Riverside - Schoolchildren put the environment in the picture

9 February 2010

Children from three Liverpool schools have been exploring their environment through the medium of photography. The EASEL (Environmental Analysis, Sharing, Empowerment and Learning) project was funded by social landlord Riverside, Liverpool City Council and Awards for All. Disabled pupils from Sandfield Park School in Stoneycroft and pupils from St Anne’s Catholic Primary School and the Academy of St Francis Assisi in Kensington worked with Stray Cat Media to learn photography skills and Knowsley Wild Flower Centre and Blue Planet Aquarium to learn about wildlife and conservation.

The photographs have been used to create a calendar, which has been distributed to schools and community organisations. The children also created an allotment, a wormery and a bird feeder. Riverside Community Investment Officer Lisa Shearwood-Vingoe said: “Photography is a great way of engaging children with learning as it is very hands-on. It is especially good at focusing their attention on environmental issues as it encourages them to see their surroundings with a new outlook. It also enables them to express themselves creatively.”