become better stewards of the environment. And by developing leadership skills, they can become better equipped to lead others in any setting.

To find out more about our Bushcraft programmes, please get in touch.

Did you know that forests cover 31 percent of the global land area, the tallest tree in the world is called Hyperion or that spending time in a forest is good for our physical and mental wellbeing as it boosts our immune system, lowers blood pressure and promotes relaxation?

What was your favourite experience in a forest? Maybe you have seen an elk bathing in a lake in the middle of a forest, gone forest bathing during a summer day, heard a woodpecker or built a hut out of branches?

The theme of the 2021’s International Day of Forests is ‘Forest restoration: A path to recovery and well-being’ Please read more about it here:  https://www.un.org/en/observances/forests-and-trees-day 

We will be posting some images of our favourite forests on our Instagram account through the day so if you haven’t found us already please take a look and follow us there!