£10 per child (or £15 for siblings) with free places offered
Free transport from Bristol
Food all vegetarian (or halal fish and chips available for lunch)
Location – Compton Martin Amenity Field BS40 6JN
Children supervised at all times by DBS checked adults
About The Author
Hi, I’m Dr. Mya-Rose Craig. I am a 19-year-old prominent British-Bangladeshi ornithologist, environmentalist, diversity activist as well as an author, speaker and broadcaster. At age 11 I started the popular blog Birdgirl, and at age 17 I became the youngest person to see half of the birds in the world.
Lyrical, poignant and insightful.’ - Margaret Atwood
This is my story; a journey defined by my love for these extraordinary creatures. Because large or small, brown, patterned or jewelled, there is something about birds that makes us, even for just moments at a time, lift our eyes away from our lives and up to the skies.
Lyrical, poignant and insightful.’ - Margaret Atwood
This is my story; a journey defined by my love for these extraordinary creatures. Because large or small, brown, patterned or jewelled, there is something about birds that makes us, even for just moments at a time, lift our eyes away from our lives and up to the skies.
Book onto this amazing nature camp for children aged 7-11 years. The camp is organised by Black2Nature who have been organising nature camps for inner-city Visible Minority Ethnic (VME) children and young people since 2015. The primary age children come to Camp Chew which takes place in Compton Martin in the Chew Valley just south of Bristol to spend the weekend birding and getting involved with nature.
It is aimed at children who have no experience of nature and in many cases have never been to the countryside or camped. One of our aims is to promote community cohesion and so we encourage children from all backgrounds and areas to attend, as well as those already with a keen interest in nature who we hope will share their passion.
This year we hope to again have a number of children who are VME and or live in the city’s areas of deprivation. We have plenty to help to ensure that the children are kept safe. We have a 17 seater minibus picking up from around Bristol.
Children may be accompanied by an adult if they would otherwise be unable to attend but emphasise that they do better without instead perhaps coming with a friend.
We take safety very seriously and so girls and boys sleep in separate tents with adults sleeping at the entrance, making it impossible for strangers to enter undetected. DBS checked adults will be supervising the children at all times. All food prepared at the camp is vegetarian with halal fish and chips and a vegetarian option for lunch on Saturday at Chew Valley Lake.
1.00 pm – 3.30 pm (CVL) Birdwatching in bird hides & nature walk
3.45 pm (CMAF) Pick up and finish
Key to locations
CMAF – Compton Martin Amenity Field, The Street, Compton Martin, Bristol, BS40 6JN
CVRS – Chew Valley Ringing Station, Bishop Sutton, Bristol, BS40 6HN (from Herriots Bridge turn right opposite mirror)
CVLPS – Salt & Malt, Chew Stoke, Chew Valley Lake Picnic Site, Walley Lane, Bristol, BS40 8XS (01275 333345)
CVL – Chew Valley Lake using Morton Hide accessed from the B1134, coming from CMAF turn right between the Blue Bowl and Herons Green.
Cost
£10.00 per person including carers
Grants
Free places are available to those children (and parents/family if they wish to come) who would otherwise not be able to come for example who are from areas of deprivation, are VME or are disadvantaged. Camp Avalon recognises that there are almost no young birders from VME backgrounds and so hope that these grants will encourage disadvantaged children to be able to attend. All equipment needed will also be loaned for the weekend.
Black2Nature
Thank you to Compton Martin Village Hall and the many people who have supported Black2Nature and these camps and to Chew Valley Ringing Station and the birders who have offered their time in order to pass on their knowledge to young birders.
Thank you to Opticron for the loan of five pairs of compact binoculars to this project.
Thank you also to Burns Price Foundation, Quartet Funding and Alpkit for helping to fund our project.
Transport
Free transport is available to and from Bristol, with pickups from York Road, Totterdown, St Paul’s Resource Centre, The Beehive Pub Henleaze and Hotwells Bristol.
How to Book
Please book on Eventbrite or e-mail campavalonuk@gmail.com with your name, address, phone number and date of birth and your child’s name and date of birth with any dietary requirements. Please also get in touch if you would like to get involved by volunteering.
About The Author
Hi, I’m Dr. Mya-Rose Craig. I am a 19-year-old prominent British-Bangladeshi ornithologist, environmentalist, diversity activist as well as an author, speaker and broadcaster. At age 11 I started the popular blog Birdgirl, and at age 17 I became the youngest person to see half of the birds in the world.
