Initiative to tackle inequality reaches 100,000 participation and meals milestone 

Published on: July 30th 2024

An initiative, which started out to encourage young people to exercise and enjoy outdoor activities, recently marked its tenth birthday with an event at West Stow Saxon Village and a milestone celebration of over 100,000 participants and 100,000 meals provided. 

More than hundred children, some home-educated, others from local schools attended the celebration event joined by partners and stakeholders to recognise the success of the Explore Outdoor initiative, which is now made up of many programmes but still with the primary focus being to encourage young people to enjoy, respect and thrive from outdoor pursuits. 

Not-for-profit social enterprise – Abbeycroft, delivers Explore Outdoor in partnership with West Suffolk Council, Babergh District Council and East Suffolk Council across fifteen communities every school holiday and throughout the year. Funding for the initiative largely comes from the Holiday Activity and Food funding from Suffolk County Council and The Department for Education (DfE), with further support from many local businesses and funders. The programmes include: 

  • Family Park Cooking is a whole day of activity and outdoor cooking experiences around a campfire for families in financial hardship. What makes this programme unique from many others across the UK is that participants also leave with a food box and recipe cards to encourage cooking healthy, affordable meals together at home.  
  • RIF Project (Reducing Isolation with Food) launched in December 2020 in partnership with Bury St Edmunds Town Council, West Suffolk College, West Suffolk Council and the BSE Rickshaw to deliver heat at home Christmas dinners and hampers to individuals living alone in the town. The programme is now in its fourth year and delivers meals throughout the year. 
  • Adventure Days are a full day of safe, structured activities including axe throwing, fire-lighting, swimming, archery, catapult building and Geocaching with breakfast and lunch during the school holidays. 
  • Teen Challenge is for young people aged eleven to sixteen years and everyone that attends gets a free hot lunch as well as the opportunity to take part in a range of alternative activities such as snorkelling, climbing or combat archery. 
  • Schools and Education – Abbeycroft works with schools and teachers to design and deliver bespoke activity days, development, team building days, intervention programmes across the region in dozens of schools. Explore Outdoor also deliverers Forest School sessions in large number of schools and last year ran over 350 sessions.  

Frank Carn-Pryor who coordinates the programmes for Abbeycroft has been the driving force behind its success since 2013 and is still as passionate about helping children and families as he was in the beginning. 

Frank said: “I still can’t believe ten years has passed since we launched this initiative and I’m incredibly proud of its growth and success. It goes without saying that none of this would have been possible without the support and funding we receive from the councils and other partners for which we are extremely grateful. Seeing people thrive at our sessions is still what motivates me every day to do more.” 

Warren Smyth, Abbeycroft’s Chief Executive said: “What an incredible achievement this is from the whole team. Whilst the statistics from this initiative are impressive, you have to meet the individuals and families that we work with to truly see the impact of its success. Much of our work now is around health and wellbeing and tackling inequalities so this initiative aligns perfectly to our mantra to help people live, healthy, active lives.” 

To find out more about Abbeycroft’s Outdoor programmes this summer including free places visit abbeycroft.org.uk/haf 

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