22 Courses

A flexible, modular-based, programme to heighten participants' awareness of ways in which their operations can affect the environment, the principles of environmental management and the practical steps they need to take as individuals and as an organisation to improve environmental performance. Depending on the course modules selected, this programme will give participants: Increased awareness of relevant environmental issues A greater understanding of, and commitment to, the organisation's environmental management programme Preparation for any responsibilities they may have under an Environmental Management System Further benefits according to options chosen 1 Environmental awareness Definition of 'the environment' Key environmental issuesGlobal warmingOzone depletionAcid rainAir qualityWater pollutionContaminated landLand take and green belt shrinkageResource usageHabitat destruction and species extinctions. Option: This module can be used to explain the key environmental issues related to the activities of your own organisation. Diagrams, photos, pictures, examples and statistics relevant to your own organisation are used where possible to illustrate the points being made. 2 Environmental legislation Key elements of environmental legislation affecting the activities of your organisation - including international, European and UK legislation. Legislation of particular relevance to your organisation - how it affects the operations of your organisation Option: Legislation can be dealt with according to which aspect of the environment it protects (eg, air, water, waste) or which part of your organisation's activities it affects Consequences of breaching legislation 3 Environmental management systems Overview of what an environmental management system isHow is an Environmental Management System (EMS) designed and put together?Key elements (emphasising Plan - Do - Check - Review cycle)The need to continually improve Pros and consReasons for having an EMSBenefits of an EMSConsequences of not managing the environmentCosts of installing an EMS Explanation of ISO 14001 and EMAS standards and guidance as applicable to the EMSs of your organisationOverview of your organisation's EMSHow it was set up / is being developed / operatesWho is responsible for itKey parts of system (eg, environmental policy, objectives and targets) identified and discussedEMS documentation - what and where it is. Workshop option: Brainstorm 'Pros and cons' with the participants, come up with all their ideas for good and bad things about EMS and demonstrate that the 'good' list is longer than the 'bad' 4 Environmental consequences Define what an environmental impact is and discuss how they are determined, with reference to the EMS Identify why we want to determine the environmental consequences of operations and activities; how they are used in the EMS for planning, and reducing the impact on the environment Establish key environmental consequences of construction and operational activities on the site; discuss significance ranking and the control measures in place in your organisation. Workshop option: In small groups, participants are asked to identify the impact on the environment of your organisation's activities or a part of their activities. They are then asked to rank these impacts in terms of their significance, using guidelines provided to help them be aware of the contributing factors (eg, frequency, severity). For a selected number of the impacts, the participants are asked to identify what control measures there are and which of these they play a part in. All stages can be discussed with trainers as a whole group at various stages during the workshop. 5 Protected species, nature conservation and invasive weeds Nature conservation, landscape and visual issues in the planning process - overview of key nature UK wildlife legislation, EIA, appropriate timing of surveys, Hedgerow regulations and landscape and visual impact issues Ecological issues - ecological legislation, significant species, hedgerows Archaeology in the development process - why archaeology is important, organisation in the UK, legislation and planning guidance Construction phase issues and consents - major environmental issues during construction, including water resources and land drainage consents, discharges to land or water, water abstraction, public rights of way, tree protection, waste management, Special waste, noise, good practice pollution control and Environmental Audits Identification and management of invasive weeds - including legal position regarding management 6 Chemicals and fuels handling and storage How health and safety management is closely linked to environmental management of materials Planning - what mechanisms are in place for planning materials use; legislation, guidance and policies