On Thursday 25 April 2024, we discovered that the Deer Park Environment Club had won an incredible £500 in the Cirencester Town Council Climate Competition! The project plans we submitted were based on the theme of increasing biodiversity.

Mrs Cesek, who runs the Environment Club, commented "We were delighted to be shortlisted for the Cirencester Town Council Climate Competition and are over the moon to have won £500 for our project!"

We plan to use the winnings to transform an area of the school into a Conservation Area to attract a range of birds, insects and butterflies. The more pupils and staff who are willing and able to help us, the better we can transform the space. We encourage anyone interested to get involved!

The club meets on alternate weeks. On Tuesday 16 April we were out and about around the school site, birdwatching. We spotted 20 different species, including a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Wren and a Song Thrush. We also identified two species of butterfly - and look forward to seeing more when the weather eventually warms up.

When the weather has stopped us from going outside, we spent our time watching nature documentaries and playing nature-related online games and boardgames.

Cirencester Deer Park School is in an incredible position on the edge of town, with plenty of green space and with parkland and woodland nearby. We are looking forward to creating an area for nature, as a haven for even more wildlife.

We meet after school on Week 1 Tuesdays in Humanities, and pupils in all year groups are welcome to join us.

Useful Links:

• Cirencester Climate Hub
• Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
• Planet Earth III, Narrated by Kids
• Woodland Trust
• Natural History Museum : British Wildlife
• RSPB
• Friends of the Earth
• Greenpeace