Over the last year and a half, Andover Trees United (ATU) have been working with Andover Young Carers (AYC), supporting the young people through an Including Communities grant from HiWCF.
This grant has provided the young people with the opportunity to engage and connect with the natural world, through nature, art and music activities to benefit participants’ health and wellbeing.
A young carer is someone under 18 years who helps to look after a family member who is ill, disabled, has a mental health condition or substance misuse. AYC provides vital support and respite to young carers in Andover, offering after school clubs, supporting school lunch clubs and drop-ins, and offering trips and activities to allow young carers to take a break and have some fun.
The young carers were recently contacted by The Arts Society regarding Art @The Station, an idea conceived to comprise a rolling series of artwork from young artists in a public space of a station’s waiting room, giving students a rare chance to have their work displayed. Discussions between the young people and Andover Trees United ended with the decision to create a mixed media collage of 6 of our native wildflowers.
Andover Trees United (based at Harmony Woods, within the Diamond Wood to the north of the town) has a clear ambition that all children should be able to identify 6 native wildflowers and 6 native trees by the time they leave primary school. As we become more aware of the fragility of our planet, developing everyone’s knowledge of their local natural world becomes vitally important – it gives us the tools to help to protect the world that we live in.
Andover Young Carers have now joined ATU in this plight through their wonderful artwork display of primroses, dog violets, lady’s bedstraw, ox-eye daisies, birdsfoot trefoil, and cowslips. Together we hope that you will be able to enjoy, learn, and vote for your favourite flower in ATU’s poll.
Andover Trees United is always looking for volunteers and would love to hear from anyone interested in helping with their work. Visit the website for more information: www.andovertrees.org.uk. If you think you could spare some time to volunteer with Andover Young Carers please visit www.andoveryoungcarers.co.uk
