TOLLER PORCORUM: Troubling future for environmental centre?

A shortage of people taking the opportunity to attend environmental and creative courses at Kingcombe Environmental Centre could see the centre hit financial trouble.

The centre, which has been providing a safe space for children and young people to explore and gain knowledge about the outdoor world for 25 years, is now living “hand to mouth”.

The centre’s Sophie Franks said: “If we cannot get more support for the courses then we are in trouble.

“Maybe not at the moment, we’ve obviously been here for 25 years, but we are very much hand to mouth at the moment and would like to be in a better position than just covering costs.”

The centre offers courses for all ages and abilities from day courses to week-long holidays with activities ranging from painting flora and fauna and fossil hunting to learning how to track and identify signs of animals.

The activities are divided into three strands: “Wildlife and Garden”, “Creative and Performing Arts” and “Exploring the Past”. 

The Kingcombe Centre has three charitable aims: to raise natural environment awareness; give a safe space, to explore and gain knowledge about the outdoor world; and maintain the charity’s 4.5 acre site for future generations and to form part of the Living Landscape, particularly its Site of Special Scientific Interest Meadow.

The Kingcombe Reserve is still managed as a working farm, grazed by cattle and sheep using traditional methods without artificial fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides.

Opened for the first time in 1988 by founder, natural history teacher Nigel Spring, who created of an environmental studies centre and the Kingcombe Trust to oversee the activities of the centre.

For more information on the different available courses, read an overview and reserve and pay online visit www.kingcombe.org or visit Facebook and Twitter.

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