NATURE HEROES

from Absolutely Sussex February 2023

by ABSOLUTELY Magazines

OLLY SMITH

Something SUPER

Wakehurst launches Nature Heroes – the new superhero team for young adventurers, with exciting missions every school holiday

Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, has launched a brand-new family programme to inspire budding young adventurers in its spectacular 535-acre biodiverse site. Over the upcoming half-term, Easter and summer holidays, children are invited to join Wakehurst’s Nature Heroes, an adventurous and ambitious superhero squad with a nature-saving mission. Taking part in a series of investigative activities, children will develop the practical skills they need to become active ambassadors for, and experts on, the natural world.

Launching in February half-term, young heroes will embark on an intrepid adventure every school holiday, with the option to sport their very own superhero cape, available for purchase online or at the Visitor Centre.

PHOTO: JIM HOLDEN

“We hope to inspire the next generation to join our mission to fight climate change”

The self-led mission encourages young explorers to get hands-on and protect the environment, discovering the secrets that plants, wildlife, and fungi hold, with the chance to earn a beautifully embroidered badge. With each return visit to the gardens, children will be able to build on their achievements, adding a new badge to their bold cape, with Nature Heroes missions soon becoming an unmissable day-out in the family holiday calendar.

Alongside the main trail, there will be a daily drop-in activity, equipping enthusiastic young ecologists with skills ranging from creating a fungi log to planting a seed bomb. There will also be a selection of prebookable workshops, from learning how to build a wormery over the Easter holidays to designing a biodiverse terrarium in recognition of World Biodiversity Day in May.

Kicking things o in February half-term will be the Bird Buddy badge, as budding ornithologists can join an interactive trail to discover di erent bird species and their habits. Add-on activities include creating a bird feeder and learning how to talk to birds with a fun birdsong workshop. On 16-17 February, visitors will be able to watch a mesmerising birds of prey flying display from Horsham-based Huxley’s Birds of Prey Centre. Nature Heroes will o er a unique and great-value opportunity for families to discover a new area of the biodiverse site for each adventure. Whilst Wakehurst’s iconic Elizabethan Mansion undergoes vital restoration work, visitors to the gardens will be encouraged to explore the wider landscape.

Lorraine Lecourtois, Head of Public Programmes, says: “We are really excited to be able to o er a brand-new programme for Wakehurst, uniting all school holidays. With a di erent themed trail each time, we know that children will love collecting the di erent badges and uncovering something new. By connecting young visitors with plant and fungi science, we hope to inspire the next generation to join our mission to combat biodiversity loss and fight climate change.”

As part of RBG Kew’s aim to extend its reach and improve accessibility, the gardens introduced a Kew for One Pound o er in January 2022, welcoming visitors on Universal or Pension Credit. One year on, this low-cost ticket continues to welcome new audiences who would not otherwise be able to visit the gardens. Alongside free entry for children under 16 years of age, and a discounted late entry ticket, Nature Heroes will be an accessible adventure for all.

why everyone is talking about…

Anita’s Room

The refurbished Brighton Dome will include a new creative space for artists with support from The Roddick Foundation

DAME ANITA RODDICK

Brighton Dome has shared details of a dedicated creative space for artists as part of the refurbished Grade I and II listed Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre. The space has been made possible following a generous grant from The Roddick

Foundation and will be called Anita’s

Room, in memory of Dame Anita

Roddick, the activist, entrepreneur and founder of The Body Shop. As the major restoration of Brighton

Dome’s historic buildings heads towards completion, Anita’s Room is revealed to be a space where local, national and international artists and organisations can research, experiment and create bold and courageous work. The space is also intended to o er opportunities for audiences to observe and learn first-hand about artistic practice. Anita’s Room is fully equipped with a lighting grid, mixing desk and the latest 5G technology and can accommodate up to 40 people within its main space, o ce and kitchen areas. Supporting works in progress, small scale performances and events, Anita’s Room will be o ered free of charge to Brighton Dome associate artists, resident artists, visiting performing artists, community participation projects and creative learning activities. Time slots will be allocated through a simple application process, with applications then reviewed and considered by a team of local artists and creative practitioners working alongside the programming team at Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival. The Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre refurbishment is the first phase in the Royal

Pavilion Estate regeneration project, a long-term collaboration between Brighton & Hove City Council, Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival and Brighton & Hove Museums (formerly the Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust). The long-term vision for the project is to reunite the historic estate as a major UK cultural destination, equipping it for a sustainable future and as a centre for heritage and the arts which reflects the unique spirit of Brighton.

The Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre refurbishment is realised with leadership support from Brighton & Hove City Council, Arts Council England, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership, in conjunction with support from trusts and foundations and many individual donors.