This week over four hundred students from Riverside Community Primary School joined Plymouth Sound National Marine Park Rangers for enriching experiences in both blue and green spaces as part of Project TLC (Thrive, Learn, Care).
Riverside school, located in St Budeaux and serving the Barne Barton neighbourhood, has received funding from North Yard Community Trust CIO (NYCT) supporting Project TLC. This initiative aims to provide universal, inclusive access for all Riverside pupils (approximately 400 children aged 4–11) to enriching outdoor experiences in green and blue natural environments.
Project TLC is guided and supported by the Council’s Public Health Team and supports three central aims. Thrive, by improving the health and wellbeing of children and their families. Learn, by enhancing education through curriculum linked experiences in the natural environment. Care, by strengthening community cohesion and reinforcing the relationships between schools and families.
Working in collaboration with Plymouth Sound National Marine Park and Mount Edgecumbe Country House, the TLC project will run sessions from 16 to 23 March, bringing together outdoor learning, health and wellbeing, and family engagement through a series of immersive day trips.
Clare Willcocks, Headteacher Riverside School commented;
“We are indebted to the North Yard Community Trust and David Schwartz Public Health Plymouth for enabling our pupils to access such wonderful and enriching experiences. These trips are a culmination of the first year of our whole school initiative, “Thrive Outside” where we are embedding opportunities to promote good physical and mental health through the “5 ways to wellbeing” and by learning to enjoy the incredible green and blue spaces on our doorstep.”
The impact of the project has been overwhelmingly positive so far, with pupils demonstrating increased enthusiasm, confidence, and wellbeing, leaving us excited to build on this momentum into next year.
Pupils will be immersed in both blue and green activities located within the Marine Park, travelling by the Cremyl ferry to Mount Edgcumbe, where they will take part in a full day of activities designed to connect them to Nature and inspire curiosity.
Sessions included exploration of the Historic House and period costumes, a Woodland Wonders discovery walk with a firepit experience, shoreline exploration with rock pooling, a beach clean with the Plymouth Sound Marine Park Rangers and a session with the Meet the Marine Park Team. During the week, some students were visited by Councillor Tom Briars-Delve who took time to take part in some of the activities and meet Project TLC.
Councillor Tom Briars-Delve commented;
“It’s fantastic to see projects like Project TLC, getting young children involved with Plymouth Sound National Marine Park, whether it’s taking part in ocean activities or celebrating our heritage, this programme will help Plymouths youngest residents connect with the Sound in new ways.”
This project celebrates the National Marine Parks commitment to ensuring that Plymouths natural spaces are open and accessible to everyone. By bringing learning outdoors and encouraging families to engage with their environment, the initiative supports healthier lifestyles, stronger community connections, and greater appreciation for the coast and countryside.
The TLC project is designed to deliver city wide impact. Families benefit from shared experiences that reduce stigma through universal access working together with schools and communities, through collective participation. The model also offers a pathway for wider adoption across Plymouth, especially within areas of greatest need.
Professor Steve Maddern, Director of Public Health, Plymouth, commented;
“Project TLC shows the difference that outdoor experiences and learning can make to children’s health and wellbeing. We will work with schools and partners to share the learning across the city helping to improve opportunities for all our children to thrive.”