National Trust begin climate anxiety workshops for children

Pupils in their final years at Burton Bradstock Church of England School have been invited by the National Trust to join in the workshops at Hive Beach.

In November 2023, Storm Ciarán caused 15 years’ worth of erosion in just one night as it battered the beach, and rock falls are common place from Burton Bradstock through to Charmouth.

Fifteen years worth of damage caused by Storm Ciaran in November 2023 at Hive Beach (Image: National Trust) The trust is hoping to instil a message of hope to the children, with climate anxiety affecting 84 of teenagers across the country.

Therefore, in an effort to address this, the trust has begun running the sessions which are designed to empower them to look at climate change solutions using storytelling, creative and physical activities and group discussions.

The workshops are the first of their kind - with the charity hoping more will follow. 

Ranger and pupil making paint. (Image: National Trust/James Beck) Adam Gough, headteacher at Burton Bradstock DofE Primary School said: “Living by the coast, the children are rightly concerned about a changing climate and the effect it is having on our local community.

"They have witnessed an increase in cliff falls, high tides and flooding in our local area. By engaging with the children in a fun but informative way, we have been able to develop a message of hope for the future if we all do our bit.”

The National Trust is working in partnership with two local businesses, Thriving Wild and Oops Wow, which develop art based and educational projects for young children to deliver the sessions.  

Pupils moving through a portal to the future (Image: National Trust/James Beck) During a recent beach session, the children used materials found in the landscape, such as chalk, earth, and charcoal to create their own paint to decorate home-made semaphore flags.

They then sent messages of thanks from the future to the present using semaphore to highlight the positive impact the children’s climate commitments made today will have in the future.   

 Liz Flight, senior partnership and programming officer for the National Trust, said: "We believe there is an opportunity to engage children in the issues of climate change in a positive and empowering way.

"Climate change can be a scary subject, but if dealt with correctly we can find ways to ensure everyone knows that even small changes will make a positive impact.”