Derry school wins Wild Days Out competition

A Derry school has been named as winner of a Wild Days Out competition, hosted by The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) and Hughes Insurance.

The prize will see Holy Child Primary School take part in an action-packed day aimed at highlighting the importance of conservation education within schools, through a range of fun activities from bug hunting to den building, seed planting and nature-based crafts.

Open to schools across Northern Ireland, Primary 5 classes had to submit a poster and 100 words on how they could benefit from the experience and why they should be chosen to receive a visit from TCV.

Holy Child Primary School’s winning entry focused on the importance of ‘saving our trees’ and how the primary 5 class could benefit from ‘outdoor learning’ and the opportunity to ‘appreciate nature and wildlife’.

Speaking ahead of the TCV visit World Around Us Coordinator at Holy Child Primary School, Michaela McMonagle said: “We’re over the moon to receive this prize from TCV and Hughes Insurance.

“The children had a ball completing the poster and the conversation that stemmed from this was really beneficial in terms of positioning environmental stewardship. We’re very much looking forward to the visit from TCV and learning more about how we can play our part to care for and protect green spaces.”

Hosted by TCV, the visit is funded by Hughes Insurance as part of its ongoing partnership which also saw St Mary’s Primary School in Castlewellan, Co Down selected as a winner.

Dianne Keys, Operations Lead at The Conservation Volunteers explains Wild Days Out support young children to learn new skills, become more adventurous and grow in confidence.

Dianne said: “We’re very much looking forward to visiting Holy Child Primary School. We believe it’s crucial to educate children on pressing issues facing the environment and the importance of preservation.

“It’s not just about sharing knowledge, instead we’re nurturing future generations and inspiring them to take action to protect the planet for years to come.

"Unfortunately, Northern Ireland is facing a major threat to its tree species with tree cover of the lowest in Europe, sitting at 8 per cent. We’re delighted to be partnering with Hughes Insurance to protect and nurture our native trees. The funding will also enhance our community engagement programme including volunteering opportunities which enable our staff to connect and engage with communities and together create positive environmental change.”

In addition to Wild Days Out, TCV’s partnership with Hughes Insurance is taking steps towards reforestation in Northern Ireland with plans laid to grow 50,000 to 77,000 native trees at TCV’s Tree Nursery at the Ulster Folk Museum in Cultra.

The funding provided will enhance local biodiversity and protect local species by providing food and shelter for small birds and mammals including the much-loved Red Squirrel.

The Hughes Insurance funding is part of its Action for Impact initiative – a £100,000 commitment to various charities and organisations to deliver on its Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) agenda in 2024 and beyond. The initiative, designed to support communities, also improves employee wellbeing with up to 250 employees delivering volunteering hours across the province.

The winning poster from Holy Family Primary School.

Emma Haughian, Senior Marketing Manager at Hughes Insurance, said: “Our core values to Act Responsibly, Put People First, and Make Things Better, are at the heart of our partnership with TCV and we’re proud to support the work being carried out at its Tree Nursery, contributing to Northern Ireland’s reforestation journey.

“The initiative is important in restoring ecosystems that are essential for native species, and the Wild Days Out opportunity is a positive step in educating young people on how to care for and enhance green spaces for all to enjoy.

“Well done to Holy Child Primary School on their winning entry, we hope they enjoy the range of activities planned.”

For more information on TCV’s work visit www.tcv.org.uk/northernireland and to find out more on Hughes Insurance workplace initiatives and Action for Impact visit hughesinsurance.co.uk.