Who we are
Earthwise was founded by Claire Rosling who has a passion for the natural world, a wealth of experience in outdoor education and is a qualified Forest School Leader.
“We’re in a time where children are becoming increasingly disconnected from the food they eat and the natural world around them. I started Earthwise with the aim of re-connecting young people with this beautiful, complex ecosystem that we’re a part of, hopefully developing healthier relationships with food and the environment along the way.”
Claire's story
After completing a PhD in Chemistry at Bristol University, Claire took the bold decision to swap her lab coat for some wellies and pursue her passion in sharing nature with children. A wealth of volunteering experience for environmental education charities set her in good stead to go on to establish the very successful Education Programme at The Community Farm, as their Community Learning Officer. Claire then went on to found Earthwise which now works in partnership with the farm to deliver their educational visits, holiday activities and family events.
Claire also runs weekly Forest School sessions for pre-school children and after-school clubs in additional to woodland holiday clubs.
Claire is Forest School Level 3 qualified, is a certified Climate Change Educator, CEVAS accredited, DBS checked, Food Safety trained and paediatric first aid trained.
Our Forest School Leaders
Claire Pickman
Claire leads our tuesday Forest School club at Avanti Park School.
“I grew up in the countryside, surrounded by nature and animals which has instilled a lifelong passion for both. I feel lucky to have experienced travelling, studying and working abroad in several countries, including Madagascar, China and Ghana. I studied Philosophy as my first degree at the University of Warwick and a few years later went on to study Education for Sustainability as a Master’s degree at London South Bank University. I have since worked with two international NGOs, totalling over ten years’ experience delivering educational programmes with young people in a variety of school, college, youth, care and other group settings. I have been able to see first-hand the deep impact the outdoor environment has had on many children and young peoples’ physical and emotional well-being. I undertook my Level 3 Forest School Leader training in October 2016 and since completing this training in 2017, I have run my own Forest School sessions in schools, youth groups and holiday clubs across BANES, Somerset and Wiltshire and worked in conjunction with a variety of partners in the delivery of their forest school and outdoor education provision.”
Volunteers
We regularly seek volunteers to assist us with our events. All volunteers are DBS checked and ahve experience in working with children.
A previous, longterm volunteer shares her experience of working with us:
““There is something very special about volunteering at The Community Farm; the beautiful scenery, the wonderful people and the feeling of doing something worthwhile.
I particularly enjoy my time working at the children’s activity days and school visits. You gain real a sense of securing our future by planting the seeds of interest in the environment and where their food comes from.
For me the best aspect is picking food straight from the plant and turning it into a meal. It is so significant because it allows children to discover fruit and vegetables for themselves. For some it is the first time they have ever eaten food straight from the plant or taken the beans from a pod.
It is important that they learn to associate food with where it has come from and to know how much hard work goes in to growing food.””