The Field Studies Council has been awarded £2 million from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) Changing Spaces programme to deliver the Eco Challenge Project.

This three year project will involve 7500 students from 250 schools in 22 LEAs in England and will offer schools fully funded 3 night short residential courses for Key Stage 3 pupils at one of the 17 FSC Centres.Support will also be offered on return to school to help apply the skills learnt at a local level for the benefit of all the community.

Each school will be able to use the funding for 30 students and 3 members of staff. Blencathra ran the first of these Ecochallenges last weekend with St Edmunds School Arrowsmith from Liverpool. The accompanying teacher Lesley Seery said'This was a very positive experience both as a leader and from the pupils.Blencathra staff have great knowledge and an endless supply of tolerance!We feel very lucky to have had the experience and share in the events of Blencathra's Ecochallenge' Tim Foster,Head of Centre said 'This is a very encouraging start to what promises to be an exciting and rewarding venture for the Field Studies Council'

Tim Foster - Head of Blencathra Centre.

For more information you can email Tim Foster