Youth club reveals plans to open 'forest school'
7:10am Wednesday 28th January 2009 in Search Module
A FORMER children’s home could be converted into a base for a Scandinavian-style forest school if a charity’s plan is accepted by Bolton Council.
No buildings would be constructed on the former Burnthwaite Children’s Home site in Lostock, but Bolton Lads and Girls Club are hoping to have the land reclassified to allow them more freedom.
The club already has a fully qualified forest school practitioner and sessions have been taking place around Lancashire and Cumbria for several months.
Youngsters who attend forest school sessions learn about the environment and a selection of field crafts, with the aim of building confidence and self-esteem.
Jeremy Glover, chief executive of the lads and girls club, said: “The Burnthwaite site is perfect for what we want.
“The idea of the school originated in Scandinavia and Canada and the small forest sessions that we have held in Bolton have been very successful, especially with children who perhaps struggle in a normal classroom.
“The forest school is all about building confidence and is an initiative that is being pushed increasingly by the Government.
“We hope that by getting the support of the council, we can then offer the service to even more local schoolchildren.”
The application comes less than a month after council planning chiefs rejected proposals to build a 9/11-inspired peace centre on the land.Lostock councillor Robert Allen, who spoke out against the peace centre, said he would support the forest school application.
Cllr Allen said: “I think it is a brilliant idea and I would certainly support it.
“The Bolton Lads and Girls Club have a fantastic track record of providing youth services, even more so than the council I would say.
“Transport was the major issue with the peace centre application but I am told that the lads and girls club will just be using two or three minibuses. Anything that benefits local schoolchildren has to be a good thing.”
A decision on the plans is expected within the next six weeks.
