Over 200 primary school children in Cardiff help give nature a home as part of RSPB Cymru's Wild Walkabout

Throughout the month of May over 200 school children from four primary schools across Cardiff will raise vital funds for nature as they take part in a sponsored walk in Cardiff's Bute Park.

On Wednesday 9^thand 10th May over 175 children will join the RSPB Cymru team as they discover more about Cardiff's bugs, birds and mini-beasts while enjoying a 2km sponsored walk around the park. They will then celebrate wild Cardiff and its greenspaces during a live paint jam on Cardiff's Millennium Boardwalk where they will create a giant piece of public artwork inspired by nature, alongside local artist Millimagic.

And the fun doesn't stop there. Over 30 children will also enjoy a Wild Walkabout of their own throughout May as they host a sponsored walk for nature on their school grounds, raising even more money for Cardiff's urban wildlife.

The Rt. Hon. The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Cllr Bob Derbyshire said:"I chose RSPB Cymru and Buglife Cymru as my Charities of the Year because of the fantastic work they do to protect and enhance our natural environment. There's so much wildlife right here in Cardiff if we take the time to look for it, that's why Wild Walkabout is such a great idea - as well as raising vital funds to help protect nature in Cardiff, it's also means children are getting outside and enjoying the wildlife on their doorstep. If you'd like to help support nature you can make a donation to my chosen charities by visitinghttps://www.cardiff.gov.uk/ENG/Your-Council/Lord-Mayor/Chosen-charity/Pages/default.aspx"

RSPB Cymru Community Fundraiser, Rob Williams, said:"We're thrilled to see so many children getting outdoors, enjoying nature and raising vital funds to help our wildlife in Cardiff. The Wild Walkabout is the perfect opportunity for children to discover their local wildlife and appreciate the nature that Cardiff has to offer. This experience will also hopefully stay with them for years to come as they continue to look after our wildlife on their schools grounds."

Since 2014 RSB Cymru's Giving Nature a Home in Cardiff project has been busy engaging children and their families with wildlife across the city. It has provided free outreach sessions to over 81% of Cardiff primary schools, engaging over 15,000 children with nature. It has helped communities in all Cardiff wards to spend more time with wildlife through free family events, and worked with local volunteers who've donated a fantastic 5,000 hours of their time to help engage communities with nature in the city.

Giving Nature a Home in Cardiff Project Manager, Carolyn Robertson, said: "We now know that sadly, only one child in every eight in Wales is reasonably connected with the natural environment, with one in every 14 species in Wales facing extinction. It's therefore exciting to see so many children getting closer to nature during the Wild Walkabout and enjoying a unique and memorable learning experience outside the classroom."

Thanks to funding from the Big Lottery Fund, Giving Nature a Home in Cardiff aims to engage a further 50,000 children and their families with nature in the city by 2022 and deliver free outreach sessions in all Cardiff primary schools to help pupils discover the wildlife in their schools grounds. The project has also established an exciting partnership with Buglife Cymru to increase pollinator friendly habitats across the city.
 

RSPB Cymru has been chosen as one of the Lord Mayor of Cardiff's Charities of the Year for 2017/2018, alongside Buglife Cymru. All funds raise during the Wild Walkabout will help save nature in Cardiff, ensuring our urban wildlife can thrive.

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Photo - Martyn Poyner