Education and young people
The Rivers Run Through Us team are working with schools, farmers, youth groups and community organisations across the catchment to raise awareness about the River Axe, the difficulties it is facing and what we can do to help.
Bringing our rivers to life in schools
The Rivers Run Through Us team is thrilled to be partnering with the Axe Vale Rivers Association (AVRA) to deliver an inspiring hands-on project that connects children with the wonders of river ecosystems. Through this initiative, pupils will nurture trout eggs, watch them grow into young fish, and then release them into local rivers—an unforgettable experience that brings science to life. Alongside this, our team will support classroom lessons exploring life cycles, river ecology, and the challenges our waterways face, as well as the actions we can take to protect them. None of this would be possible without the dedication of some incredible volunteers, whose passion and commitment make these opportunities a reality.
Discovering the hidden world beneath our feet
Our soils education work invites people of all ages to explore the incredible, unseen universe of soil microorganisms using microscopes. This hands-on experience reveals the vital role of the soil food web in sustaining all life on Earth. We take this interactive exhibit to local events – such as Open Farm Sunday at Dennings Down Farm in 2025 – reaching hundreds of curious minds during the pilot phase of the project. Working closely with FWAG Southwest, we’re excited to support their 2026 Kingfisher Award, an inspiring initiative that will welcome 150 schoolchildren to a local farm to learn about soils, food, and the environment in a real farming context. Together, we’re helping communities understand why healthy soils matter for the future of our planet.
As well as soils education for children and young people, we are hoping to provide a robust, in- depth support program for farmers to learn more about the soils on their farms. This has been developed by experts, after a thorough scoping exercise to see what farmers want and need when it comes to improving and protecting their precious soils.
Youth steering group
We would love to understand how young people feel we should be running the project and helping the River Axe. With this in mind, we are going to be holding a number of young person’s steering group sessions which will give young people aged 16- 25 the opportunity to have their say. Please keep an eye on the Blackdown Hills National Landscape social media for more information.
