An education project aimed at bringing Dorset and Somerset schoolchildren closer to nature has received an important funding boost from the GALAXY Hot Chocolate Fund.
The ‘Munching Caterpillars’ project by wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation, visits schools across the two counties, encouraging children to learn more about the conservation of butterflies and moths.
The GALAXY Hot Chocolate Fund, which helps small community groups and charities across the UK and Ireland, kindly donated £300 to the project.
The ‘Munching Caterpillars’ team hosts workshops and activities - such as creating a Caterpillar Munch Box or Butterfly Fuel Station - to teach pupils about different food and nectar plants needed to help butterflies and moths thrive in their gardens or school grounds.
During 2013, more than 80 workshops were set up and around 20 different schools were visited.
Butterfly Conservation Project Officer, Megan Lowe, said:
“This donation will help ‘Munching Caterpillars’ to inspire more young people about butterflies, moths and the outdoors by allowing us to visit more schools and events next year. We hope that by the end of 2015 we will have engaged with over 10,000 children! The prize money will go towards helping us achieve this ambitious target.”
Michelle Frost, spokeswoman for GALAXY Hot Chocolate said:
“We know that across the UK and Ireland smaller charities and groups struggle to make ends meet, despite the efforts of a huge number of warm-hearted volunteers.
“The GALAXY Hot Chocolate Fund aims to give them a helping hand and hopefully inspire more people to get involved with local community groups.”