Attenborough Nature Reserve has been much loved by individuals and families alike for over 60 years. Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust (NWT) have managed the reserve since 1966 and purchased it in 2019 with the support of Sir David Attenborough himself, and the incredible generosity of the public through their Attenborough Lifeline Appeal.

Since events came to a halt in 2020 due to the pandemic, the Trust has been working hard to get in person events back up and running again, and as they celebrate their 60^th Anniversary, the charity are kicking off an exciting programme of events.

The NWT engagement team are particularly excited to offer a new workshop for families wanting the opportunity to get closer to nature and learn new skills together during half term. The workshops will take place in a beautiful, secluded woodland at Attenborough Nature Reserve, an area not open to general visitors, where families will get an exclusive, immersive learning experience at peace in nature. The experienced team will demonstrate skills and get the whole family involved in natural fire lighting and green wood working.

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust are passionate about teaching people about the wonders of the natural world and instilling a lifelong passion for wildlife. Visiting Attenborough Nature Reserve is a fantastic family day out, being surrounded by wildlife even in the café, which has a spectacular view across the water. You can take your experience to the next level by booking on to one of their brand-new Family Bushcraft Workshops with an expert team.

Sarah Briggs, who will be jointly leading the workshop, gives a flavour of the day: “I love the teamwork, experimenting and discovery that bushcraft offers. We will encourage you to work together to light a fire using natural materials to cook delicious snacks and keep warm. You will be invited to make wooden crafts from a range of tools and these will be yours to take away at the end of the workshop. The day will involve ideas and activities to share how as a family you can connect with nature. We will spend hours immersed in our beautiful, secluded woodland. The day will be relaxed and we will work at each person’s own pace.” 

A unique family activity this half term, the workshop offers an active, participatory activity for everyone – where the adults will learn just as much as the children! As you learn bushcraft skills to take home and be able to make your own environmentally friendly crafts! Not only will you learn the skills, but you will also get to take home any crafts you make during the workshop from materials found in the woodland.

Elliott Kean, who will be jointly leading the workshop explained “I enjoy the opportunity to use ancient skills that our ancestors would have relied on and the connection I feel to the natural world. The benefits of learning bushcraft skills in a non-competitive way are far reaching. My experience of sharing these skills is that, for example, seeing smoke rising from a bow drill may seem like a small accomplishment but actually can be very impactful. Beyond the personal achievement, you can feel a change in mindset that proves to be helpful in other areas of your life. Bushcraft activities are really effective for helping to build confidence by learning something new and working together to develop these skills. Resilience is gained by learning and trying out practical tasks in a fun, supportive environment.” 

As well as our Bushcraft Workshops, there are events for everyone at Attenborough Nature Reserve including photography courses, art exhibitions, wildlife walks and talks, ID courses, rewilding courses, optics demo days, and foraging workshops – with plenty more to come! Profits from all activities help support the management of the much-loved reserve and the wider work of the Wildlife Trust across the county.