• Charlotte Metcalfe-Chase and her class of children from Silkmore Academy Primary in Stafford were welcomed to The Wolseley Centre to enjoy a free session to celebrate the official opening of the Learning Hub.
• The Biffa Award Learning Hub is purpose-built and features cutting-edge environmental design, providing the perfect space for schools to visit to learn about nature in harmony with the natural landscape.
•  Facility also includes a sustainable rain garden, allowing children and adults to better understand the impact of flooding and drought.

On Thursday 14 July Staffordshire Wildlife Trust welcomed Charlotte Metcalfe-Chase and her class to enjoy a free session in the Learning Hub, an exciting new facility at The Wolseley Centre.

Charlotte was recently crowned a ‘nature hero’ by the public and won the visit to the Hub through a competition the Trust ran on its Facebook page.

Located at the home of the Trust’s HQ, near Rugeley and Stafford, the Hub is surrounded by 26 beautiful acres of people and wildlife-friendly grounds. The Hub was made possible thanks to a £318,000 grant from Biffa Award; a multi-million-pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through awarding grants to environmental projects across the UK, as part of the Landfill Communities Fund.

In addition to the building, the Trust also developed a sustainable rain garden, funded by Severn Trent Community Fund. This outdoor space allows children and adults to relax and learn about ways to minimise the impact of flooding and drought on a local level.

The Hub opened during the pandemic, so it wasn’t possible to hold an official launch event. Now it’s safe to do so, the Trust wanted to celebrate this fantastic addition to The Wolseley Centre with a local teacher and class.

The completion of the Hub wouldn’t have been possible without the help and generosity of numerous local trades people and companies (listed below). All those involved in building the Hub and rain garden were invited along to the event so they could be thanked, and allow them the chance to see the completed project.

Aimee Burrows, Senior Wildlife Officer for Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, said:

“We’ve waited such a long time to celebrate this fantastic facility and we are delighted that Charlotte and her class were able to come along to help us do this.

“The idea to have our community nominate someone who goes above and beyond to inspire children to connect with nature seemed like a really fitting way to mark the occasion.

“Throughout the pandemic I think we all realised just how important connecting with nature is, especially for children. The indoor and outdoor spaces here really allow the children to get hands on and learn through play. For example, the wooden insect features in the rain garden have water channels for children to pour water into, and we’ve built in lots of water storage ideas for adults to take away for their own gardens.” 

Completion of the Learning Hub was only possible thanks to the following funding and generous donations. Hub funding thanks go to: Biffa Award, SAC Partnership, Awards for All, Redrow Homes, legacy of Pat Callaghan and donations thankfully received from: Tuffa Tanks, Johnson Tiles, Armitage Shanks and Howdens.

Rain garden funding thanks goes to Severn Trent Community Fund and a donation from Metron Surveys.

Full details and booking information can be found at:
https://www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk/LearningHubandRainGarden