Helping children enjoy the get outdoors in Cheddar

A donation of time, materials and money is supporting children in Cheddar to benefit from new outdoor learning spaces.

The area around Cheddar Scout Hut, which had been disused since Covid-19, has been transformed from a space overgrown with brambles and weeds into a one for discovery and adventure. 

Batts Combe quarry operatives Tom Paisey and Jason Francis rolled up their sleeves to clear the area and lay scalping material and stones donated from the quarry to provide the Scout group with an easy-to-maintain space for the children to enjoy and learn new outdoor skills. 

Spare stone from the scout hut project, which sits within the grounds of Cheddar First School and Preschool in the village, was given to the school, along with a £500 donation, to support it in the development of a new outside area to help promote physical, explorative and dramatic play for its foundation stage children.

“We’re over the moon with the work carried out by the Batts Combe team,” said Kate McKenzie, who is the secretary at Cheddar Scouts. “Scouting is all about being outdoors and adventurous, and this new space will facilitate exciting learning experiences for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts such as creating campfires and cooking outdoors. Thank you for helping us to make it possible.”

Sarah Lorimer, teaching assistant, at Cheddar First School and Preschool, added: “We are so grateful for Heidelberg Materials’s financial contribution and the donation of stone, which will go some way towards resourcing our new outdoor area with various items that will stimulate the children’s learning, play and development.”