Big Day Out – empowering young people to give back to nature

September 19, 2024

Our Big Day Out in the Yorkshire Dales this summer saw young people from across Bradford coming together to do something positive for the environment.

The Big Day Out is part of our Green Routes project – aimed at empowering young people who face barriers to accessing nature and green space. Over 12-months they have taken part in a series of outdoor activities in the Dales – helping them to develop skills, improve their health and wellbeing, and giving them the chance to connect with other young people.

Jo Gregory, Green Futures Project Officer, tells us about the experience.

Empowering young people through nature

“The sun was shining for our Big Day Out in June! Young people from across Bradford came together and enjoyed a morning of playing football in the sunshine before cracking on with some green action in Carperby, removing plastic tree guards.

“The journey to Carperby came with its own wonders as local horses galloped across the fields to greet our group! They put on an amazing show and reminded a couple of our young people of riding horses in their childhoods. We were watched over by Bolton Castle on our walk and shared stories of history from the Dales to Sudan.

Clearing woodland plastics

“The participants cleared a staggering amount of redundant plastic tree guards from a young woodland in the short time we were there. One young person made the comment: “I am a tree and have helped to make a forest in the future’’. This led to conversations around how they wished to continue to connect with nature and how they could do this through our Green Futures Youth Forum.

“We then walked through the fields and woodlands towards Aysgarth Falls where the water was in full force, a delightful view and contrast to the young trees we’d just been surrounded by. Before saying goodbye at Aysgarth National Park Centre we all enjoyed a well-earned ice-cream.

“Overall, the day was an absolute joy, testament to our successful partnership with the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority who we run the Green Routes project alongside. The young people were able to connect with each other, the natural environment, and themselves throughout the day.

“We are already planning our next Big Day Out in October and can’t wait to see everyone again! A huge thank you must also be said to Caroline, Alex, Joely and Charlotte from the YDNPA and Matt, Olivia, Fiona from YDMT for supporting the day to make it happen!”

Green Routes

The Green Routes project is a National Citizen Service funded project aimed at empowering young people through practical and inspiring experiences in nature. Through Green Routes, we are helping young people to reconnect with nature, tackle climate change, and get involved in conservation work, gaining new experiences, skills and confidence, and seeing their health and wellbeing improve along the way.