CHILDREN and young people in North Cornwall will have new opportunities to discover the world of bees and pollinators through a project supported by National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED).

The Acrewood Project, an alternative education provider which uses nature and practical activities to support children who may have SEND, anxiety, sensory differences or difficult experiences of school, has received funding to create a new space called Honey Hollow.

The project, based near St Teath, will give children the opportunity to observe hive life, learn about the importance of bees and other pollinators, and get involved in protecting their habitats.

NGED's Community Matters Fund will support improvements to Acrewood’s bee area, pollinator-friendly planting, practical equipment and accessible beekeeping activities. It will also help provide an emergency anaphylaxis kit and appropriate training to make activities as safe and inclusive as possible.

Acrewood's approach combines learning with nature and practical experiences, including animal care, wildlife, carpentry and smallholding skills, giving children who have struggled in conventional educational settings an opportunity to rebuild their confidence and discover new interests.

Sian Hewett, co-founder of The Acrewood Project, said: “We hope the project will replace fear with fascination and give children a lasting sense that even the smallest creature has an important place in the world, just as they do.

"Grant funding is enormously important to Acrewood. It allows us to build things properly, reach children whose families might not otherwise be able to access support, and turn hopeful sketches into real, useful spaces. It also helps us create projects with lasting value.

"At Acrewood, funding never feels like numbers on a spreadsheet for very long. It becomes a child safely opening a beehive, cooking lunch over a fire, finding calm beside a goat or proudly completing a certificate they never thought they could achieve. Each grant sends a ripple far beyond the item it buys."

Andlyn White, NGED's social impact lead, said: “The Acrewood Project is a wonderful example of how green spaces can be used to bring learning to life and give young people opportunities to build confidence, curiosity and new skills."