News

Pupils across Poole and the local area are set to benefit from a new education resource centre at Upton Country Park, which will provide an exciting environment for educational activities.

Plans are to develop environmental education within the Park in partnership with Kingston Maurward Horticultural College, as part of the national curriculum through activities relating to the natural surroundings. The centre will also aid the development of a high quality programme of guided walks, slide shows and children’s holiday events on offer at the Park.

A new poly-tunnel, housing demonstration areas, will be the focus of Kingston Maurward’s horticultural training programmes, which are available for students of varying ages and abilities. Initially the education centre will be used to support school activities but long-term plans are to extend use to people of varying ages and abilities.

Mike Yeomans, Chairman of Friends of Upton Country Park, said: "This new classroom and poly-tunnel will help us to build on the horticultural, educational and training opportunities already in existence at the Park. We look forward to working closely with the Borough of Poole and Kingston Maurward College to realise the Park’s potential in this area. We would like to thank all those who have worked so hard to see this project finished, I look forward to seeing many people enjoy and benefit from it."

Cllr Graham Wilson, Executive spokesperson for Community Information & Support Services, said: "It is great to see this project completed and open for our local students to enjoy and learn from. Set in the grounds of our beautiful Country Park this will make an exciting addition to the activities on offer here. A lot of kind donations, time and effort have gone into making this project a success, well done to everyone and I look forward to seeing it used to its full potential."

The project is part of the Upton Country Park Management Plan through which the Council’s Culture and Leisure Committee agreed a programme of works in 1999. This included improvements to the car park, path resurfacing, habitat management and the creation of a new educational resource centre. It has been funded primarily by the Borough of Poole, the Planning Obligations Fund and the Friends of Upton Country Park under the title ‘Project Peacock’. ‘Project Peacock’ has received grants from the Talbot Village Trust, Merck, Wessex Water and Barclays Bank to help build and equip the centre.

Project Peacock is a fundraising project for the building and equipping of the Education Resource Centre administered by the Friends of Upton Country Park.

For further information contact:

Justine Hawkes or Chris Valdus, Borough of Poole, tel: (01202) 672625
Mike Yeomans, Friends of Upton Country Park, tel: (01202 659949)