Young Roots
Volunteers mountain-biked through Seal Sands to find out how these industries had affected local wildlife and landscapes. They also learnt how to navigate the River Tees by canoe, whilst researching the physical and social impact of the industrial revolution. In addition they visited Guisborough Viaduct, where they learnt about the role the viaduct played in moving goods in centuries gone by, before abseiling from the top of the viaduct.
The project concluded at Beamish Museum where young people took part in an interactive role-playing session to discover what life was like for miners and railway workers in the 1900s. As recognition of their achievement, those who successfully completed the project were awarded the prestigious John Muir Award.
One of the 14 year-old participants, Dionne, concluded that: "I used to hate nature and spiders scared me but now I have seen new things, I have changed my mind and would like to get out more like walking in the woods."