Outdoor education for just £1 as Yorkshire centre sets up cheap trips for underprivileged school pupils after lockdown

Nell Bank, nearly Ilkley, is putting on day trips for just £1 for children from the most deprived areas of Bradford Keighley and Leeds, in a campaign they've dubbed "Wellbeing in Wellies."

It comes after Bradford research showed only a quarter of children in the city surveyed during the pandemic felt they spent enough time outdoors.

Nell Bank’s head of centre, Dan Goodey, said: “We’ve been looking at ways to best support schools post-Lockdown. We believe we are in a really good position to address the issues arising from lack of social contact, physical activity and access to natural green spaces through our outdoor learning programmes.”

Mark Mon-Williams, professor of psychology with the Bradford Institute of Health Research, said: “There is overwhelming scientific evidence that outdoor activities are beneficial to children's physical and mental health as well as their education.

"The opportunity to experience green open space offered by Nell Bank to children from 'left behind' areas has the potential to transform outcomes for children and young people. Nell Bank has a critical role to play in helping our District recover from the devastating impact of the pandemic on our children and young people.”

Over thirty schools whose children have been most adversely affected by lockdown will benefit over the course of the summer term.

Children from Bowling Park Primary in Bradford were the first to benefit from the scheme.

Nell Bank was founded in 1977 by Paul Hockney, former Lord Major of Bradford and brother to the artist David Hockney.