2021 Flatford

Day 1

Steps - 18632

We left school after an excellent Harvest Festival. Reverend Faith worked so hard to produce a great Festival that taught the children lots about world hunger and the inequality that exists.

The bus ride was uneventful and we arrived just before 12.45. The children all managed to navigate the walk to their respective accommodations without incident.

Beds were well made although a few children were charged 'the going rate in sweets' to get help with their duvet covers. 😂😂😂.

Our tutor, Harry, promises to be tremendous. He has spent time in the jungle monitoring hummingbirds amongst other things and is clearly hugely knowledgeable. The children will learn so much from him.

The children's first 'cake break' was well received. Flatford cakes are legendary and they will become favourites.

Our first session was a study of The Lorax. In groups, the children had to act out a section of the story. There was some great acting. India, Charlotte, Ted and Leighton excelled themselves - clearly hiding talents for the boards!

The children then moved to the conservation area and learned to make bug hotels and a range of environments for animals such as snakes, hedgehogs and even foxes.  They loved this. Being able to get dirty and work with nature appealed to most of them. It was great to see them get stuck in. Poppy was so helpful, collecting wood chippings from the other side of the site for everyone to use.

Dinner was a classic fayre of pizza, chips and peas with chocolate pudding for afters. Some of the children's ability to literally inhale dinner was fascinating to see!    The waste from 27 children would not have filled one plate - a success.  The vegetarians/'other diets' among us dined on pizza topped with grated beetroot and carrot. None was wasted.

After an hour or so playing in their rooms we met Harry for our night time walk. We all had a rope to hold to keep us safe.  The light pollution here is non-existent, this means there is so much more to see and hear. We saw nesting barn owls and could hear the chicks. Amazing.

Harry left us at around 8.30pm and we returned to Valley Farm (a fine example of medieval architecture that is now faced with surviving us until Friday!) for hot chocolate, marshmallows and cream. Another hit.

Currently they're running around, playing in each other's rooms and creating memories that will last for ever.