which define how to manage materials Materials storage - what are the considerations for storing materials, covering:Labels: what are the different types and what do they tell us?Storage facilities: what are the requirements for safe storage of materials (eg, signs, secondary containment, access, segregation, lids/covers)Handling: safe handling for protecting the environment, organisational procedures, high risk situations (eg, decanting, deliveries), how to reduce the risks (eg, use of funnels, proper supervision, training)COSHH and MSDS: brief explanation of legislation and its role in environmental control of hazardous materials, how to use the information provided by COSHH assessments Option: These sessions can be illustrated with photographs/pictures and examples of good and bad storage and handling practices Workshop Options: Labelling Quiz - quick-fire quiz on what different labels tell us; Build a Storage Facility - participants are asked to consider all the environmental requirements for building a safe storage facility for their organisation 7 On-site control measures Overview of the legislation associated with nuisance issues on site and mitigating problems when they arise Examples of bad practice, including fuel storage tanks and mobile equipment - costs involved with prosecution of fuel spills, remediation costs, management costs, legal fees, bad PR coverage Identification and management of contaminated land and relevant legislation Workshop option: Participants are provided with a site plan containing information on site features, environmental conditions and indications of potential issues 8 Waste management Why worry about waste? - a look at how waste disposal can impact on the environment, illustrated by examples of waste-related incidents, statistics on waste production on national, industry-wide and organisational levels, landfill site space, etc Legislation - overview of the relevant legislation, what the main requirements of the regulations are, what penalties there are, and the associated documentation (waste transfer notes) Waste classification - a more in-depth look at how waste is classified under legislation according to hazardous properties, referring to Environment Agency guidance Handling and storage requirements - what are the requirements of the applicable waste legislation and how are they covered by organisational procedures? Examples of good and bad environmental practice associated with handling and storing waste. Workshop option: 'Brown bag' exercise - participants pass round a bag containing tags each with a different waste printed on. They are asked to pick out a tag and identify the classification and the handling, storage and disposal requirements for the waste they select Waste minimisation - overview of the waste minimisation 'ladder' and its different options (elimination, reduction, reuse and recycling), benefits of waste minimisation, examples of waste minimisation techniques Workshop option: Participants are asked to identify opportunities that actually exist within the organisation for minimising production of waste that are not currently being taken advantage of 9 Auditing Requirements for environmental auditing of operations Auditing the EMS Types of internal and external audits Requirements EMS standards (ISO 14001 and EMAS) Carrying out internal audits and being prepared for external audits Workshop options:Mock audit 'Brown Bag' - can be used either for trainers to test participants as if they were in an audit situation, or for the participants to test each other and practice their auditing technique. The bag contains tags each with a different topic printed on (eg, waste skips); participants pass the bag round and select a tag; they are then questioned by the trainer or another participant about that topic as if they were in an audit situation. If the participants are auditing each other, they will be provided with a set of guidelines to keep in mind during the workshop.Virtual auditing - a more practical workshop where participants review photographs of situations/activities relevant to the organisation's operations. They are asked to identify all the good and bad environmental practices that are occurring in the situations. 10 Incident response What should you do when an incident does happen? What should be in a spill kit? When should you call in the experts? When should you inform the Environment Agency or Environmental Health Officer? Workshop option: The participants are provided with some incident scenarios and asked to develop a response to the incident 11 Monitoring and reporting Environmental monitoring programmes and procedures Monitoring and reporting as control measures for environmental consequences Monitoring and environmental 'STOP' card systems - personal and behavioural monitoring and reporting