Lyrical, poignant and insightful.’ - Margaret Atwood
This is my story; a journey defined by my love for these extraordinary creatures. Because large or small, brown, patterned or jewelled, there is something about birds that makes us, even for just moments at a time, lift our eyes away from our lives and up to the skies.
Lyrical, poignant and insightful.’ - Margaret Atwood
This is my story; a journey defined by my love for these extraordinary creatures. Because large or small, brown, patterned or jewelled, there is something about birds that makes us, even for just moments at a time, lift our eyes away from our lives and up to the skies.
A must read for children – The Adventure of Horatio Mowzl
The Adventures of Horatio Mowzl is a trilogy of illustrated novels for children and young adults by the brilliant Paul Thornycroft
Volume One: “Little Humans”
Children –– change the World!
Mya-Rose Craig interviews the author, Paul Thornycroft
Mya-Rose: What are your books about? Paul: The Mowzl books are about rediscovering the healing magic of the natural world and realising how the damage to Nature caused by human activity has reached a crisis point.
Mya-Rose: Why is it a fairy story if you want to look at real-world issues? Paul: Because the dominant culture and world view are, unfortunately, one of duality. The global economy depends upon the exploitation of Nature, a behaviour requiring the suppression of sensitivity and empathy. In fact, Nature is not dualistic, rather it is infinitely complex and nuanced. The Mowzl books bring together fairy-story and ‘real world’ drama to allow space for something magical to happen in the way we experience meaning.
Mya-Rose: You have been working on these books for nearly ten years; what made you begin? Paul: I’m 70 years old, I’ve witnessed 7 decades of climate breakdown and ecological collapse on a global scale. Politicians, and the corporations that control them have no consciousness of the significance of what is happening. It is children –– who are inheriting a broken world –– that are now making the leap needed to trigger change on a meaningful scale.
Mya-Rose: In the years you’ve been writing the books, what have you seen change in the world? Paul: I’ve seen the ecological catastrophe unfolding faster than even the gloomiest scientists predicted; I’ve seen conflict and competition for resources escalate at a time when global cooperation could be the chosen way forward. Encouragingly, I have also seen children find their voice! For example, Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old Swedish schoolgirl who has triggered, by means of her solo activism against climate inaction, a worldwide movement: #climatestrike. The Mowzl books are my way to contribute to this rising wave of change.
Mya-Rose: Thank you, Paul, you are clearly passionate about this! When does Volume Two come out? What’s it called?
Paul: Volume Two is called “First Purlings” and is due out in April 2019. There’s more info at www.mowzl.co.uk
Mya-Rose: And Volume Three? Paul: Ah! That’s under wraps for the moment, but I hope it will be released in time for Christmas 2019!
Mya-Rose: Thank you for talking to me about your writing. Paul: It’s a pleasure and thank you for your interest and willingness to post this interview as a blog.
Link to Amazon: https://amzn.to/2K4tz3U
Reviews:
This book inspired me – and hopefully others too – to do as much as we can to repair the wild web. It’s great that it’s addressing what we’ve done to the Earth, as so many people need to start helping the environment. I think the world would be a much better place if everyone read this book! Can’t wait for the next book!
I decided to Google Mowzl to see if it was available online and was surprised but pleased to see that he has a website, Facebook and Twitter page! I think this will spread the word to help our planet.
Charlotte Blue Age 12
My Aunt (Chuto Ma) Mya-Rose gave me this book to read and I really loved it. I don’t usually like reading but I enjoyed hearing about Horatio Mowzl, a mouse from the future, as the story was exciting and so I just kept reading.
Laila Price Age 10
About The Author
Hi, I’m Dr. Mya-Rose Craig. I am a 19-year-old prominent British-Bangladeshi ornithologist, environmentalist, diversity activist as well as an author, speaker and broadcaster. At age 11 I started the popular blog Birdgirl, and at age 17 I became the youngest person to see half of the birds in the world.
Lyrical, poignant and insightful.’ - Margaret Atwood
This is my story; a journey defined by my love for these extraordinary creatures. Because large or small, brown, patterned or jewelled, there is something about birds that makes us, even for just moments at a time, lift our eyes away from our lives and up to the skies.
Lyrical, poignant and insightful.’ - Margaret Atwood
This is my story; a journey defined by my love for these extraordinary creatures. Because large or small, brown, patterned or jewelled, there is something about birds that makes us, even for just moments at a time, lift our eyes away from our lives and up to the skies.
