Summer 2018 Update

After a cold Spring we've had a very hot and dry Summer. In many ways this has been great for our groups undertaking outdoor activities, but the ground is parched and to be honest we could do with some rain!

 Despite the thick stone walls of the building, this year heat has been building up in some of the bedrooms. We've now got oscillating fans for all bedrooms to help keep people cool.

Activity wise we have also made some new developments. One of our favourite areas of woodland has been out of bounds to us over the summer due to felling operations by the Forestry Commission. Instead we've been doing some orienteering and den building in other areas of nearby woodland. We've also developed a Centre grounds orienteering star course that is a good practice for these bigger courses or for use by younger groups and as a quick extra activity.

As well as a very busy Summer running courses at the Centre we have also been into schools. Below are a couple of photos from a day we ran at a school where we worked with the whole school from Reception Class to Year 6. The students participated in team problem solving challenges, orienteering and bushcraft.

 Whilst the reception children were toasting marshmallows the older pupils were fire lighting and cooking dough twist dampers over open fires.

We've added another activity video to our You Tube Chanel - this time a quick look at our archery range - click on link below:

 Archery at DFSC - You Tube video

DFSC 40th Anniversary Celebrations 2

On 20th September the Bristol Evening Post Newspaper did a nice double page spread with the headline - "Still great in the great outdoors". It featured colour photos of pupils from Ashton Gate Primary School and detailed some of the activities they undertook.

On 29th September Simon Partridge, teacher at Ashton Gate and pupil Luke were guests in the studio of BBC Radio Bristol. Ian Healey, Centre Manager of DFSC joined them on the phone and they were interviewed live by the radio presenter Ali Vowles. Ian talked about how later in the day we were celebrating our 40th Anniversary.

Then we had the big celebration itself:

We had a nice big cake with edible photo icing!

A great buffet prepared by our fantastic cooks Jane and Karen

The Lord Mayor of Bristol attended and cut the cake.

Guests toasted the Dean Field Studies Centre with Champagne.

Ian Healey, Centre Manager (2005 to present) on the left and Dick Butling , Warden/Manager 1978-1990(?) on right.

Ian with Line Manager Jan Pritchard and the Lord Mayor

 

The Lord Mayor then went down the Zip Wire in full robes!

Lots of other guests young and old also had a go

 

Guests were given a complimentary Anniversary Mug as a souvenir of the day. Afterall if it's good enough for the Queen....

 

It was an enjoyable day in which we celebrated the last 40 years and also looked forward to the next 40.

Forest Tots

For the past seven months we have been hosting an outdoor based Parent and Toddler Group in the Centre garden on Friday afternoons between 12:30 and 14:30. The group call themself Forest Tots and they base themselves completely outdoors whatever the weather. They seem to be lucky and it's only rained once when they have been here!

Their philosophy fits very comfortably with ours and is based around an ethos of allowing children to explore nature and experience the outdoors. They usually have one structured activity such as making mud monsters etc. but then allow the children to direct their own play as much as possible. The stream running into our pond always seems to be a popular draw and provides great natural waterplay. They've got waterproofs they can lend out and recommend a full change of clothing but believe getting wet is sometimes all part of the experience.

From a modest start with three families they have already expanded rapidly with up to 14 families attending at a time. The group is registered with PATA (Parent and Toddler Association) and is a 'flagship' group for the work they do outdoors. There are exciting potential plans for the future including the hope that we may be able to match fund them to have a Roundhouse Shelter built in the Centre Grounds that both our groups can use.

There's a link to the Forest Tots website here and on the right hand side where you can find out more about what they do if you're interested.

As most of our residential groups leave after lunch at about 13:30 we've sometimes been able to get involved as well. The above picture shows Dom extending his 'teaching range' to work with one year olds!

We think 'Forest Tots' are doing fantastic work and are pleased to be able to work in partnership with them and wish them every success in the future.