Deeside forest school project receives National Lottery boost

An MP has welcomed funding for a forest school that will bring benefits to hundreds of learners in Deeside.

Plas Derwen, a school for learners with behavioural, emotional and/or social difficulties, secured £7,872 from the National Lottery Community Fund to develop the school.

The facility will also be shared by pupils at Queensferry Primary School, and Hwb Cyfle, a day centre for adults with learning disabilities.

Members of all three sites sharing Queensferry Campus will benefit from having access to green, open-air space where they will learn how to grow food and eat well, gain new skills and improve their mental health.

Mark Tami, MP for Alyn and Deeside, visited the campus recently to meet with Plas Derwen headteacher Gareth Hywel, key stage four teacher Rhian Thomas, forest school leader Tristan Jones-Roberts, and from Hwb Cyfle staff member Jess Roberts and learners.

“It was good to visit Plas Derwen,” said Mark Tami. “I was impressed by the facilities there, and especially with the work they’re doing in the garden and their plans to involve the wider community in the project.”

[Tristan Jones-Roberts, Mark Tami MP and Gareth Hywel, Plas Derwen headteacher]

Mr Hywel said: “At Plas Derwen we have used the grant to ensure that pupils get the benefit of learning outside. Some pupils learn in a different way and may find it difficult to be in a classroom all day.

The forest school area allows pupils to be successful in this area of the curriculum and moving forward we want to be able to use this facility for the benefit of the local community.” 

 John Rose, Wales Director at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We are proud to be the largest funder of community activity in Wales, supporting great project ideas such as Plas Derwen.

This group identified a fixable problem within their community that could be of immense benefit to those in their local area and stepped up with the help of a National Lottery Community Fund grant.”