Education charity, The Ernest Cook Trust has boosted its charitable spending by a fifth during the last financial year to £3.6 million, giving more opportunities for schools to access nature outside of the classroom. See if it could help your school.
Figures for 2023/24 show the trust, which works across the UK, increased its charitable spending for the second year in a row. The charity uses its 9,000 hectares of rural landholdings as an income stream to fund its charitable work and as locations to host outdoor learning opportunities, and exemplars for diversified agriculture.
The Trust also partners with other charities and organisations to help fund its outdoor learning programmes.
Of the £3.6m raised, more than £2m was issued in grants to schools and organisations, with the remainder spent on direct delivery of the trust’s outdoor learning programmes. More than 161,000 young people were supported in accessing nature during the period.
Ed Ikin, chief executive of The Ernest Cook Trust, said: “As both an educational charity and landowning organisation, we are well placed to help young people flourish through connections to nature.
“The stories behind these headline figures bear witness to transformations made possible as we continue to leverage the value of our assets - our investments, landholdings and people, together with carefully chosen partnerships that extend the reach and influence of our work.”
How can the Ernest Cook Trust help you?
There are a number of funds available through the trust which can help schools who need the financial support most.
One of the main forms of support is an Outdoor Essentials Grant which can help teachers and educational visits coordinators (EVCs) cover travel costs to get to natural open spaces or pay for kit like wellies and waterproofs for the children to wear.
Qualifying primary and special schools can apply for the £500 grant, with £1,000 available for secondary schools. Priority is given to schools located in areas of high deprivation and/or with pupils living in challenging circumstances, as well as to schools which regard outdoor learning and environmental engagement as an important part of education.
Other support available to schools includes the The OWL (Outside Week of Learning Collaboration) programme, where qualifying schools are given the opportunity to send pupils on an immersive residential week in nature, as well as funding and support to develop their own outdoor learning back at school.
The Ernest Cook Trust in numbers…
- 1,138 grants awarded.
- 2,930 individual children supported via schools programmes.
- 745 learning sessions delivered on Trust land.
- The Trust has plans to increase its support to £5m by 2029.
The Trust’s central purpose is education, offering children opportunities to learn in and connect with nature and take positive environmental action.
Its focus is on helping young people overcome barriers to accessing and participating in the outdoors, targeting those from under-served and under-represented groups, including those facing social, physical, economic or community challenges.
For more information about how your school can benefit from The Ernest Cook Trust, go to ernestcooktrust.org.uk
