Page 14 - Natural World Spring 2017
P. 14
LIVING SEAS
‘‘The sea
Enjoying the seaside is a fundamental part of growing up. Let’s
help more children get the chance, says Leanne Manchester
DAN HILLIARD
Leanne
Manchester is a
whale lover and
editor of Wildlife
Watch magazine
@Leanne_manch
A s editor of The Wildlife Children But the disconnect is the same.
Trusts’ children’s magazine, inspired by “I was shocked by the number of
Wildlife Watch, I have the the sea will
privilege of seeing the drawings, care for it children who had grown up near
poems and stories sent in by our Looe, so close to the sea, but had
youngest members. It’s such a joy to In the coastal city of Sunderland, never been to the beach,” says Abby
witness the creativity that kids have. half of the nearly 500 children Crosby, marine conservation o cer
One of my favourites was by nine Durham Wildlife Trust worked with for Cornwall Wildlife Trust. “For
year-old Hazel, who made a beautiful on their North Sea Explorers project many children, this is a whole world
whale using sticks she found on had never been to the Seaham coast, that had not been opened for them.”
Clevedon beach. just a few miles from their schools.
You might think this would be Connection with the natural world
You are never more than 70 miles di erent in a Cornish village geared is an infectious one, and something
from the coast in the UK, and the sea up for tourists and holidaymakers. that all children benefit from if given
is an important part of our national the chance. The letters I receive from
identity. Yet many children living just children across the country clearly
a few miles from the shore rarely, if show that experiencing nature first
ever, visit their local beach. hand is invaluable to developing a
passion and a desire to protect it.
14 NATURAL WORLD SPRING 2017
