The West Lothian Ranger Service are running free environmental workshops for kids around West Lothian throughout the school holidays.
‘Wild Wednesdays’ will see rangers engage with local kids in nature-inspired games, arts and crafts, and other activities to help them understand the environment around them.
Kids and adults can drop in to join the events from 11am to 3pm - with no bookings required.
The first environmental event took place last week at Eliburn Park in Livingston on July 13 - with the next workshop set to go ahead at Wood Park, Armadale next to Blackmoss Country Park on July 27.
The next event is the week after in Addiewell next to the Community Exchange Centre on August 3, and the week after that at Polkemmet Country Park on August 10.
In addition to engaging local kids with the West Lothian environment the events aim to teach children about the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, and how to interact with the environment in a responsible and safe way.
West Lothian Countryside Ranger, Bronwen Winter, said:”We’re really excited to be able to put on the mini-environmental events for kids and their families again!
“The ranger service will be joined by our partner organisations, RSPB’s Home Energy Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Hopetoun Ranger Service, and the Road Safety Campaign at the events!
“Our partners help explain things like safety in our local environment from their services perspective, Home Energy Scotland even come with e-bikes and information for families struggling with energy bills.
“The events are completely free and set in open outdoor spaces in local areas - they feature arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, and other fun kids activities.
“The hope of the workshops are to engage the kids with their environment and teach them the principles of the Scottish outdoor access code.
“This covers things like access rights, responsibility in the countryside, fire safety, safety on farmland, and litter & pollution.”
The West Lothian Ranger Service work together with the rest of the Parks & Woodland staff to provide their invaluable skills, expertise and experience in the management of West Lothian’s countryside.
The Ranger Service also offers additional volunteering opportunities across West Lothian, with sessions running on one Sunday and one Thursday per month.
Planned practical outdoor tasks include vegetation control, tree management and pond work - across sites like Beecraigs, Polkemmet, and Almondell & Calderwood Country Parks, as well as other local green spaces.
No experience is necessary to get involved - for details of future volunteering sessions for the Volunteer Ranger Service, please contact Ranger Winter at Bronwen.winter@westlothian.gov.uk.
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