Natural networks (From Western Telegraph)

Natural networks

Iron-Age cooking, basket-making, face-painting, identifying plants and reading maps were all in a days work for a multicultural group of mums and youngsters who recently visited the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

The group, brought together by the Minority Ethnic Womens Network (MEWN) in Swansea, spent a day at the Parks Iron Age hill fort, Castell Henllys, and a day with National Trust staff on the Stackpole Estate.

The visits were part of the National Parks initiative on reaching people who have few opportunities to enjoy contact with nature and countryside activities.

Over the next few years, the Park hopes to forge links with a wide range of disadvantaged communities, including socially disadvantaged families and people with disabilities, both in Pembrokeshire and in the day-trip catchment area.

Everyone really got so much out of these trips, says Momena Ali, who helped organise the visits for MEWN.

The mothers loved the peaceful environment and the sense of space. For the kids it was great fun and they learned a lot about nature and about the past.

The visits were organised in partnership with the Black Environment Network (BEN), which works throughout Britain to enable ethnic minorities to experience nature and the countryside, contribute their own visions and knowledge and get actively involved in environmental projects.

None of the families had been to the National Park before. They have no access to transport except through a group visit, and for many MEWN members its not culturally acceptable to travel alone.

Its so important to us have this support from organisations like the National Park, the National Trust and BEN, Ms Ali explains. It opens up choices and opportunities. After their recent visits, many families said theyd like to come back for a longer stay and try some environmental volunteering.

Recent audience research carried out by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park confirms the view that there are whole sections of the community who either are not much aware of national parks or feel uncertain about their right to get out and enjoy the open spaces.

We value our loyal supporters and hope theyll go on supporting us, says the Parks interpretation officer, Margi Bryant. But we need to spread the message more widely. National parks are really all about people and nature co-existing, and thats an issue that concerns everyone.

If particular sections of the community are outside the loop, then we need to make special efforts to reach them. Projects like this help build contact and understanding between people from different religions, races and cultures - and thats badly needed, now more than ever.

Part of the inspiration for these visits has come out of the National Parks multicultural initiative, a partnership between the Council for National Parks and BEN to improve links with ethnic minorities throughout England and Wales. Supported by a Heritage Lottery Fund grant and practical support from bodies like the Youth Hostels Association and Field Studies Council, the three-year project will create new opportunities for visits, outdoor activities and nature conservation work.

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All smiles for the mums and children against the backdrop of a Castell Henllys Iron Age roundhouse. With them are staff members Karen Everson and Liz Dooney.