Mendip Access Adventure Foundation

12/12/2024

Our bees have been so busy this year! We finally managed to harvest some honeybwith our school groups.

02/12/2024

Exciting news from D of E. Their 2024 impact report asked 40,880 participants questions about their wellbeing, skills, physical activity and feelings about their communities and futures – and compared these against data for the UK youth population in key areas, to measure the difference DofE participation makes. The report shows that doing DofE has a positive impact on young people’s wellbeing, skills development, community ties and physical activity.

Crucially, participation also seems to help protect against some of the negative trends in young people’s wellbeing during adolescence seen in the wider UK youth population.

The foundation is really proud to have supported Bronze D of E volunteering over the last few years, and Mendip Activity Centre also runs expeditions. We know how important it is for the local community.

Read more about the positive impact of D of E here:

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07/11/2024

We still have four spaces left on this course, which starts on Tuesday! Please email [email protected] if you'd like to sign up!

Are you aged 16+, identify as neurodivergent and/or have learning needs, and fancy learning to ski? We are excited to announce our first Access Adventure ski course, part funded by Snowsport England and the Friends of Stoke Park fund, will start on Tuesday 12th November.

Enjoy seven 90 minutes sessions, every other week, with a maximum of 12 participants for just £49. This supportive and fun programme will then offer graduates a monthly social club to keep those skills up to standard.

Want to know more? email Jai - [email protected]

17/10/2024

We still have availability on this course. Please get in touch if you're interested!

Are you aged 16+, identify as neurodivergent and/or have learning needs, and fancy learning to ski? We are excited to announce our first Access Adventure ski course, part funded by Snowsport England and the Friends of Stoke Park fund, will start on Tuesday 12th November.

Enjoy seven 90 minutes sessions, every other week, with a maximum of 12 participants for just £49. This supportive and fun programme will then offer graduates a monthly social club to keep those skills up to standard.

Want to know more? email Jai - [email protected]

02/10/2024

Are you aged 16+, identify as neurodivergent and/or have learning needs, and fancy learning to ski? We are excited to announce our first Access Adventure ski course, part funded by Snowsport England and the Friends of Stoke Park fund, will start on Tuesday 12th November.

Enjoy seven 90 minutes sessions, every other week, with a maximum of 12 participants for just £49. This supportive and fun programme will then offer graduates a monthly social club to keep those skills up to standard.

Want to know more? email Jai - [email protected]

23/09/2024

It's apple season! Don't let that harvest go south.

Expert tips to spot apple moths and the best ways to control them in your yard

22/09/2024

An interesting podcast about the changing role of zoos in our society and conservation programmes.

Listen to the latest episodes of Discovery on BBC Sounds.

21/09/2024

Exciting news for local natural science fans!

Join a host of local experts next month as Mendip Hills team up with Somerset Earth Science Centre to host a “festival of events.”

20/09/2024

It's freaky Friday and this week we're looking at the witchmarks of Goat Church Cavern.

Carved around 1500, the creepy insignia is similar to Marian marks, used around the same time, intended to protect inhabitants from witches. But, who would be living in a cave? The position of the marks is above the giants steps, and it's possible that someone sheltering in the cave placed them there to prevent a supernatural force rising up from below, Balrog-style.

Read more about the marks here, or see Goatchurch caven for yourself with a caving trip. Mendip Activity Centre, and CaveClimb.com all offer guided expeditions into Goatchurch Cavern.

Ritual Protection Marks in Caves under the Mendips Ritual protection mark in Goatchurch Cavern, Mendip Conservation work in 2003 in Goatchurch Cavern on the Mendips revealed some fine inscribed marks on calcite flowstone next to the Giant’s Steps. The marks resembled the letter W and aroused inter...

19/09/2024

Exciting news from Mendip Hills National Landscape!

The Mendip Hills National Landscape and Weston-super-Mare will be playing a major role in a new ground-breaking £2M national art programme called Nature Calling!
We’re really excited to be one of only six hubs across the country, working with Super Culture, soundukarts and other local partners to deliver the project with communities in Weston.
Led nationally by National Landscapes Association and activate_parts, 34 National Landscapes in England will take part and 70,000 people will find creative ways to connect to the countryside on their doorstep.
Funded by Arts Council England, Defra and National Landscapes, everyone is invited to take part and create their own relationship with National Landscapes.
To keep up-to-date follow on Instagram and to find out more about our writer-artist collaboration visit mendiphills-nl.org.uk/2024/09/10/nature-calling-launch

The Mendip Hills National Landscape will feature as a major hub in a £2M ground-breaking national art project called Nature Calling! The project is funded by Arts Council England, the Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra) and National Landscapes in England.

18/09/2024

Our Access Ecology Programme for schools is about to kick off and we still have some space left. If you think your teenagers school might like to take part in this year long programme, please ask them to get in touch by email - [email protected]

17/09/2024

We went crazy over this bat in the office. He's like something from the Aardman universe! Love him!

He's not a local bat, as you can tell by his rescue workers accent, but we do have bats in Mendip Hills National Landscape. Mells Valley is known for Greater horseshoe bats, and Mendip Woodland and The Cheddar Valley are home to Lesser Horseshoe, Greater horseshoe, Serotine, Bechstein’s and Noctule bats. Pipistrelles are the most common bat in the UK and the one you're most likely to see if you're out at dusk.

To use this video in a commercial player or in broadcasts, please email [email protected] there is a way for a flying-fox to get into strife, they wil...