This all-inclusive crochet escape will immerse you in a world that you’ll love!  Relax and enjoy a weekend of laughter, great food, and lots of crochet!

Building Confidence, Self Worth & Friendships Making Tracks is for children with additional needs and their families, allowing them access to an inclusive and sensory rich environment. Developing confidence and self esteem, motivation to learn and improving self worth. This group is based around the children and their needs. Our highly skilled staff work with children and their families, to encourage growth in a supportive and nurturing environment. Activities include outdoor play and learner led activities such as den building, campfire cooking and exploration. How To Access Our Alternative Schooling Sessions Making Tracks, our alternative schooling sessions, are open to all children of school age and currently takes place on a Tuesday during term time from  Group One 10am - 12pm Group Two 1pm - 3pm. Each session costs £5.00  Making Tracks can be paid for through your Educational Health Care Plan. Book Now To discuss your child’s needs, or to organise One to One session please contact us. Why Choose Nature for your child? Whatever the reason children come to the woods to access our programmes, we aim to incorporate the forest school ethos into all our activities and sessions, offering a learner-centred approach wherever possible. In line with forest school objectives, we strive to use their Badger Forest School experience to help children overcome their previous experiences and become positive and pro-active learners.  As an organisation with trauma-informed status, our Nurture Programme is specifically designed to support emotional wellbeing as we believe this best supports a child’s development and aids their return to a school setting on a full-time basis. Children are assisted to understand their emotions, their triggers and their behaviours, so that they can learn self-regulation and management techniques. They build trusted relationships with staff which enables therapeutic conversations to happen. The outdoors environment and associated skills building offers children the opportunity to succeed which helps develop confidence, self-esteem and identity. All-weather outdoor learning generates motivation and resilience, as well as helps relieve passivity, stress and anxiety.  In terms of academic learning, sessions deliver a wide range of activities designed to develop the child’s concentration, practical skills, fine and gross motor development, problem solving, language and communication skills, and expand their understanding of the natural world. Activities might include:  Shelter building Fire lighting and cooking on an open fire Tool use Studying wildlife Rope and string work Art and sculpture work Sensory activities Developing and discussing stories Creating and completing obstacle courses Activities frequently incorporate opportunities for working on literacy or numeracy skills, and additionally, we can work towards including some elements of the National Curriculum if this is a priority for the client, as many of our staff are teacher trained or have experience working in schools.

Would you like to immerse yourself in your personal yoga practice? To refresh and inspire your personal approach to yoga? If, like many of us, you feel the need to take time out, dive deep into your personal practice and replenish your energy levels, then join us for this year’s Scaravelli Inspired Yoga & Wellbeing Immersion. This year, we’re focusing on feeling good. Exploring how and why yoga helps to lift our mood and downregulate our nervous system. Each day, we’ll practice yoga, breathwork and meditation. We’ll walk across the downs and down to the beach for a swim, maybe light a bonfire as the sun sets.

Private foraging in Argyll and Lochaber. The rest of the UK is also possible.

The perfect Mother's Day gift! On the very cusp of British Summertime starting we’ll be spending an appropriately colourful afternoon steeped in drawing/painting Spring Flowers. The studio will be full of plants such as mini iris, grape hyacinths, tulips, primroses and daffodils. There will be cut flowers in still-life arrangements and a wealth of beautiful photo references to work from too. We’ll take inspiration from Scottish Colourist Samuel John Peploe’s tulip paintings amid an immersive, fun afternoon of Spring botanicals. All levels of artistic abilities are embraced in this workshop so it’s a great opportunity to try out a class with plant-lady tutor Suzanne Gibson. All materials and refreshments will be provided - including cake and a complimentary glass of fizz. Minimum class numbers apply.

Experience wild Dartmoor in a reasonably short walk, a good introduction to this wild landscape. Some mindful walking, sensory awareness, meditation exercise and… normal walking. Enjoy the landscape and time together.

The Arienas Collective creative workshop space Open Day in Edinburgh's city centre featuring local artists and makers, workshop demos and festive pop-up shop

Spend two lovely days at our alpaca farm designing and making your own completely unique hand woven scarf. Working on a Rigid Heddle loom you will choose your yarns from the beautiful natural colours and hand dyed yarns from the Burnt Fen Alpacas herd. We work in my studio - a Mongolian yurt next to the alpaca fields and the alpacas will no doubt visit to say hello. We have around 40 alpacas ranging through whites, fawns, browns, greys and blacks so there are plenty of natural colours to choose from! Any dyed yarn is hand dyed on the farm using natural dyes. Refreshments are available all day and a there is a delicious homemade soup for lunch.

This half-day training session is a chance to refresh your knowledge or learn something new! We will cover: Burial law and practice Practical matters – burials, ashes and memorials, including safety Memorial regulations, pastoral care and conflicts Caring for God’s Acre/managing churchyards for wildlife A practical demonstration of memorial installation and safety by demonstration by Richard Lee of G&R Lee Memorials