Story and photo by Maxwell Ayamba
The Sheffield Environmental Movement (SEM) focusses on ethnic minority involvement with nature and is currently delivering two projects with Byron Wood Academy Primary School and Hillsborough College, Fir Vale Centre.
Firstly, ‘Bringing OPAL to Urban Young people’ involves using Imperial College’s Open Air Laboratory (OPAL) air and tree surveys to raise awareness about the dangers of air pollution and identify tree diseases and pests causing tree death.
The second project, ‘Rural meets urban’ raises awareness about the importance of ecosystems services and the rural countryside. Participants have visited the Moorland Discovery Centre, and Whirlow Hall Farm for a residential.
SEM has also taken SADACCA Women’s Health Group on a taster horse riding. Horse riding for health, known as ‘equine’ therapy, is something few people from ethnic minority backgrounds get to experience.
